Summer is a perfect time to embark on lifestyle changes. While the Maltese Isles are renowned for their own local specialties and out–of-this-world seafood dishes, with the numbers in vegetarian and vegan community growing steadily, Malta’s vegan and vegetarian eateries have been booming with new popularity boasting exotic, summer-fresh and utterly yummy offers.
For your convenience, we have tried and tested and complied the hippest and most frequented vegetarian/vegan cafes and restaurants for you to check out and enjoy while visiting our beautiful islands.
Balance Bowl, Gzira
The newest addition to Malta’s vegan restaurant and cafe culture, Balance Bowl has already been trending as a comfy, cozy vegan hot spot (non-vegans are most welcome as well) to meet up over scrumptious, home-made and nutritious vegan meals or to simply chill while surfing the net, reading a book or getting some studying done.
One of the missions of Balance Bowl has been to change the general perception of healthy eating as being bland and boring by showing vegans and non-vegans alike that aside from the obvious health benefits, healthy food can also be addictively delicious and enjoyable.
BTW did you know that their name Balance Bowl is a actually an acronym for their values (B: Better Living, A: Affordability, L: Locality to name a few)? To find out what the rest stands for, check them out at https://balance-bowl.com
Or better yet, visit their restaurant in Gzira where you as a health conscious traveller will be greeted warmly by the staff and will have an option to try their wonderful salads and pasta dishes from their unlimited nutrition bar (eat as much as you want paying one price) or have your pick of vegan burgers, wraps, fresh smoothies, health- and wellness-inducing drinks and mouthwatering vegan raw desserts. Not a vegan but still looking for healthy summer-fresh meal options? No problem at all. Balance Bowl has an abundance of choices (for balanced and satisfying meals including vegan junk food) that will convince and convert even the most skeptical health food critics.
Grassy Hopper, Valletta
First launched as a mobile vegetarian kiosk in October 2013, Grassy Hopper has been a huge success from the start. Owing to their immediate success, a Maltese Pastizzeria in Valletta was soon turned into Grassy Hopper restaurant with their mobile kiosk still being utilized for public events and private functions.
As lifestyle promoters ourselves, we will let you ponder upon Grassy Hopper’s philosophy behind their labor of love/business endeavor, “We believe that the food we eat is one of the foundations of how happy and fulfilling our lives can be. If we eat food full of nutrients, energy and cleansing properties, the level of passion and commitment we can bring to our lives will increase accordingly”.
As a relatively unique concept for the islands back in 2013, Grassy Hopper has stood out among the vast number of popular cafes and eateries, and has comforted and fed numerous travelers, expats and exchange students during their stay on the isles by providing sweet, savory and summer-fresh treats including a vast variety of healthy and delicious smoothies and juices infused with super-food and super-herb properties, free of refined sugars, starches, GMOs and pesticides. All of Grassy Hopper dishes are vegetarian and most are suitable for vegans.
Moreover, by using organically sourced and 100% compostable packaging and collaborating with permaculture and vegetarianism movements, Grassy Hopper has been hard at work to create more sustainable food supply systems.
Still not convinced that healthy and sustainable food is for you? We can tell you haven’t tried Grassy Hopper beetroot & bean burger with vegan cheese, creamy quinoa and avocado salad not to mention one of their to-die-for raw dessert creations.
Soul Food, Valletta
Located in the beautiful city of Valletta with their side-walk terrace facing the bustling Merchant Street, Soul Food is the perfect place to visit for those looking for comforts for their body and soul after a long day of sightseeing. Soul Food is all about taste and vibrancy. By skillfully blending cereals, herbs, seeds and spices, the restaurant boasts a variety of delicious vegan/vegetarian pasta dishes, exotic platters, fresh salads and an array of yummy out-of this-world smoothies.
Their absolute July hit this year is their Summer Salad with barley, carrot, beetroot and feta cheese. Not into salads? You gotta at least try their hand -kneaded piadina, an Italian flatbread sandwich with ingredients of your choice and a dash of truffle oil and arugula.
This summer Soul Food has also introduced their Happy Hour 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm where you are served free tapas with every drink you order.
Don’t miss out on Valletta summer vibes! Stop by Soul Food, grab a drink and some delicious and healthy grub, enjoy the tunes and feel refreshed by their new water sprayer system designed to keep you cool.
Gugar, Valletta
Right in the heart of Valletta with outdoor seating always available Gugar is a cozy, quirky, laid-back hangout offering drinks including local beers and scrumptious vegetarian and vegan munchies. Their recent summer hits have been their unique dip varieties, vegan ftira maltij (local Maltese specialty traditionally made with tuna) fajitas made with vegan cheese (a vegetarian version is available as well) and their vegan smoothie creations including flavors as exotic as Banoffee?! Yeah you heard it right.
Aside from scrumptious grub particularly suited for vegan an vegetarian needs but not limited to vegan and vegetarian foods, Gugar is also know for its jovial atmosphere where people hang out playing board games and interacting with each other instead of checking their phones.
Amorino, Valletta
When in Valletta you gotta stop by Amorino! Located right in the heart of Valletta, Amorino is your high-end Italian ice cream shop serving delectably creamy outta-this-world gelato and sorbets made with the finest and freshest of organic free range eggs, organic whole milk and fine cream, only natural ingredients, no additives or food coloring or artificial taste enhancers of any kind. Quite a few gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan options are available as well.
The most exciting part is that you can sample and taste any ice-cream flavor of your choosing for free and then pick your favorite flavors (as many as you like), which are then shaped into a beautiful flower.
Not into ice-cream? There are plenty of other treats in store for you ranging from traditional Italian coffee, gourmet drinks, frappe concoctions, crepes, waffles, fancy macaroons and other unique delicacies.
If you happen to stop by Amorino in the morning, you will be offered a flavorful freshly brewed Italian coffee with freshly baked croissants and pain au chocolat.
Green Mood, Gozo
Green Mood in Gozo is a safe space for all vegan food lovers as the staff are very personable and exceptionally knowledgeable about meeting all vegan nutritional needs in terms of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fats. The primary focus at Green Mood is on raw foods including countless salad possibilities, fresh vegetable and fruit smoothies, raw desserts and protein power balls. However, delicious and filling hot soups are also always available summer or winter.
Aside from delicious and nutritious food accompanied by inspiring stories and fascinating nutrition tidbits from the staff, Green Mood is a welcome oasis from all the summer hustle and bustle on one of Gozo’s busiest streets. It’s a relaxing space where you can cool off with a fresh juice or smoothie, chat to the staff and the owner, learn about wholesome nutrition and the power of raw foods and anti-oxidants and immerse yourself in a uniquely fascinating array of books available to leaf through and read while you are enjoying your stay at Green Mood.
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