Popular coffeehouse chain Costa Coffee has arrived in Gozo, opening its first-ever outlet in St George’s Square, Victoria last Friday.

This new outlet is the 14th one to open in the Maltese Islands, and will be open every day from 8am until 9pm. This comes just a few months after Costa Coffee closed one of its first outlets, located in Balzan.

“We cannot wait to see you there,” Costa Coffee’s social media team said in the announcement.

Many social media users expressed their excitement at the coffeehouse chain’s arrival in Malta’s sister island, with some praising the look of the outlet.

However, there were others who voiced their frustration, with one user, Jayne Giordanella, a British actress living in Gozo, saying that she is “saddened that another big chain has muscled in on Gozo.”

“If only those 200 likes [on the original announcement] would buy a coffee in a local café they would be sustaining the character of Gozo and not allow it to become just another carbon copy city,” she continued.

Others were in agreement, noting that the chain’s coffee is “overrated and overpriced.” Some also claimed that it is strange that such a multinational chain is “shoe horned” in the middle of St George’s Square.

Costa Coffee’s arrival in Gozo represents the second global coffeehouse chain to land on the island, with rival chain Starbucks opening its first outlet in Victoria back in 2022.