Rabat restaurant Root 81 has been named Malta and Gozo’s best restaurant by The Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants, following an awards ceremony on Monday.
Restaurants are judged on food, service, and ambience, with the scores of each then being taken into account for an overall score. For the 2023 edition, the results were based on a survey by 3,557 diners who dined out once to twice a week, totalling 277,446 dining experiences in a year.
Diners are then requested to judge the aforementioned categories out of 50. Root 81 came out on top as it scored 48 in food, 48 in service, and 47 in ambience, resulting in a score of 48 overall.
Reacting to the results on social media, Root 81’s management said that it is “still over the moon” and “forever grateful”.
Chef Patron Robert Cassar opened Root 81 in November 2017, utilising his 14 years of experience within the culinary field to create restaurant, located on the side stairway leading up to Rabat.
“These awards are a huge achievement and a great incentive to keep improving and moving forward,” its management continued, before thanking the voters and clients, along with the management’s family and friends for their support.
Bugibba’s Venus Restaurant was awarded Best Food, while St Paul’s Bay restaurant LOA and Valletta’s ION Harbour were joint winners of the Best Ambience award. Valletta restaurant Risette was named as the winner of the Best Service award with a score of 49.
The management of St Julian's restaurant The Aft Galley, which placed fifth overall and was named Best Newcomer, shared that this is "what we strive for and the recognition is a bonus".
The full list of the top 40 restaurants, taking into account their overall rating, the number of survey respondents, comments, and additional data (starting from highest rated):
- Root 81
- The Golden Fork
- The Phoenix
- Risette
- The Aft Galley
- Grotto Tavern
- Al Sale
- Ta’ Tona
- Maggie’s
- Rebekah’s
- Susurrus
- Da Luigi
- Noni
- L’Orangerie Bistro
- Step 15
- Beppe’s
- Onda Blu
- Venus
- Barbajean
- Ristorante La Vela
- Galea’s Kitchen
- Surf N Turf
- Il-Hnejja
- Tal-Familja
- Under Grain
- La Vida
- Meraki Wine & Dine
- de Mondion
- MUŻA
- Palazzo Preca
- LOA
- Fernando Gastrotheque
- Ta’ Frenc
- Tarragon
- The Sixth Leaf
- Il-Bitha
- Ion at the Harbour
- Bahia
- Hammett’s Mestizo
- Dinner in the Sky
Additional awards in different categories were also granted:
- Best Food – Venus
- Best Ambience – LOA
- Restaurant Most Dedicated to Supporting Local – de Mondion
- Restaurant Most Dedicated to the Best Local Wine List – Country Terrace
- Best Restaurant in Gozo – Al Sale
- The Best Chef Award – Jean Pierre Dingli of Barbajean
- Best Business Entertainment – Caviar & Bull
- Best Newcomer – The Aft Galley
- Most Children-Friendly Restaurant – Don Royale
- Best Maltese Restaurant – Diar il-Bniet
- Most Romantic Restaurant – Barbajean
- Best Value for Money Restaurant – Il-Kartell
- Favourite Café – Busy Bee
- The People’s Choice Wine List (according to survey results) – Barbajean
- Best Overall Wine List: Fernando Gastrotheque
- Best Presented Wine List: Barbajean
- Best Wine By the Glass Selection: Hammett’s Mestizo.
- Best Fine Wine List: Tarragon
- Best Short Wine List: Barbajean
- Best Port Wine List: Country Terrace
