Royale Barrel Bistro Bar, at the Qawra Palace Hotel, has received a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2026. The award places it among the top 10 per cent of listings on Tripadvisor worldwide.

The award is based only on reviews and ratings from guests over a 12-month period.

Royale Barrel is Malta’s bistro bar for whiskey and food pairings. It sits between a fine-dining whiskey lounge and a noisy pub. Guests can explore a bold single malt next to slow-braised short ribs, order a whiskey-based cocktail with friends after work, or just settle in for a relaxed dinner. Draught beers, wines and crafted cocktails mean there is something for everyone, whether they know whiskey or not.

“This one comes straight from our guests, and that’s why it means so much,” said Jonathan Pisani, General Manager of Qawra Palace Resort & Spa. “Every review, every recommendation, every ‘you have to try this pairing’ has added up to this. It belongs to our kitchen, bar and floor teams, who make whiskey feel welcoming.”