One of the first local dishes we (somewhat forcefully) urge foreign friends into trying is rabbit. For people who are merely visiting, eating rabbit is an interesting culinary experiment, and for most, its totally worth it.  

Along with horse meat, the go-to village to try rabbit is the tiny village of Mġarr, where a handful of small traditional restaurants that all look and feel very similar offer some great rabbit dishes. If you’re thinking of trying out something a little different here are some other great eateries to try rabbit.

1. Charlie’s Inn Rabbit House

Run by the Zammit family for the past 80 years, Charlie’s Inn originally opened as a tea house for the British military. Over the years, the place became a restaurant renowned for traditional fried rabbit and chips with homemade gravy. It now safely sits at the top of many people’s list of best places to go for a delicious rabbit-centric feast. 

2. La Pira

This wine bar in Valletta has a wide variety of typical Maltese dishes, and its Trip Advisor page reads like a hall of fame of great reviews for rabbit. They must be doing something right!

3. Tal-Furnar

One of the oldest restaurants in Gozo, Tal-Furnar is a traditional bakery that has  branched out from delicious pizzas and pastizzi, and now has a menu featuring many other traditional Maltese dishes. Rabbit is one of them, and Tal-Furnar’s hundred-year-old stone oven means there’s going to be some serious flavour happening there.

4. Guzé Bistro

A traditional Mediterranean restaurant in Old Bakery Street in Valletta. If that doesn’t sound romantic enough, then the restaurant’s intimate interior and great rabbit dishes will definitely convince you. Proof that you don’t need to drive all the way up to Mġarr to get a generous helping of rabbit!

5. White Rock Resto Lounge

One of the newest restaurants on the block, White Rock is a revelation not only for its lack of pizza and pasta on the menu, but also for its deliciously tender rabbit dish. We raved about this place when it opened in late 2016, and it seems like the hype around White Rock is only getting bigger by the week.

6. Rogantino’s Rest

Everything about this place screams traditional – from the name, to its location in a valley in Landrijiet, to its superb Maltese dishes. If you’re after some absolutely authentic rabbit goodness, this place is your answer.

7. L’Artist

A family-run restaurant in the heart of Sliema, L’Artist effortlessly blends traditional dishes  and a cosy ambience with its central and modern location. Along with its renowned fresh fish and beef dishes, L’Artist’s rabbit has been getting rave reviews over the past couple of years.  

8. Marley’s

One of the consistently highest rated restaurants for rabbit, this Naxxar eatery should definitely be on your radar if you’re on the hunt for the good stuff in a more central location. After all, in their own words, rabbit is their speciality. 

Tag a foreign friend who you think would love to try rabbit!

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David Grech Urpani

Lovin Malta's Head of Content, Dave has been in journalism for the better half of the last decade. Prefers Instagram, but has been known to doomscroll on TikTok. Loves chicken, women's clothes and Kanye West (most of the time).