Street food in Malta: The culinary hype that will never fade away

Street food doesn’t just eliminate problems, but some food carts and trucks also feature some of the best bites to be had

Going to a restaurant can be frustrating at times - you're surrounded by people you don’t want to be anywhere close to, not to mention that most of the time you have to play the waiting game to get seated. Are you in a hurry? Or just don’t have the patience to sit down and socialise?

Street food doesn’t just eliminate all these problems, but some food carts and trucks also feature some of the best bites to be had. Be it sweet or savoury treats, there’s something for everyone… food and drinks you can enjoy in the park, at your desk, or in the comfort of your own home. Oh, and did we mention some even cater for events and parties!

Malta offers its fair share of unique street food. These 8 options take street food to ridiculous new heights, with inventive chefs turning food into an art form, baristas turning coffee into a craft, and some even providing you with goodies you’ve never heard of (but want to try now).

EAT

EAT, a 1961 Morris LD food truck situated in Mosta near the junction going to Gnien l-Gharusa, specialises in classic American and smoked foods with the most popular dish on the menu being the smoked pulled pork. It involves a long process; sourcing high quality meat, rubbing the pork with a secret spice rub, smoking the meat for 12 hours using wood such as hickory or oak, and keeping the temperature low and constant. This is how the meat at EAT is always tender and juicy.

ORANGE MILES

The bright orange food truck Orange Miles is located in Ta' Xbiex and has something for everyone. Ranging from a variety of options on the grill, to hearty salads, to stews and curries, their highly sought out menu changes weekly, always keeping it fresh. Ready to serve from 11:30 am till stock lasts between Monday and Friday.

KUYA

This hip food truck parks on the promenade of Ta’ Xbiex daily and outside the airport on Wednesdays, serves western-inspired cuisine. The main inspiration is Asian cuisine, with one of the owners describing the food as 90% Japanese-inspired and 10% of his personal twist. That 10% is absolutely crucial, as it is what gives KuYa its signature taste and charm. People rave about the Bang Bang Chicken, which contains tender pieces of grilled chicken with cucumber, garlic rice, and peanut and sweet chilli sauce. Honestly, this is the kind of place you can point randomly at the menu and leave feeling completely satisfied.

Bang Bang Chicken
Bang Bang Chicken

KREPREE

Krepree food truck is located outside the shops in the Pama car park selling freshly made crepes and waffles from sweet to savoury. Krepree is the leading original pancake parlour on the island operating the oldest outlet in Bugibba and the newly refurbished outlet in Sliema. Krepree outlets are open all week from Monday to Friday.

MISS ELLEN’S TRAVELLING TREATS

At Miss Ellen’s in St. Venera, you can buy a variety of types and  flavours of English and American sweets  and mix them up as you wish at home or simply enjoy a whole bag of your favourite. The brand also includes its very own mobile retro sweet van, a 60 year old Citroen, which is constantly on the go, travelling daily from North to South. The van can be hired for any event and can cater to all your party needs from event styling, candy tables, balloon decor, and personalised party bags ensuring guests go home with a gift as memorable as your party.

A selection of sweets to choose from
A selection of sweets to choose from

COFFEE CIRCUS

Catch the Coffee Circus crew all around Malta for a freshly roasted specialitycoffee that is fair to the farmer. The famous Tuk-Tuk often goes on tour with Coffee to cater for local events, corporate functions and weddings. Contact [email protected]

BAVARIAN SAUSAGE

This food cart has had the pleasure of serving quality German Bavarian sausages to the streets of Malta since 2005. All sausages are produced in Germany and delivered to Malta every two weeks, to ensure a fresh product. Some of the sausage staples you can expect to be on the menu include the all-time favourite classic German sausage, original Ementhal cheese sausage, and the jumbo spicy sausage; a sausage twice as big as the regular for an even cheaper price. This includes herbs from Munich and hot and spicy chilli. Bavarian sausage food cart is also available for catering services, birthday parties, weddings, festivals, you name it! You can find them daily stationed at the Strand, Sliema and PAMA shopping village. Expect good sausages. Get good sausages. It’s their thing and they get it right.

BLACK VAN

Though you can certainly order a meal that’s just Mexican, or just Korean at The Black Van, there’s plenty of fun to be shared with the half ‘n’ half creations like Korean pulled pork tacos with Kogi BBQ Sauce or chili con carne and kimchi Burritos for a unique taste of Mexican and Korean street food culture. Mexico meets Korea in the form of high-end fusion food and flavors at street prices. Opening very soon in Sliema.