Malta (St Julians) - Wigi's Kitchen

This family run restaurant on the seafront in St Julians is not luxurious, flashy or posh.  Indeed, when my hosts escorted me under the tacky ‘Wigi’s’ sign and up the well worn wooden staircase, I was quietly questioning Maltese culinary standards.  Momentarily, the MacDonalds sign outside seemed a safer option.

At the top of the stairs, I began to relax.  A large bar, behind which was a Raymond Weil wall clock, was fronted by a dining area with views over the bay.  Although, not slick, it was friendly and warm. It seemed that most of the other diners were family or friends, as young children were frequently hugged by the staff whilst their parents wandered into the kitchen and behind the bar.

Wigi’s has no fixed menu, just ‘specials’, which change daily.  The wine list is brief with a few Italian, French, Australian and Maltese (to be avoided) wines.

We opted for a bowl of mussels to share which had been cooked in a spicy chorizo sausage sauce.

What followed was extraordinary.

My host was presented with the largest T bone steak I have ever seen.  It originated from France and was very tender.  The price? 20 euros.

The remaining diners ordered sea bass. Half of a huge fish appeared on each plate, accompanied by salad and sauté potatoes.  The sea bass was priced at 15 euros.  It was cooked perfectly, although with a touch too much garlic for this camel’s palate.

A bottle of very acceptable Gavi di Gavi was 12 euros.

I departed, very pleased with this unexpected discovery, but delighted that I had veered away from the red meat.  An afternoon nap was not on my itinerary.

Wigi’s Kitchen
Main Street
St Julians
Malta

+356 2137 7504