Having spent two months in Malta in the north of the island we managed to enjoy many good cafe’s. Dining out in Malta is certainly not a problem. There are so many places to try that you’d need years here to sample them all.

Qawra town

Lots of cafe’s in Qawra & Bugibba

As for the best coffee in town, we did try plenty but not all, so it might be a bit unfair to the ones we didn’t sample but that’s the way it is. We always drank Espresso Macchiato and the cheapest was €1 along the beachfront near to Bugibba square at this place.

Gelateria e Cafe macchiato in Bugibba

The cafe is in a nice spot over looking the bay and generally busy especially when the sun was out. Service is pretty average but the coffee’s we had were good and for just a buck this would have to be the best valued coffee in Bugibba.

Not the best coffee though.

Bugibba square

Bugibba square has plenty of cafes and bars all vying for your business and even more along the streets leading off. We tried a place called Bay Square cafe right at the end of the square which served a good coffee @ €1.35

Bay Square Cafe in Bugibba

Another one in the square was at Miracles right next to the HSBC bank. The coffee here was just okay compared to many others and the service average as well, plus it was €1.60 a cup!!

Macchiato from Miracles in Bugibba square

Bugibba bus station

The best coffee in Qawra

The cafe’s with the best coffees would be tied between a place called Milk & Coffee which is opposite the Bugibba bus station and Knickerbocker cafe just over the road. We enjoyed the flavour and consistency at Milk & Coffee. The coffee here costs €1.30 and comes with a small biscuit on the side.

Milk & Coffee cafe in Qawra

Milk & Coffee also serves a variety of meals throughout the day even pretty decent Pukka pies at €6 with chips gravy & peas. Also good ice cream.

Yummy pie chips peas & gravy

There is plenty of seating inside and a few tables kerbside that enjoy the sun.

The Knickerbocker cafe is over the road and they make a good coffee for €1.20 and you have lots of tables outside to enjoy the Maltese weather.

Knickerbocker cafe in Qawra macchiato

They also offer a wide range of meals particularly good was the ham, mushroom & cheese omelette.

A selection of meals from Knickerbocker cafe

Opposite the Carrefour store is a cafe which is very popular with locals, yet we didn’t find it special at all. It was cramped and less personal with no decent outside seating except around the back entrance which was often full of smokers. Sorry no picture of the place.

macchiato from Koffee gelato wine bar

Around the corner along the road towards the bus station you’ll find another cafe. This place called 9 ball cafe pool and bar (I think), serves the Lavazza brand and makes a good coffee.

9 ball cafe pool and bar in Qawra

Get your printing done here in Qawra

Here you can do some printing if needed. Especially if you need to print out your Ryanair boarding pass which I highly recommend you do to avoid a €45 fee at the check-in desk. I didn’t realise this as it was our first time flying with this carrier and thankfully I paid attention to a courtesy SMS made me aware to this just in time.

Our first attempt at printing was at a hotel nearby for free yet the quality was poor of the barcode. We had to come to this cafe and here the print out is specifically high quality. Signs that read, ‘check with staff before printing Ryanair boarding passes’ are clearly plastered to the walls around the computer stations.

Anyway I digress. Back to our topic of the best coffee in Bugibba/Qawra.

Our favourite place to enjoy a cafe or drink in Qawra

Our favourite place to enjoy a coffee was in a place called Planet bell caffe italiano. It’s directly roadside with limited views to the beachfront, here the service was great and the background music entertaining. You can have meals if you want. We found the atmosphere here ideal to people watch and enjoy a beverage in the shade or even to soak up the sun.

Planet cafe Qawra

The coffee maybe not the best, however we enjoyed the local beer and crisps here more than anything while listening to the sounds and people watching in the sun. The place is really just a roadside bar more than a cafe per se but the owner Jason is very attentive and it’s in a nice spot.

The waterfront in Bugibba

The cafe Oblico further along this road heading towards Bugibba square has a deal for a slice of any cake (and they have loads) with your choice of coffee for €3 which is decent. The cakes were delicious and the coffee was just okay.

Coffee & cake from Oblico Cafe on Islet Promenade, St Paul’s Bay

I could probably mention a few more places that we sampled but the ones I have already noted were the best of the bunch. There is pretty much a cafe or bar on every street and sometimes multiple venues to chose from. It would probably be the ideal place for a pub crawl except you’d be drunk before getting to the end of the street, lol.

The Queens Head Pub near our apartment

Anyway, we had a wonderful experience in this part of Malta, one that is full of expats, which explains why it has a very British feel to it.

Lots of tourists and locals alike come here for the day out, be it to visit the Aquarium or catch a day cruise to Gozo from St Paul’s Bay or a just make it a stop whilst enjoying a ride with the hop on hop off bus.

Whatever you get up to in Malta be sure to enjoy one of the cafe’s in the Bugibba / Qawra area.