Coffee lovers will be delighted to know that two brand new Costa Coffee shops have just opened in Marsaxlokk and St Julian's, making them the ninth and tenth shop on the Island. The former is situated right next to the parish church of Marsaxlokk and the latter in the heart of Spinola Bay, both with beautiful sea views.

Voted best coffee shop chain in southern Europe at the Allegra European Coffee awards, Costa Coffee is now offering its freshly ground Mocha Italia coffee in these two new, warm and welcoming stores that are designed differently to their sister stores around the island. "The idea behind the décor of these stores is to give our customers a quality and refreshed space to relax in and take some time out from their hectic day. The lighting, wall colours and seating have been designed for this purpose as we are fully committed to match the Costa family's vision to create welcoming places that feel like home," said Ralph Llanwarne, executive chairman of Costa Coffee in Malta and Spain.

"Whether it's a lazy Sunday breakfast or a catch up after work, our skilled baristas serve handcrafted coffee and delicious desserts anytime of the day. Additionally, just like our other stores, free Wifi is available making it a great alternative to an office, meeting space or study hub for students," continued Mr Llanwarne.

"We are thrilled to be serving our irresistible coffee in these fantastic locations and encourage all passers-by to pay us a visit and let us know what they think," said Christina Galea, general manager of the Malta stores. "Coffee lovers who happen to be animal lovers are also very welcome as all our stores are pet friendly!" she said.

Costa Coffee has now been operating in Malta for just over three years, employing over 120 people with plans for further growth in the coming years.

Concurrently, the company has also opened 13 new Costa Coffee stores in Spain over the past 12 months.  The stores in Spain are located in Barcelona, Valencia, Benidorm and Palma. A further 62 stores are planned to be opened over the coming years across the East Coast of Spain, the Ballearics and the Canary Islands in accordance to the licence held by the company.

Follow Costa Coffee on Facebook and Instagram for ongoing updates.