As the weather warms, days lengthen and social calendars fill, The Phoenicia Malta also transforms, ready for the summer months. Although this iconic hotel's innovative culinary experiences have redefined Maltese hospitality for nearly 80 years, each summer it reimagines summer dining, shaping its seasonal food and beverage offerings to set the scene for the joyful moments that make a Maltese summertime.
At the centre of The Phoenicia Malta's summer 2026 is its flagship restaurant, Contessa. Named in honour of the hotel's co-founder Countess Margaret Strickland, this fully air-conditioned, botanical garden-inspired conservatory is glass-enclosed for year-round comfort. The unique, custom-designed space opens onto the hotel's more than seven acres of lush, landscaped gardens, which sprawl in parallel to Valletta's bastion walls. By day, the light pours in. By evening, the gardens take on the warm tones of a Maltese sunset. Indeed, this is a distinctly local summer experience, serving 2026 luxury inspired by the surrounding Maltese architecture that dates back centuries.
Contessa's Southern Mediterranean menu changes with the seasons - and summer is no exception. The expert chef team curates each dish from the finest seasonal produce that is Malta's culinary signature: fresh fish and seafood, alongside aromatic herbs and seasonal vegetables. Many ingredients that meet guests at Contessa's table are grown fresh in the hotel's Vegetable Garden & Citrus Orchard, which perfumes the air throughout The Phoenicia Malta's expansive gardens.
The hotel's popular Sparkling Weekend Brunch, which pairs Contessa's seasonal cooking with free-flowing prosecco, takes place every Saturday and Sunday through June from midday to 3pm. This year, the season's final brunch falls on Sunday 21 June - Father's Day - which makes it a natural occasion to gather the family around the table to celebrate at Contessa. The brunch then takes its annual summer pause and returns in September.
Through the rest of the season, Contessa continues to open every evening for dinner and weekdays for lunch. In harmony with its summer-worthy menu, the restaurant's other signature also stays in place - its tiramisu and delicious cocktails, each freshly prepared tableside upon a golden trolley, in a moment of culinary theatre that delights food-lovers both across the island and worldwide.
Beyond Contessa, summer across The Phoenicia Malta unfolds outdoors. Bastion Pool, Bar & Restaurant opens throughout the season from June, with Mediterranean barbecues, an a la carte menu and live music on weekday evenings, all set against the 16th-century bastion walls. Together, the two venues cover the summer day's range - Bastion Pool for sun-soaked afternoons and harbour views beside the infinity pool, Contessa to cool down in the climate-controlled conservatory and the occasions that call for a change in tempo, an expertly crafted seasonal menu and a setting unlike any other in Malta. Both have a way of slowing the pace - perfect for a summer in Malta full of memories and milestones marked with friends, loved ones, teams and clients.
For informal gatherings and major celebrations alike, this season's culinary and beverage offering at The Phoenicia Malta showcases laid-back luxury, genuine Maltese hospitality and elevated dining experiences - all set within the beautiful grounds and historic spaces of Malta's first five-star hotel, just steps from Valletta's City Gate.
With the capital's summer cultural calendar in full swing on the doorstep, there is no better time to book a table at Contessa - or to round off an evening in Valletta with a short stroll back to the hotel for a dining experience unlike any other.
To reserve a table at Contessa this summer, visit www.phoeniciamalta.com.