Maldonado Bistro has been named a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice 2026 winner, placing us among the top 10% of restaurants worldwide.
Type “best restaurant in Gozo” into Google and you’ll get a wall of lists, ads and opinions. So here’s a different kind of answer: one that comes from the people who actually sat at the tables.
Every year, Tripadvisor looks at a full 12 months of reviews and ratings from travellers around the world and recognises the places they loved most. This year, those diners put Maldonado Bistro in the top 10% of restaurants on the planet.
Not a judging panel. Not a paid placement. Just a year of honest reviews from guests who found their way down our little backstreet in Victoria. To every one of you who took the time to write about your evening with us — thank you. This one is yours.
Maldonado isn’t on a seafront promenade or a busy square. We’re tucked into the backstreets on the edge of Victoria’s historic centre, the kind of place you hear about from a local, a hotel host or a friend who’s been. Guests often tell us that finding us feels like part of the experience.
Step down from the street and you’re in the arched limestone basement of a traditional Maltese townhouse that has stood for more than three centuries — originally built for keeping livestock. Today it’s candlelit, cosy and intimate: exactly the setting for a long dinner with good wine and better company. The bistro’s name honours a generous 17th-century Governor of Gozo, a small nod to the island’s history that runs through everything we do.
Our menu is Mediterranean with a contemporary twist, and it changes with the seasons because it’s built around what local growers and suppliers bring us. When the produce is this good, the job is to let it shine. And yes — travellers regularly mention that the portions are generous. Come hungry.
Above the bistro is our open kitchen, home to the experiences that make Maldonado more than a restaurant: wine tastings paired with food, private chef evenings and hands-on cooking classes where you learn Gozitan and Mediterranean techniques and then sit down to eat what you’ve made. If you’re planning a special night, a group celebration or something memorable for your trip, this is where it happens.
We’re a small team and we like it that way. We learn names, we talk you through the wine, and we want you to leave feeling like you’ve been a guest in someone’s home — because in a way, you have.
“Best” depends on the night you’re after. A few honest tips from people who eat out on this island all year round:
What is the best restaurant in Gozo? It depends on what you’re looking for, but Maldonado Bistro in Victoria is a Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice 2026 winner, ranking among the top 10% of restaurants worldwide based on 12 months of traveller reviews.
Where is Maldonado Bistro? In the backstreets of Victoria, Gozo’s capital, on the edge of the historic centre and within walking distance of the Citadel.
What kind of food does Maldonado Bistro serve? Seasonal Mediterranean cuisine with a contemporary twist, made with ingredients sourced directly from local Gozitan growers and suppliers.
Do you offer cooking classes or wine tastings in Gozo? Yes. Our upstairs open kitchen hosts cooking classes, wine tastings with food and private chef experiences. Message us for upcoming dates.
Do I need to book? We strongly recommend it, especially in peak season and on weekends. You can book online or via WhatsApp.