Coogi's Restaurant & Tea Garden — Restaurant in Mdina

Mdina might be tiny but don't let its dimensions fool you! The town is a beauty and would make an ideal getaway from Valletta, Floriana, Santa Venera, Sliema or wherever. Opt for an overnight stay to savour the sheer magic of those silent streets minus the mid- morning tourist hordes....  it was a warm and sunny afternoon in May, only to turn treacherously cold come evening time- do arm your self with a handy jacket and scarf ....after some rewarding sight seeing, mild hunger got the better of me and I saw myself standing before Coogis', housed within the Palazzo Costanzo! Several travel bloggers had written of this place in glowing terms and I made my way inside without much ado, deciding on a light lunch. The restaurant is well managed, spacious and was packed to the hilt on that particular day. Pizza did the mind dictate? Surely Mdina would not be able to hold its own against mighty Napoli on this front? The mind went back to Lombardi a Santa Chiara and those three superlative pizza meals which had one begging for more in the Pizza Capital of the world! Would Mdina manage to put up a respectable show on a front both Rome and Florence have known to falter on a number of instances? And yours truly does know good food from bad! Recall being served by Suman, an immaculately mannered boy from Nepal. On my request for a fire and brimstone taste bud experience, reminiscent of the one in Napoli, we settled for Piazza Diavola, which arrived on the table with efficient ease - piping hot and oh-so- tempting- just waiting to be devoured! The salami was well spiced, complimented by the jalapenos and the combo succeeded in bringing out the piquant flavour rather well. Managed to go through it all, with absolutely no place left for anything sweet thereafter! Did the pizza hold up comparably to the ones from Napoli? Yes, it did .... almost on the same level and that's saying a lot. More than the pizza however, it was Suman who made the afternoon-meal memorable. What impeccable service from a finely brought up young man - dignity, good humor, humility and faultless decorum. An employee who lends distinction to the work- place he so ably represents. More strength...

Disappointing Experience Despite the Setting

After reading countless glowing reviews, we were excited to visit Coogi’s and enjoy what looked like a serene garden courtyard. Things started on a positive note—they managed to find us a table despite being fully booked, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives ended.

Our waiter was inattentive and disengaged—certainly not the “Mack” so many other reviews rave about. He even walked off mid-sentence while still speaking to us, which set a poor tone for the rest of the evening.

We ordered the house special pasta and the lamb shank. I specifically asked for the large pasta portion, but what arrived was tiny—more like a child’s portion—and served flat on a plate instead of in a pasta bowl. It was bland, undercooked (not in an al dente way), and altogether disappointing. When I asked the waitress if this was the large portion, she assured me it was, but it didn’t come close to expectations.

The lamb shank didn’t fare any better. The vegetables were scant, and the lamb itself was surprisingly flavorless. When asked how our meals were, we gave honest feedback—politely—but the waitress seemed visibly annoyed and uninterested in hearing it. At that point, we decided to skip dessert.

To top things off, the premium house wine we ordered was poor quality and added nothing to the experience.

Yes, the courtyard is beautiful—but it’s not enough to compensate for the lack of care in both service and food. Sadly, we wouldn’t...

I was quite disappointed by the food here considering the many raving reviews. The location and service was nice which dragged up the experience, but in the end a restaurant is about food. The portions were generous, but the quality was not. I’m comparing with other restaurants I’ve eaten at in Malta of course. Mdina is quite touristy so maybe that’s why. Either way we ordered a Maltese platter as a starter, a seafood spaghetti, and mushroom risotto. The starter was a generous portion of various pickled vegetables, bean paste, and sausage. Maybe it’s Maltese but definitely not very good. Probably a tourist dish. Would not eat again. 2/5. The seafood pasta honestly tasted like something I could have cooked up in my college dorm, dry mussels and clams with shrimp from the supermarket. Very average taste you wouldn’t expect in a restaurant. Not very fresh tasting seafood either. First dish in Malta I couldn’t/didn’t want to finish 2/5. The risotto was mid, probably have made better from a supermarket packet. All in all, I would not eat here again based on my experience, at least not for food. Maybe wine and a...