The Gateway of India Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Saint Paul's Bay

We went here for a meal with the family, after I was put in charge of finding somewhere to eat locally.

We were staying at the ODYCY and this place is a three minute walk away. We love Indian food and I’ve eaten in literally hundreds of Indian restaurants over the years.

We got there early evening and the lady who served us was very polite and showed us to our table. It’s not quite your usual Indian restaurant, where you feel like you are walking into an Indian Palace. This place felt (and smelt) a bit more like the greasy spoon off ‘The Apprentice’.

We were given small, well thumbed, laminated menus and they just didn’t have the choice many other Indian restaurants have.

Sadly we are creatures of habit, and we ordered our usual dishes… Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala… BUT no Chicken Bhuna was on the menu! OK, this could be a deal breaker… We asked for a recommendation and the lady recommended a house special curry instead. Also they had Pilau Rice but no Mushroom Pilau Rice, so I had to have Pilau Rice too. We had Garlic Naan’s all round. I asked if we could get some poppadoms and I was told they came complimentary. Great!

The basket soon turned up with the poppadoms! I thought we were getting a basket each, but no, one poppadom had literally been divided into 4 with a tiny amount of mango chutney in a pot (not much bigger than a thimble). I was almost embarrassed that they thought this was enough for 2 adults and two hungry kids. I’ve literally had bigger taster portions at some of the Christmas markets over the years. But hey ho, it was ‘free’ so no big deal.

You know how you normally eat the poppadoms and think, ‘bugger, I should have only ordered one each’ when the main meal arrives at the table, well this time there was none of that! The main meal came very fast though… maybe a little too fast! We were the only people in the restaurant at this point though. I had an inkling that this wasn’t going to be quite as good as I’d hoped it would be… 👀

The meal didn’t actually look terrible! Rice portion sizes were good, Naan’s were a little on the thin side but looked good glazed in runny garlic butter and herbs and the dishes looked overall quite good.

I always make a point of trying other dishes and sharing mine with the family to get a feel of how the meals compare place to place. We all agreed the Butter Chicken was just not right and more like a Korma. The Chicken Tikka Masala was ok but again, it wasn’t sweet like a masala normally is and mine and the better half’s house curries were just too salty. I like a lot of salt, but it was way too salty in my opinion.

The bill with a bottle of water and two kids drinks came to nearly 120€, which I think is very expensive for the quality of the meal we received. We had a meal at LUZZU’s the night before and it was half the cost and twice the quality.

I’m certainly not saying the meal was bad, but I took the family there off the back of the 4.7 rating on Google Maps. Personally, I don’t think it’s fully justified. 4 stars is much closer to reality, when the quality of the food and venue is taken...

A Taste of India in Malta – Truly Outstanding!

I recently dined at THE GATEWAY OF INDIA RESTAURANT AND BAR , and I must say, it was an extraordinary experience! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly by the staff, particularly Mr. Anil and Mr. Rajendra, whose hospitality was exceptional.

The authentic Indian flavors, combined with the impeccable service, made for a memorable evening. The dishes were perfectly seasoned, and the variety offered something for every palate.

Mr. Anil and Mr. Rajendra ensured that everything was to our satisfaction, adding a personal touch that made the experience even more special. Their attentiveness and friendliness truly set this restaurant apart.

I highly recommend THE GATEWAY OF INDIA RESTAURANT AND BAR to anyone looking for an authentic Indian dining experience in Malta. Thank you to the entire team for making our visit so enjoyable. I'll...

I recently visited The Gateway of India in Saint Paul’s Bay and had an amazing time. The cozy atmosphere and welcoming staff made for a great first impression.

We enjoyed delicious cocktails – the “Goa Sunrise” and “Mango Blast.” Watching the kitchen in action was a treat, especially seeing the chicken tandoori and butter chicken being prepared.

Our meal included crisp papadam with chutneys, tandoori chicken, samosas, and rich chicken curries with rice. Every dish was bursting with flavors and textures. Dipping naan into the chicken gravy was a personal favorite!

The chicken tandoori and samosas were outstanding, leaving us fully satisfied. The terrace is a fantastic spot to dine. If you’re in Saint Paul’s Bay, don’t miss out on this...