Mamma Mia Restaurant — Restaurant in Ta' Xbiex

Don’t expect anything fancy here; no fine dining or exotic dishes - just casual dining aimed mainly at families with children or large groups, and the average Maltese person’s idea of what a restaurant experience should be like.

With that in mind, it delivers very well. It’s good value, efficient service, large portions and decent food for the price. The surrounding area makes for a lovely view and a pleasant walk after lunch or dinner too. It’s ideal for a family meal on a weekday when one just had too-long a-day to cook, for a casual Sunday lunch especially with kids, for corporate meals or birthday gatherings. The fact that it’s ALWAYS fully booked goes to show It’s loved by many. Menu includes a selection of starters, pizza, pasta/rice, meats and desserts, most of which are decent quality.

Couples seeking a quiet romantic evening should shy away from this place as it’s always crowded, noisy and full of children of all ages. Oh, and you won’t finish your sentence to your partner before that darn “happy birthday” jingle plays again! Likewise, the more discerning foodies seeking quality, elevated food and attention to detail will look the other way. But Mamma Mia is not about any of that, and what it aims for it achieves with...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ When pasta dreams meet yacht club views—this is how Italy should be done! 🇮🇹

Right, let me set the scene: you're craving proper Italian food but also want to feel a bit fancy watching boats bob around the marina. Mamma Mia delivers on both fronts without the pretentious yacht club attitude that usually comes with waterfront dining.

The authenticity here is spot-on—none of that "let's chuck some cream in the carbonara" nonsense you get at tourist traps. The pasta has that perfect al dente bite, the sauces taste like nonna's been stirring them all day, and the pizza base actually has character instead of tasting like cardboard with cheese 🍕

Staff genuinely know their stuff and aren't just there to look pretty by the harbour views. The atmosphere strikes that sweet spot between casual and special occasion—you can rock up in shorts or bring your parents for their anniversary.

Pro tip: grab a table facing the marina during golden hour if you want your Instagram to look effortless. The sunset reflections on the water whilst twirling linguine? Chef's kiss 📸

Proper Italian comfort food with a view that doesn't break the bank. What more could...

Have been to this restaurant many times and enjoyed it. But apparently they have a rule that you must order a meal! We sat down and ordered drinks, and told our server that’s all we wanted to order for now. We enjoyed them for several minutes before the manager came over and very rudely and loudly informed us that they were not some “coffee shop or confectionary” and that we would have to order a meal if we wanted to stay. We did mentioned that we were just enjoying drinks before ordering further (we were going to order some nibbles and dessert and another round of drinks) but she said we would have to order a whole meal. Needless to say we finished our drinks and left.

If this ridiculous rule does exist, she certainly could have approached this much better. Having worked in the restaurant business for many years, there’s no reason that they needed to approach us in such a rude manner. It was a quiet evening, they had plenty of empty tables, and we were just hoping to enjoy a lighter evening fare. We certainly won’t be returning or recommending this poor service...