Al Sale Restaurant

We had dinner here and honestly, it was such a great experience. The sunset reflecting off the church nearby made the whole setting feel kind of magical. We started with the caviar and tuna tartare, which were both super tasty, and then had the daily special beef for the main. It was insanely good. The staff were really friendly and always around when we needed something, without hovering. We sat outside and it was really comfortable. Would definitely recommend this place

I was very much looking forward to our reservation at Al Sale last Saturday evening, but unfortunately, the experience was disappointing from the moment we were seated. It took around 20 minutes to be served water and 45 minutes for the wine, which I had to order four times due to unavailable options and confusion from the staff. Meanwhile, our starter was served and sat untouched for about five minutes as we waited for the wine, which did not arrive until much later. The main dishes - the grilled calamari was good however the BBQ octopus was quite disappointing. The sauce was clearly broken, the octopus was drenched in a pool of oil. When I raised this with one of the servers, I was told, rather dismissively, that this was intentional “sauce with a drizzle of oil” and just left (refer to photo). Thankfully another server noticed something is wrong and looked into the matter. 20 minutes later the chef sent his apologies. A dessert was offered as an apology, however a few minutes later we were informed that the dessert chosen was finished. While the octopus was removed from our bill, the overall handling of the situation left us very disappointed. We were patient and understanding given how busy the restaurant was, but the repeated missteps and lack of communication made for a frustrating evening. We felt ignored throughout the service. This may have been a one-off, but sadly, it doesn't make us want to return. EDIT: Replying to owner's comment - Waiting 45 minutes for a bottle of wine is unacceptable. I did not have a problem with the wine being oos, but with the waiting time. As previously stated, our primary concern was the octopus dish. Waiting an additional 40 minutes for a resolution only added to our frustration. While the dish was partially eaten, it was far too oily to continue. Sauce was broken from the moment it was served (refer to photo). The issue was not just the food itself, but the lack of attentive customer service and the dismissive way the situation was handled, especially given that you are a Michelin recommended restaurant.

This restaurant really hits all 3: food, atmosphere and definitely service! John and Nenad were exceptional and very accommodating to our requests. Tried the rabbit roulette and the rabbit just was really fragrant with a herbal taste. Salt baked sea bass was very tender and well seasoned. Lobster ravioli was sauced perfectly! The wine recommended was also up our alley of fruity and paired perfectly with our dishes. Definitely a must try when in gozo! It is also located in a very quaint town beside a church.

We stumbled onto this place by accident last year and had a wonderful experience. Today, we decided to return and have my last lunch there - I leave for home tomorrow. There were 5 of us. We were seated upstairs. Our meal was amazing - from starters to entree. The wait was a tad long, but we were chatting and enjoying wine, so it was okay. Very enjoyable, food cooked perfectly, waitstaff very attentive and friendly. At times it was a bit loud, but not the entire time.It was a Sunday - very busy. They won a Michelin Star last year - congrats!! Well deserved. Will be back next time I am in Malta.

Al Sale is located in the heart of Xagħra, Gozo, offers a delightful dining experience. The ambiance was lovely, with a warm, charming and welcoming environment. The food was simply outstanding and the presentation of the starters and mains were beautifully presented! As a starter we had a huge mixed platter with different fish carpaccio, raw prawns, langoustine, tartare and oysters. It was incredibly delicious. A perfect way to start our meal. For the main course, I had the tuna steak and my boyfriend had the ‘merluzz’ which was expertly prepared, fresh and delicious. The food is a true culinary delight, tempting you to try everything on the menu. The service was excellent, with attentive and friendly staff ensuring a pleasant evening. In addition, Al Sale is a great choice for anyone seeking high-quality seafood in a welcoming atmosphere. We highly recommend this restaurant and surely we will visit again!

Stunning food and service with a lovely setting and atmosphere The food was brilliant, we had the beef carpaccio and the smoked prawn carpaccio with burrata. For mains we had the rabbit roulade and the Al Sale seabass. The rabbit was two rolled rabbit saddles which had been sous vide and the sauce was very very good! The Seabass was also very good, prepared tableside and the staff keep us up to date with the waiting times and why the seabass always needs a little longer. The complimentary bread also must have a mention as the bread and the accompaniment were fantastic! The chef came out afterwards and chatted for a while to anyone still eating, it was clear he cared. Very impressed

The place and the atmosphere were absolutely amazing! The restaurant is in the middle of the square, we had a table on the outside terrace that looked over the beautiful facade of the cathedral, very scenic. Food with delicious, prepared in a wonderful way the was marvelous also for the eyes. We took the testing menu of 8 courses for two. Highlight was the mussel soup for me and my partner thinks that the tuna steak was just tops. Service was kind, friendly, professional, timely, we cannot think about anything that could have been done better! The place was very clean also inside, and ingredients are local and only Mediterranean. The chef came out to greet us at the end of the dinner and he has also his very impressive personal story. Prices were so reasonable that we were even wondering whether they were true or not! Even if it was only to come back here, we would travel again to Gozo!

Thankfully I managed to find this gem of a restaurant while visiting Gozo on a mid-week day in January when most things that were posted as being open were indeed closed. I was greeted by John who provided just the right measure of attentiveness and space. I ordered the fresh calamari to start which I was told was local, freshly cleaned and marinated. It was absolutely tender and delicious. That was followed by the salt crusted sea bream which while delicious I should have waited to order as by the time I finished the complementary Gozo cheese and tomato starter I was too full to truly enjoy. The wine was wonderful and I can see why they have earned their Michelin star accreditation. I certainly would love to visit again when I return to Gozo. Thank you for an absolutely lovely evening.