The de Mondion Restaurant
Fine dining restaurant · Mdina ·
Michelin-starred rooftop dining with local, seasonal produce
Michelin-starred rooftop dining with local, seasonal produce
"The luxurious Xara Palace Hotel is set in a 16C building in the heart of the beautiful walled city of Mdina where, on the top floor, you’ll find this intimate, elegantly dressed restaurant featuring impressive artwork from around the island. If you’re here in the summer, a table on the terrace is a must, thanks to the stunning views extending across the east of the island to the coast. The cooking is technically adept and the combinations are well-judged, with menus showcasing the best of the island’s produce in sophisticated, classically based Mediterranean dishes – Scottona beef fillet is a speciality. Herbs and vegetables are sourced from the restaurant’s own garden which is cultivated sustainably in accordance with the principles of regenerative agriculture. The impressive wine list offers a broad choice with some great quality vintages – it’s worth asking the sommelier for recommendations from their selection of local wines. Despite the hotel’s sumptuous style, service remains friendly and not overly formal." - Michelin Inspector
"One of the five restaurants awarded One MICHELIN Star in the 2022 Guide and retains their Star status for another year." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team
"At this restaurant, sommelier Nico Caruana does precisely that: supports local producers and features a wide selection of home‑grown options on the wine list." - Le Guide MICHELIN
"An experience as delicious as it is fascinating awaits, as Kevin Bonello takes a responsible approach that highlights Malta’s local bounty and pays a fine tribute to Maltese heritage and terroir. The menu showcases local produce—snails from Mtahleb refined in a stew inspired by his mother’s recipe and served with a poached egg and a piece of dried pork skin; local fish such as rock fish, sardines or sea bream; and red prawns served raw and accompanied by guanciale, an Italian bacon—giving his resolutely Mediterranean cuisine a distinctive local colour. Two set menus (one four-course and one six-course) offer a comprehensive overview, with dishes like saffron risotto with prawns, lamb on flavoursome ratatouille with goat’s cheese, suckling pig with dried figs and a mustard jus, and the famous rabbit loin, the star ingredient of the local cuisine. The meal can end with artisanal cheeses from the Maltese archipelago—ricotta, pecorino aged nine to twelve months, and small, slightly spicy goat’s cheeses—accompanied by rustic bread, honey or local olive oil, and a sweet finish of kannol, whose buttery aroma magnificently shows off the island’s peaches." - Le Guide MICHELIN
"This intimate, elegantly dressed restaurant is situated on the top floor of the luxurious Xara Palace Hotel and enjoys stunning views out across the east of the island. A la carte and tasting menus showcase the best of the island’s produce in sophisticated, classically based Mediterranean dishes. An impressive wine list and attentive service complete the picture." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team