Al Sale

A village-square restaurant

Al Sale is on Victory Square, the main square of Xagħra, next to the parish church, in the centre of Gozo. It was opened in November 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, by Christopher Pace, a cook born in Toronto and raised in Victoria, after years working in Malta and abroad. It has two floors and a small terrace in front, over the square, where everyone wants to sit on summer nights. The Michelin Guide recommends it in its 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions.

It is a short walk from the Ġgantija temples and the Ta' Kola windmill, so it fits for lunch after the visit.

The cooking

A short, uncomplicated menu, focused on fresh produce, above all meat and fish, with a lot of local ingredients. The Michelin Guide highlights the prawn and scallop ravioli with prawn bisque and the beef short rib with salsa verde, and its photos show the octopus, the beef carpaccio and the tuna tartare. It describes it as simple, produce-led cooking made to order, with an international wine list and friendly service.

The menu changes; the house publishes the current one as a PDF on its website. The Michelin Guide gives it two price symbols out of four: a mid-priced place.

Opening hours, booking and getting there

Open every day except Thursday, at midday from 11:00 to 14:00 and in the evening from 18:00 to 22:30. Book by phone, on +356 2720 0509, or by email, especially in summer and for the terrace; the house also organises celebrations. It accepts cards, has air conditioning and, according to the Michelin Guide, admits pets throughout the restaurant.

The bus from Victoria reaches Xagħra. By car, look for a space on the streets around the square.