An Icon In the City

Seasonal Star: Chocolate

AN ICON “Caffe Cordina has been the go-to spot for coffee in the city for over 100 years. The bustling cafe is every bit as popular today as it was back then, loved by locals and visitors alike. It still serves as an excellent spot in the heart of Valletta where one can enjoy great coffee with a sweet pastry, or lunch outdoors in the picturesque Pjazza. Served sits with Luca Cordina, the 3rd generation of Cordinas now running the city’s iconic cafe. >>IN THE CITY

"The cafe is one of the oldest in Valletta and officially the 13th oldest Cafeteria in Europe."

Cafe Cordina circa 1960's Cafeteria staff, 1980

Before being established in Valletta, the cafe was originally located in Bormla, where it had been since 1837. The original premises suffered a direct hit during the war by a German bomb which completely destroyed it and was what prompted Luca’s grandfather, Cesare Cordina, to make the move to Republic Street in Valletta which was significantly different back then in 1944.

A coffee shop with a rich history - the entire building where the cafe is now housed was the Treasury of the Knights of Saint John, which the Knights used to refer to as ‘Casa del Commun Tesoro’, or the Treasury of the Order. The beautiful premises boasts amazing art, primarily the frescoes created by Malta’s most famous painter Giuseppe Cali, which depicts the history of Malta.

The structure has since been enlarged from its original size with the addition of two adjacent shops, opening an ice-cream counter onto Republic Street and moving seating outdoors in Pjazza Regina. The concept itself also had somewhat of a makeover, evolving from a cafe and confectionary to a restaurant as well.

“Many people do not know this but we have a massive dolceria underground where we produce all of our sweets, hot snacks such as pastizzi etc and cakes."

"I am very much trying to push the fact that we are also a fully fledged restaurant apart from being a cafeteria. Yes you can come to Caffe Cordina for a coffee, pastizz >>

"Caffe Cordina has established itself as a landmark and has consistently raised the bar for generations to follow"

The late Giacinto Facchetti, Italian football team captain with Cesare Cordina at Cordina Caffe 1970s Cordina Facade Signage 1983 Carnival Float 1960's

or delicious sweet (which is what we are known for) but you can also enjoy a plate of fresh seafood pasta, wonderful salad or even a steak.” – Luca Cordina

The cafe, one of the oldest in Valletta and is a member of the European Historic Cafes Association being the 13th oldest Cafeteria in Europe. Locally, it is considered a pioneer and a great icon of the city. They were the first cafe to import an espresso machine from Italy, and to this day continue to produce artisanal and traditional Maltese sweets and pastries. They have had the pleasure of receiving many distinguished visitors: from Presidents to Ambassadors, dignitaries, well-known personalities from around the world and local politicians and celebrities.

Christmas 2022 at Caffe Cordina

"The next big event we are looking forward to at Caffe Cordina is Christmas! It’s always quite a spectacle here at the Caffe as the whole team really puts in a big effort to outdo themselves year after year, with some preparations already well under way. We will be having our usual offering of a variety of hampers, traditional Christmas goodies such as the Christmas log, mince pies, torta pastina and traditional Maltese Christmas cake as well as some interesting new ideas like a gingerbread advent calendar."