LIFESTYLE & INTERIORS FOR YOU
Recipes
July 25, 2024 – Published in Design & Decor Spring-Sumemr 2024 issue
The Capitol City Bar – The coolest lounge bar in Valletta
Photography Matthew Mirabelli
Everyone knows that you need to follow the locals to find the best places to be—and one undeniably favourite hotspot among the Maltese has to be The Capitol City Bar.
Located in Valletta’s vibrant Merchants Street, this stylish lounge bar is the highlight of every weekend for many seeking a fun night out.
Opening daily at 11.30am, owners Kenneth and Melaine Vella are often busy early in the day, setting up the tables and chairs to cater for the lunchtime crowd. Nevertheless, the famed night-time atmosphere at this trendy bar ensures the later hours are the best time to visit. In fact, the husband-and-wife team were already gearing up for the masses that invariably pack the place every Friday and Saturday evening.
“This is the best place in Valletta right now!” were Kenneth’s first words.
With its elegant tables and padded stools spread under the outdoor canopy—adorned with twinkly lights stretched across the awning—the establishment is classy but informal, and it is easy to see why the bar owner would make such a bold statement.
Kenneth has worked in catering his whole life, but humbly brushes off the mention of the various popular locations he has managed successfully for many years previously. His latest venture has been open since September 2021, and the weekly crowds are testament to the winning formula behind his years of experience.
His wife Melaine joined us with a friendly smile and chatted warmly about the lively atmosphere the bar offers its patrons. Couples and groups frequent the locale regularly, with the average age ranging from 25 and over, making it the ideal hangout for a mature crowd to mingle.
Offering a wide selection of drinks as well as an assortment of tasty food items, The Capitol also presents various live music performances over the weekend—and also on Wednesday nights in the summer—with upbeat lounge music playing in the background for the rest of the time. The bar has no indoor space, but the exterior seating area is spacious and comfortable. Rain or shine, the canopy shields the crowds from the elements, while outdoor heaters provide ample protection from the cold in the winter months.
An added bonus for patrons is that they never need to move from their table, enjoying a waiter service all night—no matter how full the place gets!
“In one evening, we could easily have around 300 people here,” Kenneth explained. “So, apart from the two of us, we have a team of nine staff members at night, serving clients food and drinks directly at their tables. Every day, we also offer an extended Happy Hour session for ten of our best cocktails—in fact, from April onwards, it starts at 1pm and lasts until 8pm.”
Melaine pointed out the choice of food and drinks on the menu. “The concept is casual dining, but it’s still high-quality cuisine—some plates even come with an Asian twist. We serve a delicious variety of tapas, soups and salads, pasta options, burgers and meat dishes, and traditional Maltese desserts and ice creams. There’s something to suit all tastes!”
The broad selection of beverages includes a long list of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, beer, minerals, and juices, as well as premium whiskies and bourbons, single malt whiskies, cognacs, vodkas, and a vast choice of gins, rums, tequilas, and liqueurs. Wines and champagnes from around the world are also available, with various options for wine, port, and Prosecco additionally provided by the glass.
The Capitol City Bar is definitely the place to be for an all-round memorable experience.
No matter the time of year, this is where the cool crowds gather for an exceptional atmosphere, excellent service and delicious food, and a spot of great music and dancing. So, if you want to party like the locals, drop by The Capitol City Bar for a chilled daytime visit or an unforgettable night out in Malta’s fabulous capital city!
Would you like to recreate your own Cocktail Happy Hour?
Follow these recipes for two of The Capitol City Bar’s signature cocktails.
FROZEN PASSION FRUIT DAIQUIRI
Ingredients
90ml white rum
30ml triple sec
120ml frozen passion fruit juice
45ml lime juice, freshly squeezed from
1 medium lime
½ tablespoon turbinado sugar (or up to 2 tablespoons of liquid sweetener, such as agave nectar)
Ice cubes
1 ripe passion fruit pulp extracted, to garnish
Blend the rum, triple sec, frozen passion fruit juice, lime juice, turbinado sugar (or agave nectar), and ice cubes in a blender, and process until smooth. Garnish and serve in a long stem daiquiri glass.
MOSCOW MULE
Ingredients
50ml vodka
150-200ml ginger beer
A few dashes of ginger bitters
Crushed ice
A sprig of mint for garnish
Mix the vodka with the ginger beer, ginger bitters, and crushed ice. Garnish with the mint leaves, and add a slice of lime. Serve in a copper mug—to follow the traditional way of serving a Moscow Mule.
The Capitol City Bar, 172, Merchants Street, Valletta
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 11.30am-02.00am
+356 77580866
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