Maresco Restaurant Cospicua: Honest Review
Maresco is one of the newer additions to Malta's Three Cities dining scene — a stylish Italian trattoria on the Cospicua Marina waterfront, with an interior decorated to a high standard and a menu that leans heavily on seafood and Italian classics.
It's a restaurant with a lot going for it on paper. But our visit revealed some significant rough edges that hold it back from the top tier.
The Setting
Maresco sits on Xatt ir-Rizq on the Cospicua Marina — a sheltered, pretty harbour that forms part of the greater Grand Harbour complex. There are outdoor tables overlooking the water, and the interior is smart and modern.
The location is genuinely attractive, particularly in the warmer months when the waterfront comes to life. Getting here requires a short detour from the main Three Cities sightseeing circuit, but it's well-signposted from the Birgu waterfront.
The Food (Score: 13/20)
The cooking at Maresco has the potential to be quite good — and occasionally is. The raw ingredients are clearly of decent quality, and there are moments where the kitchen shows real promise.
Starters: Tartare di tonno at €16 is well-executed; the seafood selections (crostacei at €35, oysters/prawns at €36 for six) are pricey but fresh. A daily carpaccio at €17 rounds out a reasonable selection.
Pasta: Fish pasta dishes range from €14 to €29 — competent if not inspiring, and the portions are smaller than the prices suggest.
Mains: Grilled fish comes at around €30 for salmon or swordfish, with a whole fresh fish available for around €75. If you order the whole fish, be prepared to do the deboning yourself — or at least supervise it closely.
The issues: This restaurant makes what we'd call 'schoolboy errors'. Most notably, it's the only Italian restaurant in Malta that prints the menu exclusively in Italian — presumably targeting Italian tourists, but alienating almost everyone else. Portions across the board are smaller than the prices justify. Combined with sides charged separately at €5 each, a meal here adds up quickly without quite satisfying.
The Atmosphere (Score: 6/10)
The interior is beautifully decorated but runs cold — literally in winter (it faces a windy corner) and figuratively in terms of warmth and buzz. The main window faces a row of bins, which is unfortunate.
The restaurant tends to run quiet. Without a lively crowd, even a beautifully designed room can feel flat. In summer, with the outdoor terrace and warmer weather, the experience likely improves significantly.
The Service (Score: 7/10)
The young waiting staff are friendly and willing, though turnover appears high and the team is still finding its feet. The wine list is limited to Italian bottles, but includes a decent Chablis at €45 for something different.
Overall Score: 26/40
Maresco is a restaurant in development. The bones are good — quality ingredients, attractive setting, smart interior — but the execution needs work. The Italian-only menu, small portions, and high prices for what you get are frustrating in a market where there's serious competition.
Best for: Italian tourists already comfortable navigating an Italian-language menu; diners visiting the Three Cities who want a waterfront setting.
Worth the special trip? Not yet. But it's one to revisit in a year — the potential is clearly there.
Practical Details
Address: Xatt ir-Rizq, Cospicua Marina, Cospicua (Bormla), Malta
Price range: €€€ (higher end)
Cuisine: Italian trattoria, seafood-leaning
Setting: Waterfront terrace and indoor dining
Note: Menu printed in Italian only — staff will translate on request
For our full Malta dining guide, including the top-rated restaurants across the islands, visit our Malta restaurants page.
