Museum Cafe’

Summary

Museum Cafe' in Valletta is a historic establishment offering traditional Maltese snacks and a unique ambiance filled with antique decor and memorabilia.

Abstract

Nestled in the heart of Valletta, Museum Cafe' stands as a testament to the city's history, serving traditional Maltese fare such as pastizzi and homemade pies. Despite its small size, the cafe attracts both locals and tourists with its authentic charm and a selection of coffee, tea, and beer. The interior is a treasure trove of nostalgia, featuring wooden beams, vintage clocks, and a collection of antiques including die-cast cars, old toys, and Laurel and Hardy figurines. The author, a local, recommends visiting on a quiet Saturday morning to savor the atmosphere and engage with the friendly staff.

Opinions

The author expresses a personal fondness for the cafe, particularly its quiet Saturday mornings.
The cafe is described as a "time capsule," suggesting the author values its historical preservation.
The author appreciates the cafe's authenticity, noting its unchanged nature amidst modernity.
The owner and waiters are highlighted as "really nice people," indicating a positive experience with the service.
The author encourages visitors to Malta to experience the cafe's unique environment and hospitality.

Museum Cafe’

Museum Cafe’ interior (Photo by the Author)

In the heart of Valletta, there is a quaint cafe’ that I like to frequent called Museum Cafe’. This cafe’ is one of Valletta’s old and unchanged establishments and serves traditional Maltese snacks such as fresh pastizzi, homemade pies, a selection of bread, salads, coffee, tea and of course beer amongst others. Being very small, the cafe’ does not accommodate a lot of clientele inside and is usually bustling with locals and tourists alike. Being a local myself, I like to visit usually on a Saturday morning, when the cafe’ is unusually quiet. This gives me enough time to have my morning double espresso, a cappuccino and a small snack before the busy hours begin. This also allows me to examine various items and ephemera that are found in this cafe’.

Decor and ephemera

Upon entering, one cannot but notice what a time capsule this cafe’ really is. The ceiling uses wooden beams which upon inspection have seen their share of use but are still in great condition for their age. Affixed to them are golf clubs and a brass ceiling fan which during summer, is most of the time switched on making that particular hum throwing you back down memory lane when things were much simpler. Tin signs of soft drinks like Pepsi Cola and Kinnie remind you of the post-WWII era when such signs, were being made with enamel paint.

Clocks (Photo by the Author)

On the right, there is a variety of clocks, among which there is a barometer. A small shelf exhibits a collection of a couple of clowns amongst which are a couple of figures of Charlie Chaplin. Laurel and Hardy are on top of a cupboard which is one of the highlights of this cafe’. The cupboard is full of ephemera amongst which are small die-cast automobile models, key chains, tins, glasses, small bottles, medals, old toys and even a couple of saving boxes. There are other items of interest but what is most important is that these are all antiques. Items that if not kept in this old wooden cupboard, would be lost forever.

Laurel and Hardy and the famous cupboard (Photo by the Author)

Have a look!

If you are on vacation in Malta, I would suggest visiting. Just grab an espresso, it will cost you next to nothing and you will be able to take in the beauty of this little place. While there, you will probably end up speaking with the owner or the waiters there, they are really nice people.

Hope you enjoyed this short article and until the next one.