COFFEE BEANS & BEINGS / MALTA’S OLDEST MOST ELEGANT CAFÉ

The exterior of Caffe Cordina on the Mediterranean Island of Malta remains intriguing but modest, compared with its elegant interior decor and remarkable artworks on the ceilings and walls.

The sign facing outside from Caffe Cordina states the elegant coffee house in the middle of Valletta, the capital of the Island of Malta was established in 1837 as a coffee and restaurant emporium. 

 After a war bombing that destroyed the original site, new premises at 224 Republic Street became Caffe Cordina. The new location was acquired by the Family Cordina. The site was originally part of The Casino Maltese social club and remains an iconic destination in Valletta. 

 Caffe Cordina’s open-air seating is on pedestrianised Republic Square formerly called Piazza dei Cavalieri, after the Knights of St. John who built Valletta in the 16th century. Now, it is also known as Pjazza Regina or Queen’s Square because of the statue of Queen Victoria that was installed in the 1800s. 

 The Caffe wasn’t always on Valletta’s main thoroughfare because its roots lie in nearby Cospicua, opposite Valletta on the Grand Harbour’s other side. That is where current proprietor John Cordina’s great-great grandparents, originally from San Gimignano in Italy set up shop in 1837. 

In 1944, John’s father Cesere Cordina and brother Ottone reopened and operated the Caffe. 

 John notes the Caffe has expanded several times. “Watching the Caffe grow over the years has been extremely exciting,” he said. 

One of the Caffe’s defining features is its art collection and interior decor. Artworks displayed on the Caffe’s walls and ceilings are constantly expanded and restored. Caffe Cordina in the early 1950s became the first Maltese café to add an espresso machine—a classic Gaggia. 

In 1966, the Family acquired the pharmacy next door, which became an expanded seating area. By the time, men landed on the moon in 1969, an underground level was created to produce the Caffe’s traditional staples, including Qaghaq tal-Ghasel (Maltese honey rings); Helwa tat-Tork ( a local crumbly, nutty dessert) and Imqaret (date-filled pastries). 

No trip to Malta is complete without a visit to the classic Caffe Cordina.

 By 1972, the next door Melic Tobacco shop was developed to create more dining space. Soon the Caffe added 80 tables and umbrellas outside for popular al fresco dining and began summertime jazz evenings in the Piazza.