A naive visitor to the quaint town of Lija, smack in the centre of the island, would be ill-advised to ask for someone called Saviour by name, since many Lija men (particularly those of a certain age) are named after is-Salvatur, (Our Saviour, or the Transfiguration of Our Lord), to whom the parish church is dedicated. This is why in Lija and in several other localities around Malta and Gozo, nicknames have a near-formal function of identifying the several Saviours, Georges and Pawlus.

However, in Lija, there is one nickname that is possibly the most loved among locals as well as visitors, and that is ‘il-Ġurat’ (Maltese for grasshopper)!

Saviour Pirotta, il-Ġurat, is in his early 70s now. From his small bar, appropriately named Grasshopper Bar, right behind the church dedicated to Christ Our Saviour, he has seen the village change, and with it most of Malta.

“I was practically raised in this bar. As a little boy I used to come help my father, who was also called Saviour. I was so young that I’d need to stand on a crate of Kinnie to be able to see over the old marble bench,” Saviour recounts.

But where did the iconic nickname come from?

“Like the bar, I inherited it from my father. He was a fireworks aficionado, and somewhat of a promotor of the pyrotechnical art. As a young man, in order to save time, instead of walking along the long, winding country alleyways to the St Michael fireworks complex, he would make a beeline, jumping over rubble walls, and crossing fields, very much like a grasshopper would. From then on, the nickname stuck,” Saviour explains.

It was his father’s good heart that inspired him to live a life close to the people. “My father was a generous man. He was constantly on the look-out for goods to buy, and then distribute among the needy. I have very fond memories of him, and I’d say I resemble him quite a bit.”

“Back in the day, the bar was completely different. The vast majority of patrons would be happy with some home-made wine and beer. Spirits were limited to the standard few, namely some bottles of whisky, gin, vermouth, anisette, and perhaps a brandy. Today we have tens of bottles of refined drinks, from all over the world.” Indeed, the bar is fully stocked with a large selection of whiskies, gins and all the potions you can think of.

Formally taking over the establishment in 1978, Saviour redecorated it to the style everyone knows and loves today. Liverpool and the Fab Four hold a place of honour among the memorabilia, since Saviour is a passionate fan. Pride of place is also given to photos of himself posing with British football stars Gary Neville and David Beckham, who visited the bar a few years back, bringing with them the FA Cup and the FA Charity Shield.

In the 90s the bar saw a bit of a revival, even attracting a new crowd.

“The opening of the University residence a few blocks away, meant that several international students would hang out at the bar, on weeknights,” Saviour contends. Ever since, the spot became popular with young people too, and today it remains a mecca for those seeking an authentic yet alternative experience.

Saviour, with his welcoming smile, is always ready with a generous spread of appetizers to dish out with every beer or spirit. Perhaps this is the secret why today, Grasshopper Bar sees people from all walks of life, from all over Malta, filling its humble 24 pax capacity and spilling out onto the charming village street.

This feature forms part of The Laid Back Series by GuideMeMalta.com. Bringing to light unique characters, local traditions, and the beauty of old Malta, we search every corner of the Maltese islands to find the most unique of stories that are sure to delight and bring a sense of nostalgia to our readers.

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