Summer is in the air, which means it's almost beach club season, and we can't wait to bust out our bikinis! One of Sliema's landmark swimming and eating establishments, Paradise Exiles, is a beloved home from home in the summer months, known for its relaxed vibe and chilled evenings by the beach bar, and it's set to open in a few days! We caught up with owner Daniel Engerer to get the lowdown on all we can expect this season.

Hey Daniel! We can't wait for summer at Paradise Exiles! Can you tell us a little bit about its history?

Exiles has been here for a very long time. The toilet area and store was once a gun post! My dad took it over 30 years ago and turned it into an amazing bar and restaurant with classic rock and reggae music. My siblings and I have been running it these past three years. Exiles is also known as "Shack" or "BBQ Shack".

What can we expect from Exiles this year?

The vibe is going to be awesome, as always. We're going to be having live music three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Graffiti artist Justin Bonnici has just created an amazing mural, which we change every year, and this year it's a portrait of my dad, Chris - the legend!

Famed chef Daniel Grech will also be in the kitchen for his second year! We'll be serving up all our classics including classic Maltese ftajjar in the daytime, burgers from the grill such as our famed Jack Daniels burger and our Exiles burger, which is a bacon, egg and cheeseburger with Exiles sauce. We'll also be serving rabbit and seafood dishes including grilled octopus, pasta with sea urchins and fresh clams.

Great stuff! When will you officially be opening?

We just opened this weekend, but our official opening is on 1st May, and we'll be having three live acts on the day - Kevin Paul, The Busker and Matthew James Borg.

We'll see you there this summer!