Food & drink
Valletta loses one of its most raved about restaurants as iconic Risette closes down
It’s a dark day for foodies in Malta.

Sarah Micallef

Local foodies will be saddened to learn that informal fine dining restaurant Risette, set within Valletta’s elegant Casa Ellul boutique hotel, has closed and is no longer accepting bookings. Casa Ellul's directors have declined to comment.

A local icon

Risette / Facebook

Risette / Facebook

Since opening its doors in late 2017, Risette has cemented itself as one of the most raved about restaurants in the capital, with local food experts celebrating its sophisticated style and impressive cuisine. So it stands to reason that, as devoted foodies ourselves, the news of its closure came as a shock – Valletta’s food scene is certainly the poorer for it. 

Chic design

Risette / Facebook

Risette / Facebook

The design of Risette has been lauded as refined and intimate, harmonious yet informal, and, together with the cuisine, enabled the restaurant to become one of the most sophisticated offerings in the capital.

Designed by Valentino Architects, Risette fast became known and celebrated as a worthy extension to the beautiful Casa Ellul, originally a Victorian-period Palazzo which was recreated by the illustrious Chris Briffa Architects to combine a past Baroque influence with a present chic elegance.

Exceptional cuisine

Risette / Facebook

Risette / Facebook

The kitchen at Risette was led by Chef Andrew Borg, previously Chef Patron at Black Pig Restaurant, whose extensive experience in kitchens across Europe complemented and developed an unwavering devotion for fine cuisine. In GuideMeMalta’s own review of the restaurant back in 2018, our reviewer wrote, “I had the pleasure of visiting Black Pig a couple of times when it was open, and at the time, it was dubbed the best restaurant in Malta for food amongst my restaurant-frequenting group of friends. I was not alone in feeling that Chef Andrew Borg offered a completely different level of food, comparable to that in some of the best restaurants throughout the world.”

Indeed, Chef Borg’s passion for flavour and technical mastery shone at Risette, forming an exquisite culinary style that was considered one of the closest to Michelin standard by those in the know locally.

An uncertain future

Risette / Facebook

Risette / Facebook

While Risette is closed and currently not accepting bookings, what lies ahead for the exceptional restaurant within Casa Ellul is unknown, with the owners declining to comment at this time.

Risette, you will be sorely missed.

25th March 2019



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