Malta’s first Starbucks coffee shop and store is set to open its doors at 10am tomorrow morning and I got the chance to get a sneak peek look into the fabulous new establishment at vault 15 along the Valletta Waterfront.

The opening of the first Starbucks Malta store also marks a special milestone for the international brand, as Malta becomes the company’s 80^th global market. Locals will get to taste the iconic coffeehouse experience enjoyed by millions around the world each day.

At the stunning Valletta outlet situated within one of the beautiful 17^th century vaults along the Waterfront, customers are invited to relax and explore some of the world’s highest quality, ethically sourced coffees amid a warm and welcoming, beautifully designed store environment. And having stepped in myself, I must say, the store lives up to the hype.

“We’re humbled and delighted to introduce the Starbucks Experience to customers in Malta and hope our store will become not only a destination for an exceptional coffee, but also a gathering place for the local community,” said Robert Lynch, VP of Retail Operations, Starbucks Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The gorgeous brew house was designed to reflect both the country’s vibrant culture and the relaxed romance of the Mediterranean while also reminiscing the brand’s own Seattle roots at its historic Pike Place Market, where the company began with a single storefront, selling only whole-bean coffee.

The Starbucks Malta team also gave us a coffee tasting session, pairing some scrumptious goodies with the perfectly brewed hot drink. Baristas Daria and Renata explained that the Pike Place coffee is a blend of Latin-American beans containing a nutty flavour that leaves a glorious after-taste of chocolate. #Drool.

For the ultimate coffee experience, the baristas told us we’ve got to:

1. Take a whiff of the freshly brewed coffee.

2. Slurp up (yes slurp all the way!) the coffee, spreading it all over your taste buds.

3. Take a bite out of your perfectly paired treat.

4. Enjoy the blending tastes.

5. Repeat!

Starbucks’ Mission Statement is “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighbourhood at a time.” And in spirit of this, the company recognises its responsibility to give back to communities as well as being a leader in sustainability. Starbucks also have a system in place offering a 25c discount to all customers who bring in a reusable mug or tumbler and offering plastic cutlery only upon request. They also are part of NextGen Cup Challenge, which seeks to develop a more widely-recyclable paper cup. Starbucks have also pledged to eliminate plastic straws from its stores globally by 2020.

Will you be heading to the new Starbucks joint?