A Chef and a Foodie on Tour: Cheeky Monkey Gastropub

Take a journey with Emily Francis (Emily in Malta) and Chef Ariel Guivi, two foreign tour guides to the island of Malta, who flock from one restaurant to the other in search of an authentic dining experience. The best-kept secrets of eating in Malta are about to be shared here with all of you!

Cheeky Monkey located in Valletta and a second location in Qarwa is a gastropub that serves up a lot of foods that I am fond of because I am from America and we tend to love burgers and pub food in general. Because of this, however, I tend to be very picky when it comes to burgers and there are very few places on the island where I will order one. I think it’s because the meat tastes so different to me here. It’s much leaner than what I’m used to and the flavours are quite different. I have found less than a handful of places where the burger would be what I would choose from the menu. Cheeky Monkey is a place that I would happily order a burger and I am not alone with that choice.

I will tell the truth that my personal favourite food when I go to Cheeky Monkey (which is quite often as they have a wide selection of foods for everyone in my family) I always order the loaded potato skins and their classic lemonade with raspberry and ginger. That is my favourite non- cocktail drink of any place on the island. I love the location right in the heart but off a bit to the side of Valletta with beautiful views and outdoor seating.

My husband always orders the bacon and beer burger and one of my children always orders the burger sliders. Cheeky Monkey is known for their juicy burgers. The other reason I chose Cheeky Monkey for our Pub selection is that our local friends often pick this as their preferred place to go when they feel like having a burger and some beers. They have a great selection of wines, beers and cocktails made to perfection. Their fish and chips is also excellent. They have a wide menu to choose from and we have never been disappointed with what we ordered. The service is always fantastic and we enjoy sitting outside and having an easy meal in a beautiful place.

burger menu

House Burger | Beef patty, cheddar cheese, seasonal leaves and BBQ sauce
Monkey Spice | Beef patty, cheddar cheese, topped with spicy red peppers, jalapeños and parmesan cheese
King Kong | Double beef patty, cheddar cheese, bacon, egg, onion jam and seasonal leaves
Cheeky Triple | Chicken, grilled bacon, cheddar cheese, BBQ sauce and seasonal leaves
Bacon and Beer | Beef patty, grilled bacon, seasonal leaves and ale sauce

I brought along Chef Ariel to try their burgers and ribs and get an idea of what he thinks too. We asked them to serve us what they consider to be their signature items. We ate a rack of ribs and the beer and bacon burger.

The Beer and Bacon Burger

For us both, we found the burger to be very juicy. The cheese and the meat were a great combination and there wasn’t any dryness to be found. Ariel pointed out that the bacon was not streaky bacon, but instead back bacon which comes from a different part of the animal. All the flavours of the burger complimented extremely well. The burger was served with a basket of very crisp chips and a side of greens.

Rack of Ribs

The ribs were juicy and tender and without an excess of bbq sauce. Both were easy to eat and enjoy. The ribs were served with a side of slaw.

The next time you are in either Valletta or Qawra and want an easy meal of burgers and drinks or fish and chips or a rack of ribs or any other food that one can find in a pub-type setting, give Cheeky Monkey a go and see how you like it! Don’t forget to try one of their signature lemonades with or without alcohol. I cannot express enough how delicious they are!

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