Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property FusionSC_Column::$is_nested is deprecated in /home/webccwiw/eatdrinkshine/wp-content/plugins/fusion-builder/inc/class-fusion-column-element.php on line 511
Meghan Markle, the now Duchess of Sussex since her marriage to Prince Harry, visited the Maltese Islands in the fall of 2015.
I recently spent a good amount of time in Malta myself, and I couldn’t help but look up what the Duchess did on her trip there almost six years ago.
It’s said that Meghan’s great-great-Grandmother, Mary, was Maltese and lived in Sliema, a popular neighbourhood in Malta. Quite funny that I lived in Sliema too for a bit and my name is also Mary!
Meghan was not only a popular (Suits) actress, but she also blogged about travel, food and lifestyle. Her popular blog, ‘The Tig’ and its Instagram account had quite the following.
So what did Meghan do in Malta? I did my research and retraced this stylish lady’s footsteps through Malta and Gozo, which was a pretty fun thing to do! I’ve documented what it was like to follow in her shoes here.
I’ve also added a bit of a twist and included some of my own recommendations for enjoyable experiences in Malta. Let’s start with her visit to the capital.
Meghan in Valletta
First off, Meghan stayed at Casa Ellul in Valletta, the capital of Malta. Here’s what she said about it:
“Check into the absolutely perfect boutique hotel, Casa Ellul – a converted home, which has eight bespoke rooms each of perfect modernized tradition. Think Calvin Klein meets Game of Thrones – chic interiors and styling within a castle-like exterior. Three-story suites with their own private rooftop deck and hot tub make this property one of my favorite worldwide. Plus, there’s an incredible wine bar downstairs only a stones throw to town center, making it the perfect pied-à-terre for your stay.”
Casa Ellul, a boutique hotel in Valletta.
She also recommended having a drink on ‘Strait Street’, a historical, narrow street that is indeed straight and now filled with plenty of establishments to pick from. Apart from Strait Street, Valletta has so many evening tipple choices, from wine bars, to cocktail bars, to more classic pub-style places as well.
While in Valletta, Meghan visited the St. John’s Co-Cathedral, recounting:
…the walls are gilded in 24 karat gold and Caravaggio’s only signed painting hangs. It took my breath away. Truly, madly, deeply. A Tig moment of understanding the power of art.”
I also had a chance to visit this famous Cathedral in the middle of Valletta and see Caravaggio’s painting. As the work of art depicts a beheading (of Saint John), it’s not one that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, let’s just say that!
The Duchess-to-be also visited the Casa Rocca Piccola, a 16th Century Palazzo (residence) in Valletta. I didn’t make it myself, but this historical family palace is open to the public.
Meghan at Meridiana Wine Estate and Mdina
Meghan visited Meridiana Wine Estate, and I can also vouch that this winery is surely worth a visit! For 25 euros you can do a tour and tasting, which was seriously well worth it. Meridiana Wine Estate is known for producing quality Maltese wines, and I was truly impressed by all the wines we sampled!
Had to do that pose 
The tasting at Meridiana Wine Estate is so recommended!
Meghan also went to Mdina, an ancient, well-preserved walled city that was once the capital of the country. Mdina is charming, quiet and just beautiful. For the many Game of Thrones fans, parts of it was filmed here. If you make it, be sure to try Fontanella Tea Garden, a tea garden and restaurant/cafe famous for its delicious cakes and panoramic views of the greenery surrounding Mdina.
Fontanella Tea Garden, Mdina, Malta
Cake with a view!
Meghan on Gozo
Malta is an archipelago consisting of three inhabited islands, and one of those is Gozo. You can easily get to Gozo by a short ferry ride from Malta. Here’s what she said about Gozo:
“Just a twenty-minute ferry ride from Malta, this tiny Maltese island off the coast didn’t even get traffic lights until 1990. The population is under 50k and it’s such a tight knit community that residents leave their keys in the doors. Head here for the fresh goats milk Gozo cheese, prickly pear jam and wild thyme honey, as well as the local wines. The Vermintino was standout. Make sure you visit the working public launderette – where local women wash the laundry in fresh water and lay it on the stones to dry. Swing by the Azure Window, a breathtaking scenic landmark – where the sea and cliffs create the most jaw dropping picture op.”
Note, the Azure Window collapsed in 2017, but you can still visit its site today, although are plenty of other similar breathtaking rock formations to see as well. One that really stood out for me was the stunning view of the Blue Grotto on Malta.
A view of the Blue Grotto, Malta.
While on Gozo, Meghan ate at Il-Kartell restaurant in a small village called Marsalforn. I also had the pleasure of eating at this exceptional restaurant, and it was seriously some of the best food I had on Gozo/Malta. I do recommend their Maltese platter — handsdown my favourite. For the mains, this restaurant is famous for its seafood, and the prices were also quite reasonable, so definitely glad I went!
The super yummy Maltese platter at Il-Kartell Restaurant, Gozo.
Amazing food and local wine (Chardonnay) at Il-Kartell, Gozo.
This sign was built from the wood of the restaurant’s old bar.
Here’s what Meghan had to say about Il-Kartell:
“Mosey on over to Il Kartell for a lunch of whole sea bream and traditional Gozoan starters, coupled with the best hospitality from owner Phillip. His family owns an agriturismo on the island and the quality and freshness of his food reflect it. Bring back a jar of sun-dried tomato paste as a souvenir.”
If you’d like to try a traditional Gozitan bakery, I recommend stopping by Mekren Bakery in Nadur. I love their super traditional “qassatat”, which come in flavours like ricotta and raisin, fava bean and green pea … seriously so good!
A ‘qassata’ from Mekren Bakery in Nadur.
Meghan reportedly told ELLE UK at the time of her visit that she really liked the fresh goat’s milk cheeses (‘Gbejniet’) on Gozo, and “particularly the pickled ones with the black pepper on them.” I can confirm that these are also pretty yummy indeed! They are served with most Maltese platters, or you can find them in supermarkets.
Other amazing things to do in Malta
The now royal lady visited Malta in the fall, which means it would have been too cold to swim and sunbathe. If you are visiting in summer, I also recommend visiting The Phonecia Hotel in Valletta for the day (or even staying there!). Relax for a day at their infinity pool, with its beautiful harbour views of Gzira and Sliema.
Seriously though … this photo makes me feel very lucky.
I also recommend visiting Birgu/Vittoriosa, which is just a quick ferry ride away from Valletta. Walking through the streets of this small and quiet fortified city is like taking a step back in time, which is the case for much of the island. Birgu’s harbour (all the huge boats and superyachts give it a super posh feeling) and its scenic views of Valletta shouldn’t be missed.
If you are looking for a nice cafe or brunch spot, I recommend Manouche in Valletta or Spinola Bay. Their tasty coffee, baked goods and menu offerings just always hit the spot.
Manouche in Valletta.
Following this former jet setter’s footsteps through Malta and Gozo was a pretty enjoyable — and tasty — thing to do. If I could go back in time myself, I would definitely choose to follow them all over again. Malta and Gozo are both beautiful islands with plenty of rich history, tasty food and wine, sun and sea. A wonderful combination indeed.
Hey Jennifer! It’s so great to chat with you today! I’d love to know how Live Organic Food all began—can you tell us about that?
Sure! So it started off as a two-seater restaurant back in 2002. I was in the process of leaving a job I had in fashion and my brother at that time was with a girl that was a holistic nutritionist. They had actually opened up an organic juice bar, and during my time of leaving the fashion industry, they said,” Oh, do you want to come cook?” Because I always loved to cook, being Italian, and I had also started to kind of get into health myself at that time. So, I decided to leave my job and help his girlfriend at the time cook. Eventually, I decided to buy that little place out, which was a tiny little place on DuPont Street and the rent was like next to nothing—maybe $600 and they had put about $18,000 into the business. It was a tiny place and I took over that little place and my brother stayed with me and we turned it into this little cafe that was known for raw food. It was 4 raw mains and a cooked soup. So that’s kinda how we started; we were like this little place that had built like a community of people that were into organic and this type of food. The word spread and we had a really amazing group of people that were our customers.
And then I remember thinking and reading in NOW Magazine that there was a “Top 50 Vegetarian Restaurants in Toronto” list and I thought, wow, that’s fantastic. One day, I hope that we can make this list. And sure enough, the editor of NOW Magazine called me and said, “I just want to let you know that you weren’t on the list because we think you guys are so special that we’re going to give you your own page next week!” So, they gave us our first review, which happened to be a five-star review and that literally is what put us on the map back then. So, people that weren’t even into this kind of place, they would go, What is this place? What is this girl making? What kind of food is this?
Wow, what a story! It sounds like that review was really helpful for spreading the news about your restaurant.
Oh yeah! It was insane. And then I was on every show you can imagine because nobody was doing this type of food, crazy enough. I always am entertained by the fact that—even when we were making zucchini noodles back then or energy balls—I never even thought that we were ahead of our time, but guess we were. Cauliflower rice, I’ve been making that since 2002, so it just really blows my mind, because there was nothing back then. Nothing out there.
Can you tell us where you are today with Live Organic Food? I read that you had to close your restaurant on DuPont Street this year, which is really unfortunate.
It’s very unpredictable, the world right now. So, we had the restaurant for 19 years, and the decision to close came for a lot of reasons. Obviously with covid, it was just like the last nail kind of thing for us. Like a lot of small businesses, we thought we’d be back in a couple of weeks, I thought, I’ll see my staff, I’ll see them in a couple weeks, we’ll see them in a month, and then it was two months. And then my brother and I felt that it was our time to exit. And it wasn’t because we were giving up on the industry or anything like that. We had kind of considered it a couple years before this whole event, and we thought, we kept going and going because we had such love for our restaurant, our staff and our customers. But it’s a hard business already, and this whole covid thing kind of just made it more of a realization that it was our time to exit and focus more on our production. So, it was a bittersweet thing for me, I have to admit, because it was my baby, my first baby for so long. And I loved, and still love, my restaurant—like with all my heart, right til the end.
That sounds like a difficult situation for sure, and I’m going to miss eating at your amazing restaurant now! How have you pivoted through this and what are you doing now?
My focus is our Live production facility now and it has given me a little bit of ease having only to focus on one business, which is good. And so, the focus is growing the business and coming up with more innovative products. I’m always working on things and trying to make more healthy food accessible for people. Right now we are in over about 400 stores across Canada. The bigger stores here in Ontario would be Whole Foods, Farm Boy, Healthy Planet, Fiesta Farms and some Metros, as well as a lot of health food stores and some speciality stores. We are hoping to expand this.
We also have our plant boxes that we deliver in the GTA area. So that’s one thing about this whole thing, too. We were always going to do that. So, we sell our Live products to stores across Canada, but it [the covid situation] also made us start doing home deliveries. So that’s a huge part of what we’re doing, too, and I spend a lot of my time focusing on that, which I’m enjoying, and I’m looking to build out more of that too.
What about the organic sector as a whole—it is still a smallish segment of the market and, as someone quite familiar with running an organic food business, what would you say needs to change if the organic sector is to grow more?
I think it’s becoming accepted; it’s becoming more accessible and in a lot more stores, which is a great thing. I think pricing is an issue, but I do see that stores are kind of giving it a little bit more of an edge with conventional. I think people just need to be educated and try to support it more. I think when it comes to organic farming, a lot of them are smaller farms. It can be a growing industry and I think if people just knew the benefits of what they’re doing when they support organic farming…it’s just so much more than just an organic fruit and vegetable. There’s a lot more behind the actual scenes of what goes into organic farming, the people behind it. So I think the education part is lacking, and the accessibility and pricing. You’re not just buying an organic tomato, it’s an environmental impact. It could be a little bit more affordable, but I think that may come with people buying more.
You’ve been in business for almost twenty years, that’s incredible! What would you say are important lessons you’ve learned along the way so far?
I think…never to take things for granted. It can change at any minute and I think you always have to be on top of your game. Not that it’s a game, but I think you have to be focused on what you’re doing and try not to be misled by other people and what they’re doing. Stay true to who you are as a brand, but also try to evolve with the times. We’ve had a lot of hardships and times; it’s not an easy business—I don’t think any business is easy. Perseverance, I think the partnership between myself and my brother is kind of what keeps us going, too, because we believe so much in what we do. We really believe in our business and we love it. So, as entrepreneurs, that’s what keeps us going and we’re lucky we have each other, but it never ends. You have to always learn. I think, after doing it for so many years, I can kind of somewhat shut things off so I can have a balance, spend time with my family because, as entrepreneurs, we’re wearing so many hats. Sometimes you are like a doctor on call 24/7, but I think it’s important to have an equilibrium, that work-life balance.
You said that you started to become interested in health around the time you started working in your restaurant. Can you tell us more about your healthy eating journey?
Just a little bit before I was dibble dabbling into it and then obviously, being around all this food, I opened up my horizons to healthier food. So, we’re, my brother and I, all about organic food, whole foods, real food and making food that’s really tasty and that happens to be plant-based, and making it accessible to everyone, and making food that is healthy taste good.
I think it [plant-based/raw food] had a big misconception that it tasted like vegetables— that there was nothing to it. And that’s where we tried to make it better. It can be really tasty, and you can incorporate this into your diet whether you’re vegan or not. But I’m like everybody else, I enjoy eating and I know when I eat well, I feel good. I know that when I eat like crap, I feel like crap. So, for the most part, I try to keep a cleaner diet, but I’m like everybody else, I like to indulge and have my days of not feeling so good.
Would you say that you’ve become healthier since starting Life Organic Food?
I think healthier because I always say that I’m very fortunate to be around such great food all the time and have access to really good, high-quality ingredients and organic foods. For the most part, it’s definitely a lifestyle for my brother and myself. But I mean, we’re also part Italian and like to enjoy food, but like other people, we’ve also come to a realization that we know how our bodies will react to certain foods. So, not that we don’t have our junk days like everybody else, but, for the most part, we know we feel good with eating good food, or healthier food, it makes us function better. Even in business, it makes us function better as a person. There’s nothing worse than me having junk food, maybe on a Sunday, and having a busy Monday and feeling really sluggish, you know what I mean? So, for the most part, I have a green shake in the morning; I’m pretty regimented with how I eat, especially during the week, I’m a little soldier that eats a certain way.
I definitely agree that eating well is so important—especially if we’re busy. Do you have any other ways you destress or keep healthy?
I do like to take care of myself. I learned later in life … when you’re young you maybe workout more for vanity. But it became more for my headspace for me; for my mental wellbeing. So obviously doing some kind of activity daily or at least a few times a week. And then I got into cycling a few years ago and I’ve done some longer rides and I usually have a charity that I ride for every summer to Montreal. So that was put on hold last year, but I’m hoping this year it’ll happen again and I can take part in that. Usually, I like to exercise early and then I can focus on the rest of my day and feel good, although my schedule has kind of changed lately due to this whole pandemic as well, but I still like to keep myself mentally fit by doing something. I actually do a lot of my good thinking then, even things I wanna make, I kind of create things in my mind when I’m doing things.
Jenn, thanks so much for chatting with me today, it’s been a pleasure!
You’re welcome, take care.
]]>
Not too long ago I spent a November on Crete. If I were to pick three words to this Greek island, they’d be rustic, off-the-beaten-path (although a lot of tourists head there in summer), and charming. Think rocky cliffs and scraggly mountain goats along with beautiful Mediterranean views, lots of sunshine, fancy coffees (frappés are so popular here), and laid-back, hospitable locals. That’s Crete, to me.
Before I headed there, a Parisian food expert I interviewed for an upcoming podcast episode told me that Cretan cuisine is famous within Greece. I was delighted to discover I’d chosen to go to one of Greece’s culinary hotspots.
To me, Cretan cuisine is straightforward and delicious. It’s much more than pita bread, moussaka, and souvlaki; and richer than olives or feta cheese. I spent a month in Chania, a calm town (in November at least) with a charming and colourful old Venetian harbour. This historically diverse town is definitely worth visiting — and living in if you’re looking to spend a longer amount of time on Crete. It was the perfect place to be a digital nomad for a month.
Since I spent most of my time on Crete in Chania, this post will mostly be about where and what to eat there. I’m sure there are numerous other amazing restaurants and “tavernas” — small restaurants serving up local cuisine — all over the island. There really is a lot to explore on Crete.
But back to the cuisine. Even if you spend a day or two in Chania, I would highly recommend going to Pallos Cafe Bar right on the corner of the harbour. I noticed how popular this place was — with locals and tourists alike — during my first few days in the town. There’s with a wonderful view of the lighthouse-resembling minaret in the centre of the harbour and plenty of patio chairs for people watching and getting some sun. Great for an afternoon coffee (their warm beverage list is awesome — I went a chocolate-black pepper espresso), cocktail, or beverage of your choice, or for any meal. I had the breakfast one morning and I couldn’t believe how much food the server brought to the table. Overall, I do recommend this spot for its amazing harbour view, the hip ambience, and the delicious food and drink options.
Another very cool place I discovered was Tamam. Our Airbnb host recommended it to us, and I also read about it in the Lonely Planet guide left in the apartment. It also has the most Google reviews for restaurants in the town. The restaurant’s building dates back to a public bath first built by the Venetians in the 1400s, which was later used as a hamam (a Turkish bath) by the Ottomans. The restaurant is divided into two parts divided by a very narrow street; sit on the bath side if you can (you’ll see old concrete walls and tables on raised concrete flooring inside). I found their menu humble, yet enticing and priced well. As a pasta lover, I went for the eggplant lasagna and my boyfriend had the sea bass. The on-the-house chocolate truffles for dessert were divine. It’s definitely worth eating here, not only for the food but the location as well. My boyfriend summarize it well: “The fact that you’re eating in a bath is pretty cool.”
This was actually dessert, it came last! Raki on the house, of course, and some amazing chocolate truffles.
A simple fish dish …
This was a vegetarian lasagna!
If you happen to rent a car or know someone with a set of wheels, another spot I’d go to again is the traditional taverna Dounias. I wouldn’t have discovered this food gem had it not been for our Airbnb hosts once again, as its sort of tucked away high up into the mountains about 45 minutes (driving) from Crete. Tip: If you go, watch out for the mountain goats lying on or crossing the road. Listed as an “eclectic restaurant” in GoogleMaps, this restaurant was homestyle Cretan food at its finest. We went for the chestnut-potato stew with cinnamon and cloves and a creamy pumpkin potato dish. As we were on Crete, we also tried the oven-roasted (you’ll see the pots on the open fire as you go in the door) lamb with potatoes. A glass of local rose wine was 1.50 € here. This spot is recommended for its no-fuss yummy meals cooked in a very traditional way.
A tasty creamy pumpkin potato dish and a glass of Cretan wine …
This restaurant felt like you’re eating with a giant family …
Chania and Crete is filled with plenty of other great restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. If you’re on a budget, pick up a falafel, gyro, or a spinach-cheese (or just cheese) pie from a bakery. We cooked a lot too and shopped at a farmers’ market near our apartment, where we picked up very affordable fresh produce — like fresh oranges and some kind of “horta“ (wild greens; apparently Cretan women once picked up to 70 wild greens from the mountains). We also found plenty of delicious olives and sheep or goat milk cheese.
Cretan wild greens …
So many olives to pick from!
This was heavenly … supermarket finds!
Dakos … they’re wholegrain toasts with olive oil, feta, tomatoes, etc.
At the supermarket, we bought Greek items like taramasalata and tatzkiki to have with fresh bread (alongside Greek salad, for course). We also baked frozen spanakopita, a traditional Greek pastry made with spinach and feta cheese, as well as tiropita, a similar thing with just cheese. If you’re looking for other dishes, try things like “dakos“ or Cretan wild greens (horta) with lemon and olive oil. Overall, dining and eating on Crete is quite affordable.
And last, but not least: You’ll always leave a restaurant full — and maybe even a little tipsy — because of “raki“, a spirit that’s almost always brought to the table on-the-house alongside a sweet after a meal. Complimentary appetizers are also typical. To me, these culinary traditions are absolute testaments to the genuine hospitality of this picturesque and slightly rugged island.
Happy dining & eating,
