After 3 years of non-stop work restoring the property, I opened Ciappetti Tea Gardens on the 1st November 1993. The idea was to offer our clientele something different. I have strived to offer the best service possible whilst ensuring that quality is not compromised in any way.

Ciappetti is a casual sort of place, no rush, no fuss, but this does not mean that our staff will not do their best to serve you with the utmost courtesy and professionalism. In other words, a local food, friendly, clean sort of place.

We expanded on concept of a Tea Garden, by introducing the idea of a Brassiere with authentic Mediterranean style cuisine. Ciappetti is open morning and evenings. We would like you to know that we choose only the best and freshest of ingredients thus ensuring a consistent quality in our product.

As regards seating capacity we cater for 60 covers inside, (we can also provide a private dining room for 30 people) Weather permitting we can fit 30 persons on the bastion terrace, and another 80 in the yard and garden. So as stated, weather permitting, in total we can cater for 150 people in one sitting.

A short history about the building itself, well this place was in a state of disrepair when we first took it over, but we tried to retain all of the original features and build around them (and on top of them and under them etc. etc) Basically this was a house with some walls of Arab origin, some rooms dating back to the Norman era, with later additions through the years.

Its facade faces south and the bastion terrace looks toward the north, over to the land and the sea down to St. Paul’s Bay in the distance. There is an underground spring, well, and also a wartime air raid shelter hewn out in the bastion walls, which is hewn to serve you. We have an internal courtyard, a garden, and two large internal rooms.

For a view from the bastions, a service with a smile, a varied menu selection and wonderful surroundings … Ciappetti has it all.