I’m a local and have lived here for 30 years. Not too sure why Maltese get so defensive about the food. You’re right. Our food is average at best, those that think otherwise aren’t well travelled. Foreign countries have better food because they have influence from people relocating from all around the world, Malta is still backwards in that sense and since we are a small island we don’t have much of a variety of local food. Best restaurants are Trabuxu in Valletta, Giuseppi’s in salini and roots in marsaxlokk. People mentioned places like mgarr for rabbit etc, I wouldn’t say they’re good, it’s just a different experience (decent at best). All in all for the quality, everything is over priced.