Country Terrace

Two awards, one terrace, a view that earns its own reputation: should you book Country Terrace?

Country Terrace in Għajnsielem carries two significant credentials: a Star Wine List #1 ranking for 2026 and a World of Fine Wine 2-Star Accreditation. For a restaurant on Gozo, Malta's quieter sister island, that is a meaningful double signal — it places the wine program among a small group of venues in the Maltese archipelago taken seriously by international wine authorities. If you are visiting Gozo and care about what is in your glass as much as what is on your plate, this is the address to know.

The Wine Program: Why It Matters Here

The Star Wine List #1 recognition is the headline credential. Star Wine List evaluates lists on depth, range, pricing, and curation — earning the leading position in its category puts Country Terrace ahead of the majority of restaurants across Malta and Gozo for serious wine selection. The World of Fine Wine 2-Star Accreditation reinforces that: this is not a list assembled for show. For a wine-focused visitor, that combination of recognitions suggests a list with genuine range, likely spanning international producers alongside whatever local Maltese bottles the team has chosen to champion.

That framing matters for the decision you are making. If wine is peripheral to your lunch, you may not feel the full value of what Country Terrace is doing. But if you are the kind of traveller who plans meals around what you will drink , or who wants to explore Maltese and Gozitan producers in a setting that takes them seriously , this is the stronger choice on the island. Comparable wine depth at this recognition level is not easy to find in Gozo's restaurant scene.

Setting and Occasion Fit

The terrace overlooks Comino island, which sits between Gozo and Malta. A lunch here is primarily a daytime proposition: the terrace format and the view are central to the experience, and midday is when both are at their leading. Country Terrace is positioned as a lunch destination worth planning around rather than a casual dinner fallback. If you are spending at least a few days on Gozo, it belongs on your shortlist for a meal that does double duty , serious wine with a setting that justifies the trip across from Malta.

For special occasions or wine-focused meals on the island, this is the clearest recommendation available. The combination of an award-recognised wine list and a terrace with direct views to Comino creates an occasion that most restaurants on Gozo cannot replicate. Group diners, couples marking a trip, and solo wine enthusiasts willing to linger over a long lunch will all find it suits their purposes.

Practical Considerations

How Country Terrace Fits the Gozo Picture

Gozo's dining scene is smaller and less competitive than Valletta or St Julian's, which means that when a restaurant earns international wine recognition here, it stands in a category largely by itself. For context, visitors looking for comparable wine seriousness in Malta's capital can turn to ION Harbour by Simon Rogan in Valletta or Le GV in Sliema. On Gozo itself, Al Sale in Xagħra is a nearby alternative worth considering for a different style of experience. If you are building an itinerary across the islands, Country Terrace makes the most sense as your Gozo wine anchor, with Valletta options reserved for evenings on the main island.

Elsewhere in the Malta restaurant scene, wine travellers might also consider AYU in Gzira, Bahia in Balzan, or Rosamì in St Julian's for variety of approach. For those spending time specifically in Għajnsielem, Level Nine at The Grand is the most obvious local alternative, though it does not carry equivalent wine accreditation. Further afield, Commando in Mellieħa, Giuseppi's in Naxxar, Grotto Tavern in Rabat, and LOA in St Paul's Bay round out a broader Malta dining circuit for visitors covering the whole archipelago.

For full coverage of what to eat, drink, stay, and do while you are here, see our full Għajnsielem restaurants guide, our full Għajnsielem hotels guide, our full Għajnsielem bars guide, our full Għajnsielem wineries guide, and our full Għajnsielem experiences guide.