Group Dining in St Julian’s
Plan a great Italian group meal
Matto is an Italian restaurant on St George’s Bay in St Julian’s, Malta, welcoming group dining with an à la carte menu of regional Italian starters, handmade pizza and pasta, seafood, steaks and signature cocktails. Open daily 12:00 to 23:00, minutes from Paceville. Groups of eight or more should contact Matto before booking.
Group dining at Matto
- Groups welcome on St George’s Bay, St Julian’s
- Regional Italian starters, handmade pizza, pasta, seafood and steaks
- Antipasti and cocktails made for sharing
- À la carte menu, so everyone orders what they actually want
- Open daily from 12:00 to 23:00
- Groups of 8 or more: contact us first
Getting a group dinner organised in St Julian’s is never just about finding enough chairs. Someone wants pizza, someone’s already picked their pasta, one person only cares about the cocktails, and at least one of them won’t reply to the group chat until the day itself.
That’s exactly the kind of table we like at Matto. We’re an Italian restaurant on St George’s Bay in St Julian’s, and our menu was made for mixed appetites: regional Italian starters, handmade pizza and pasta, seafood, proper steaks and cocktails that get the evening going.
Groups are welcome here. Bring the people, pick the date, and let us handle the rest. One note though: if you’re eight or more, give us a shout before you book so we can sort you out properly.
Group Booking at Matto
Start with the plan, not the menu
A group dinner in St Julian’s gets a whole lot easier with ten minutes of planning before anyone looks at a menu. You don’t need every answer. A date, a rough time and an approximate headcount are enough for us to work with.
And don’t worry if the numbers move. Someone always remembers an extra colleague, a cousin suddenly turns up in Malta, a friend finally answers the group chat. Happens every week. Tell us what you know and we’ll guide it from there.
Everyone orders from the standard à la carte menu, which is the bit that makes groups easy: pizza for one, handmade pasta for another, seafood or a steak for the one who “just wants something proper”. If anyone has dietary requirements, mention them when you get in touch and the team will talk you through the options.
A rough number is fine
Date, time, approximate guests. The final headcount can come later.
Everyone picks their own
À la carte for the whole group. Pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks, whatever they’re in the mood for.
Tell us about dietary requirements early
Mention them when you book and we’ll walk you through what’s on the menu.
8 or more? Call us first
Bigger tables need a bit of planning on our side, so get in touch before you book.
Group Restaurant in St Julian’s
Why Italian food just works for groups
A good group restaurant in St Julian’s has one job: make fifteen different opinions feel like no problem at all. Italian food does this better than most, because the table starts together and then everyone goes their own way.
At Matto that means antipasti and homemade focaccia landing in the middle first. Then one person settles into the Cacio e Pepe, someone else is all over the Diavola Ribelle, the one who “doesn’t really do pizza” is quietly very happy with the Branzino, and the cocktails are doing their job in the background.
Nobody has to order the same thing for dinner to feel shared. A few plates for the middle, then whatever each person fancies. That’s the Italian way, and honestly, it’s the easiest way.
Group Menu Favourites
The dishes groups keep coming back for
Planning a group meal in St Julian’s? These are the Matto plates that end up in the middle of big tables most often. Some are generous, some are warm and familiar, all of them are better shared.
Antipasto Misto, the argument settler
24-month-aged Parma ham, Grana Padano, burrata from Puglia, pancetta, Sicilian caponata, spicy nduja and homemade focaccia. When eight people can’t agree on a starter, this is how the argument ends.
Arancini, gone in ninety seconds
Spinach and smoked mozzarella inside, spicy tomato sauce on the side. They hit the table while the first drinks are still cold, and they don’t last long.
Cacio e Pepe al Carrello, the one with the show
Spaghetti alla chitarra, creamy pecorino, cracked black pepper, finished at your table. Minimum two portions, which on a group table is never a problem. Order it and watch everyone else wish they had.
Pizzas for the middle
Margherita for the purists, Diavola Ribelle for the ones who like heat, Mortazza when nobody’s counting, Tartufata for the mushroom fans. Order a spread and let people trade slices. For the full rundown, read our Italian pizza night guide.
The Fiorentina, if you’re serious
A 1kg T-bone, listed on the menu to share, with anchovy garum and porcini butter sauce. The centrepiece order: pizzas and pastas around it, steak in the middle, nobody leaving hungry.
How different tables usually play it
- Friends in town? Starters in the middle, pizzas to share, Il Vaso on arrival.
- Family dinner? A bit of everything. Pizza for the kids’ end of the table, Fiorentina for the other.
- Work thing? Aperitivo first so everyone relaxes, then let the menu do the rest.
- Holiday group? You’re a few minutes from Paceville. Dinner here, night out there.
Aperitivo in St Julian’s
Aperitivo first, dinner after
Ask anyone looking for a group restaurant in St Julian’s what makes the evening, and it’s rarely just the food. It’s the first round. At Matto that means arriving for aperitivo, taking your time over the menu, and letting dinner happen when it happens.
The Negroni alone comes five ways here. The Classico keeps the traditionalists happy, and then there are the coastal cousins: Ionico, Adriatico, Tirrenico, Mediterraneo. On a group table it turns into a game. Everyone picks a sea.
Gin people get the perfect-serve treatment, garnish and all, and the list includes Islands 8, Malta’s own gin, served with carob nibs and rosemary. And whoever drew the short straw as driver still drinks properly: the mocktails are built with the same care as everything else on the list.
And if the table wants one drink in the middle, Il Vaso serves two to four: Fabbri Gin, amarena cherry, lemon, basil and grapefruit soda. It has a way of slowing the evening down, in the best possible way.
Loved our experience at MATTO! The staff were incredibly friendly, and the service was excellent. The cafe has such a warm, positive vibe that instantly lifts your mood. Definitely worth a visit if you’re looking for a cozy and happy place!
Bring the table together
Birthday, family dinner, work gathering or the whole holiday crew, Matto brings regional Italian food, handmade pizza and proper cocktails to St George’s Bay, St Julian’s.
Frequently asked questions
Does Matto take group bookings?
Yes, groups are welcome. If you’re eight or more, contact us before booking so we can get your table sorted properly.
How do I enquire about a group booking?
Use the contact page, email ciao@mattomalta.com or call +356 7979 2610. A date, rough time and approximate numbers is all we need to start.
Can groups order from the regular menu?
Yes. Everyone orders from the standard à la carte menu: starters, pizza, pasta, seafood, steaks, cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.
Can we share food and drinks at the table?
Absolutely, it’s half the point. Starters, pizzas and drinks like Il Vaso are made for sharing, and everyone can still order their own mains.
Where is Matto?
On St George’s Bay in St Julian’s, Malta. Directions and contact details are on the contact page.