216a Main Road East, St Albans. Phone: 9366 6566
Why are there no Maltese restaurants in Melbourne?
Even the most cursory online sleuthing reveals a super cuisine tradition, one that is of the Mediterranean yet quite different from that of its many neighbours – colourful, rich, varied and no doubt delicious.
I once put that question to a Maltese staff member at Stephz Gourmet Deli.
Her reply went something along the lines of the Maltese community is not prone to getting behind and supporting such enterprises, unlike many other expatriate communities.
Charles Sciberras reckons there may be something in that.
With his brother Ron, Charles runs the family business in St Albans.
It was started, at premises in Sunshine, in 1964 by their parents Emanuel and Maryanne.
The brothers became full-time staffers in 1974, and in 1979 the business moved to its present premises in St Albans.
From the mid-’80s to about 1990, a restaurant next door was indeed part of the business.
East End Bistro morphed into East End Reception, and Charles is happy to concede that catering is where the heart of the enterprise continues to lie.
“I can do 400 set menus almost in my sleep,” he quips. “Doing 100 al la carte meals …”
Left profoundly unsaid are the extra stress levels.
Charles was born in Australia, but tells he is more fluent in Maltese than most members of his generation of Maltese descendants because of his ongoing relationship with so many Maltese customers.
While there are only minor Maltese components on the catering menus the company creates for its customers, Charles is nevertheless proud of its product, saying the paramount thing is that the food be “flavoursome”.
“There is nothing bland about our food,” he says.
These days the business is about 80 per cent catering and 20 per cent cakes and pastries.
While the Maltese influence may not be in-your-face in their homely shop, a little snooping around reveals gems that Charles is happy to explain.
They sell quite a wide range of frozen pastizzi, which are sourced elsewhere.
They likewise sell ravioli and qssatat, which look like large versions of crimp-topped yum cha dumplings, are prepared in the oven and contain ricotta, or peas and onions, or – at Lent – anchovies, peas and onions.
Honey ring (top) and mqaret (bottom).
Very yummy are the honey rings, which cost $4.50 and contain a crumbly spiced mixed that involves dates, almonds, citrus peels and spices, all encased in a thin pastry tube.
Even more yummy are the mqaret (date slices), which cost $4.50 for a bag of six. The filling is just about all date and the pastry is very similar to the pimpled, flaky, crunchy variety found in canoli. Yep, they’re deep-fried!
They’re like the date-filled biscuits familiar to many Australians, ‘cept a whole lot better. Charles tells me it’s common for them to be served warm after a spell in the oven. I reckon they’d be great with good vanilla ice cream or yogurt!
Small galletti.
Also very Maltese are the galletti, which come in two sizes. They’re very dry, crunchy cracker-like affairs that Charles tells me are commonly eaten with Maltese cheese and wine.
The St Albans Catering & Classic Cakes website is here.
consider the sauce 
As im in St Albans everyday im surprised that i have not entered this store yet. Now knowing they have delicious pastizzi for such a great price, i think i’ll drop in!
LikeLike
Marine, yes it’s a bit easy to miss. Nondescript exterior, away from Alfrieda St – but it’s pretty cool, too!
LikeLike
So right about the lack of Maltese restaurants. But, funnily, the Thai place on Charles St in Seddon used to be a pizza, Thai and Maltese restaurant! I think the (former?) owners are/were a Thai woman and a Maltese bloke.
LikeLike
I remember when it used to do pizzas, but did it ever do Maltese? Maybe before my time …
LikeLike
It was probably five years ago. You can see a faint outline of the word ‘Maltese’ on the sign out the front!
LikeLike
yeh i lived in kealba in the 70s till 90s never new it was a restaurant
LikeLike
hi are ther any maltses passtizi shops in melb
LikeLike
Hi Michelle! IIRC St Albans Catering & Classic Cakes sells what you are looking for.
LikeLike
Hi I am looking for maltese ravioli… where can I buy them from? I don’t like the supermarket brands very much.
LikeLike
Hi Rebecca! I’m pretty sure this place has them. As well, there’s a new specialist Maltese pasta maker opened up in Sunshine. Let me get back to you on the address.
LikeLike
Please confirm trading hours and current tel. no is 9366 6566 as have been unable to contact you on this number
LikeLike
Kenny, I keep running across your blog posts as I’m Oogling around for info about places I took photos of during my bikeabout the other day. I had never heard of pastizzi — still haven’t eaten one — but I got a shot of a place at 79 Suffolk Rd. in Sunshine North named “The Original Maltese Pastizzi Co.” phone # 9364 7527. I would have stopped, but I had African food on my mind that day.
What I like to do is bring my bike aboard the train, hop out in a suburb that’s barely known to me, get, shall we say, “inspired” (you attended enough parties at Kurt’s to know what I mean) and then ride around looking at stuff. Because it all seems so groovy. And I learn the lay of the land. Having a list of restaurants from Urbanspoon in those areas which do not have photos on the site gives me a framework of what to look for, so I’m not just pedalling aimlessly like some goddamn dirty hippie. And when I get a photo of someplace that’s not listed on the ‘Spoon, I’ll create a page for it. That’s what I do instead of blogging. Hency why I was searching for pastizzitrivia.
You’re probably aware of this place, which seems to be more of a wholesaler than a walk-in eatery: Eat More Pastizzi on Bell Street in Sunshine West.
LikeLike
And there’s a place that’s run by Maltese in Altona that mass-produces pastizzi but it’s more of a custom cake shop than a resto. The depth of factoids one can find on teh Internets tubez is amazing…
LikeLike
Is there anywhere I can buy ,I think it’s called argine like a pasta dish love it and want to buy a tray
LikeLike
do you know were I can buy figoli tins in Melbourne michelle
LikeLike
Hello.. well anybody that wont to order any Maltese Gillette …Please 0422 65 69 50
LikeLike