ION Harbour by Simon Rogan
Valletta, Malta
ION Harbour by Simon Rogan occupies the fourth floor of Iniala Valletta on St Barbara Bastion, overlooking the Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The dining room and terrace place the water, fortifications and passing boats within view, giving the meal a close relationship with Valletta's setting. Tables beside the windows make particularly good use of the outlook. The kitchen follows the seasons through tasting menus built around produce grown, reared, caught or foraged in the Maltese islands. Local suppliers are often identified, while preparations use fermentation, preservation and cooking over embers to develop flavour. The changing sequence can bring together seafood, vegetables and meat, with details such as Gozo salt, carob and local herbs reinforcing its sense of place. A shorter lunchtime menu offers another way to experience the kitchen's approach. Wine pairings sit alongside a drinks programme that finds uses for ingredients left from preparation, including fruit peel and stems. This is a restaurant for allowing time over several courses, with the harbour view providing a continuing backdrop. Reserve ahead and discuss dietary requirements, as the menu is designed as a coordinated progression.