A Valletta restaurant has become the first in Malta to be awarded two Michelin stars.

The Michelin Guide announced the accolade for ION Harbour by Simon Rogan, a restaurant which forms part of the Iniala Harbour House Hotel on St Barbara Bastion. 

It is familiar territory for Rogan, an internationally renowned chef who in 2002, opened his debut restaurant, L’Enclume in the Lake District, which now holds three Michelin stars.

The Malta restaurant was opened in March last year.

“I am so proud of what we have achieved here so far, alongside my executive chef Oli Marlow and the Iniala and ION Harbour team… there will be celebrations in Valletta tonight that’s for sure,” Rogan was quoted as saying by Iniala in a statement.

One of the signature cocktails at ION Harbour. Photo: Iniala

It said the Ion Harbour team credit their success to using local, seasonal ingredients harvested, fished and foraged by sustainable local producers.

They are committed to sustainability and work closely with ION Harbour's head of sustainability, Keith Abela. Abela is a specialist forager and university lecturer who assists with the identification of wild plants and the restaurant's preservation programme. 

It also pointed out that the bar team works with the chefs to utilise surplus ingredients that would otherwise go to waste, such as peels, stalks and stems.

Simon Rogan with a sustainable local supplier. Photo: Iniala

There are currently six other Michelin-star restaurants in Malta with a singular star each. These are Noni, De Mondion, Bahia, Under Grain, Fernandõ Gastrotheque and Rosami.