"The Xara Palace's informal sister to de Mondion — Italian cooking in a medieval courtyard, the best first-date table inside the walls."
Trattoria AD 1530 operates in the main courtyard of The Xara Palace, one floor below de Mondion. The format is intentionally less formal — a classic Italian trattoria with handmade pasta, wood-oven pizza from Napoli-certified ovens, and a focus on Sicilian and southern Italian produce. The courtyard seating is the reason to come: open-air, with stone arches on all four sides and candlelight at night.
The kitchen makes its own pasta daily. The tagliolini al tartufo (from local Rabat truffle in winter), the paccheri with red prawn and Maltese tomato, and the veal osso buco are the most-ordered dishes. The pizzas — fior di latte, margherita, and a salsiccia with friarielli — are the correct order for a lighter evening.
Wine list is focused on Italian regions with Maltese representation. The service is warm and informal, the pace slower than de Mondion, the atmosphere ideal for a relaxed evening.
The courtyard is the room to request. The interior salon is also pleasant but lacks the Mdina-at-night quality of the open courtyard.
For a first date, the courtyard at AD 1530 provides everything that matters: natural candlelight, medieval stone architecture, unhurried service, and a menu broad enough that neither diner has to over-commit. The pace invites a three-hour evening.
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