Iniala Harbour House & Residences, Malta’s newest hotel, can add another feather to its cap with the recent announcement that its restaurant ION - The Harbour has won a coveted Michelin Star. Awarded just six months after the hotel opened in November 2020 - the second property of hotelier and philanthropist Mark Weingard, following the opening of the award-winning Iniala Beach House in Thailand - ION now joins the ranks of the elite, with its newly-awarded star.
Headed by local chefs Andrew Borg and Kurt Micallef, who were handpicked by Weingard himself, ION ventures beyond the usual boundaries of dining, bringing unique produce-driven cuisine to the fore. From the classic to the contemporary, dishes constantly evolve with the season, to ensure only the best produce is used, reactive to the climate and time of year.
Marinated stone bass with ponzu and passionfruit or confit of ratte potatoes with Burgundy snails kicks off the dinner menu, followed by Entrecôte of beef with artichokes, chantarelles and perigord truffle sauce or John dory with charred hispi cabbage and peas. For dessert, there’s pressed caramelized apple and cream with lychee sorbet, or Araguani chocolate and olive oil delice with citrus confit and Madagascan vanilla ice cream.
Beyond the menu, the location is equally noteworthy, with ION’s rooftop positioning granting guests views over the Grand Harbour, with the twinkling lights of both skyline and yachts the backdrop. The hotel is the last word in innovative, contemporary design, with a grand staircase, painted cupola, ancient vaults and just 10 elegantly appointed rooms and suites that let the views do all the talking.
