From Trattoria Zero Sei to Pizzeria Sotto: Italian cuisine to conquer Malta

From Trattoria Zero Sei to Pizzeria Sotto: Italian cuisine to conquer Malta

• Author: Gabriel Roberti
• published:

There are many aspects and traditions that are lacking in the Italian who moves abroad. Of all, needless to say, there is certainly food, Italian cuisine and home flavors. However, it is not always necessary to return home to enjoy a typical dish prepared according to tradition. The Italians in Malta who have flocked to the famous for years know something about it Zero Sei restaurant , Pizzeria Below. The latter, in particular, was recently included between the 12 best Italian pizzerias in the world!

Roman cuisine in Malta: Zero Sei restaurant

The story begins about 4 years ago and sees protagonists Fausto Soldini e Luisa Giannini. Both Romans, the two decide one day to leave the capital and Italy to compete with other realities. They then move to Valletta with the desire to open a restaurant capable of making the Maltese known the Roman culinary wonders. Thus was born the Zero Sei trattoria which in a short time became a reference point for local catering, attracting above all but not only the many Italians residing in the Maltese capital. But unlike many trattorias that have only the name of Made in Italy, Zero Sei makes the Roman tradition a cornerstone of all business. Dishes prepared following the original recipes with meticulously selected ingredients, all accompanied by a first-rate wine list and the contagious sympathy of the owners.

The professionalism of Fausto and Luisa have created a real jewel. Small, welcoming and with attention to the smallest details: nothing has been left to chance. The beauty of the location, combined above all with that of the dishes served every day, meant that Zero Sei became in a few months one of the most famous trattorias on the island. Maltese, Italians and ordinary tourists have literally fallen in love with the place, crowding it every day. Also thanks to a varied menu, with the continuous inclusion of new dishes always and only linked to the Roman and Italian culinary tradition.

A restaurant for superheroes

The Zero Sei restaurant is located in the heart of Valletta, right in front of the Manoel Theater. Its position has made it a meeting place for all local artists, and beyond. Its tables have also hosted several big names in the show business. One among all is surely Chris Hemsworth, the Hollywood actor best known for his role as Thor. Usually such an event would be announced and advertised with great fanfare, with photos and posters hanging everywhere. Nonetheless, his passage took a back seat. The reason? The owners noticed his presence only after Chris left the place. Neither Luisa nor Fausto recognized the actor, who found himself eating in total tranquility and anonymity. Enraptured by the goodness of the dishes he tried, Thor nevertheless invited the owners to his hotel for a photo. But not them with him, but him with them, demonstrating Chris’s humility and how well he felt in the place.

The recognition of Gambero Rosso: Pizzeria Sotto

On the wave of success, Luisa and Fausto then opened a second restaurant. Located not far from the restaurant, Pizzeria Sotto also immediately established itself in the vast panorama of Maltese restaurants. Thanks to the same recipe used previously: obsessive attention to every single detail. From selected flours to mother yeast for the preparation of the dough, to the 72 hours of leavening, passing through an atmosphere so welcoming that you want to never leave. All seasoned with the passion of the owners, but also with the skill of its pizza chefs Andrea Soldini e Joseph Cravagna, both capable of preparing a surprising pizza every day.

These factors have allowed Pizzeria Sotto to obtain a respectable recognition. We are talking about the nomination as one of the best 12 Italian pizzerias in the world. Principal of this award on Red shrimp, certainly not some local magazine. The famous publishing house has in fact awarded to Pizzeria Sotto the beauty of 3 cloves, which is the maximum. This has allowed it to place itself among the greats of world pizza, on a par with other sacred monsters in the sector. An important milestone, demonstrating the fact that passion and work can give life to something simply extraordinary. And above all very good to eat.

Close down there

But why the name Sotto? In search of the location, Fausto took Luisa out of the current pizzeria. At the sight of the place, intimate and certainly really beautiful hungarian women not as large as the most common pizzerias, Luisa asked her husband whether or not he intended to close it down there. The answer was not long in coming: “That’s right. We lock ourselves in here and we won’t go out until we become the best of all”. The term below was repeated several times during that conversation, so in the end they decided to call it Pizzeria Sotto. Fortunately for Luisa, things went very well, and both were able to see the sunlight again. Although, judging by the testimonials of many customers, down there you can feel very good.