Republic Street wine bars are overpriced tourist magnets. Full of cruise ship crowds taking selfies with their aperol spritz.

Real gems hide in narrow side streets. Ollie's Last Pub on Strait Street pours proper craft beer. Local crowd actually drinks there instead of posing for Instagram. Affordable too — €4 pints versus €8 on the main drag.

Wine bars around St. John's Street serve fresh seafood and modern Maltese dishes. Bottle Shop Wine Bar does natural wines and shared plates. Much better than sanitized hotel restaurant scene.

Hit these spots early evening. Most don't take reservations so wander until something catches your eye. Look for places where locals are actually drinking and talking. Not photographing their food under ring lights.