I had heard so much about Cafe Malta - a hidden gem in an unassuming strip mall on the corner of Brodie and William Cannon was what I'd heard. I love hidden gems. I went with a friend to lunch there and the menu looked great and the prices were really inexpensive considering what I thought you got out of it. Maybe I'm used to "everything's bigger in TX" or American portions. I ordered the Chicken Kofte- minced chicken with pecans, seasoned with cumin & coriander, grilled and served over aioli potato salad with grilled vegetables $9 - that's what it says on the menu. Sounds pretty awesome right? My friend orders the Levant Salad. Also sounds pretty delicious. Then the server comes with our plates. Her salad is a few chopped up veggies in a small bowl. Mine is ONE skewer over potato salad with half a squash and half a zucchini. So maybe the price wasn't so inexpensive after all. I think maybe my plate had like 150 calories. My lemonade might have had more than my plate. Ok I exaggerate but that was how unsubstantial it was.....and my friend was just being nice but that 'salad' was smaller than a side house salad at normal restaurants. Don't get me wrong, my skewer tasted fine. The grilled veggies were just grilled - no salt, no pepper, nothing. I guess since I cook healthy at home when I go out, I want food that doesn't look like I'm starving myself. The service was great. The interior is cute. Sounds like I'm not the only one that feels skimped on and the bland food. Won't be back any time soon. read more

Really glad to have a stab at a place like this in the neighborhood (a hipster recently informed me that I live in "SoBro"). So it is with a bit of a heavy heart that I write my first review of SoBro's newest outside-the-box establishment. It was lunch, ordering some more basic dishes I felt would help me gauge the breadth of the restaurant's menu. In my opinion, if a chef can pull off a memorable Caesar then I'm ready to branch out. Well, based on my salad today, this place needs a fluid approach to fine-tuning the execution of their menu. The Caesar was notably bland (to bad), with the exception of a thoughtfully chosen anchovy. The two or three croutons were jawbreakers. Dressing was thin and nearly flavorless, which made the shrill flavor of this romaine stand out. A good Caesar can be so simply good--hard to see how they'd serve this. The parmesean crisp (only bit of cheese I perceived on the dish) and a few capers lent a vague touch of flavor, but not nearly enough to save this lackluster salad. The main course for this lunch was ordered from the same approach of sticking with a standby--and was much more palatable. The Croque Madame was very tasty, with finely sliced ham, very good cheese, a yummy sauce and a perfectly fried pair of eggs on top. I was suprised though that all of this tastiness was served on a skimpy bread basket sized slice of baguette. Noticing some of the previous reviewers' comments on the lack of adequate servings of bread with their meals, I wonder what this is about? The side dish--basically some cooked down vegetables--was ok...but forgetable. Anyway, it was good, but if I'm spending almost $20 on lunch there's a lot of places I'd go before Cafe Malta. Not to say that I wont be back. I want to support Cafe Malta and see it become a citywide destination, not just an unusual neighborhood spot that's different but only ok. Wishing them the best of luck in gaining a strong command over their menu and ironing out the disappointing service some have experienced. read more

I am ashamed that I have not written a review until now. I have been eating here for the last 6 years when I have my nails done next door. The wait staff are great, the menu is really spectacular...quite impressive. The wine selection is well thought out. This is a great date night locale and super for a business lunch. read more

You wouldn't think much of this place from its location but it really it has a nice interior. The food is thoughtfully prepared and delicious. If you live in the area it's a great go to for a nicer meal then the surrounding options. I also really like their "tour" menu on the back wall that changes weekly. read more

Checked out Cafe Malta recently after fellow Yelpers had given positive feedback. It was enjoyable...but not without issues. Let's start with the physical restaurant. It's very cute. Tucked away in a Generica strip center, the space is actually very nice and cozy, and felt comfortable. That is, if you don't count that about 80% of the tables had a 'reserved for 7:30pm' or similar sign on them. That's cool, I get that you're allowing reservations since the space is small and you are obviously growing in popularity. But hey, it's 6:15pm...jumping the gun a little? How long does it take tor turn over a 2 top in a sparsely populated cafe? The waitress was very nice, and knowledgeable about both the food and beverages. We had the gnocchi app and lamb stew special. Gnocchi were a bit heavy and underdone...stew special was interesting. I liked it, although as the meal progressed it did linger on the sweet side. I think we will be back to form a more solid opinion, but I do hope that people at least try the restaurant since it is local and south. And the owner's business card is awesome, with the title of "Dimmer of Lights". Good job, sir. read more

Okay, I wrote a review of this place before, but for some reason it is not showing up. This place is great. It is everything one would dream for way south of the river. The food is amazing. Just come. There is not tons for the vegetarian and vegan inclined, but there's something on the menu that is yummy. For example, both nights I've been the soup has been vegan which is nice and there seems to be a couple pretty regular vegetarian options. This is a place that cares about food. I love it and I would drive downtown to eat at it, but I don't have to and neither do you deep southies. . read more

I really wanted this place to be great. Unfortunately for everyone, it was not. The portions were small, the food was bland, and it was as hot inside as it was outside tonight. An $80.00 dollar let down for the two of us. We won't be back. I Can say that our server was very pleasant and efficient, so that was a plus. read more

What a fantastic hidden gem this restaurant is! We have lived less than a mile from this restaurant for over a year and only recently stopped in. It is in a strip mall near a Taco Bell and behind a 7-11 so we had assumed it was a little cafe or coffee house. After hearing from some friends that it was actually a great restaurant we put it on the list of things to try. My mother-in-law was visiting from Morocco and we decided to take her out to dinner. We chose Cafe Malta and boy was that a great decision. While unassuming on the outside, the interior is quite large for the location, and the decor is inviting and cozy without being stifling. We started off with cocktails (fantastic) and appetizers (also fantastic). I had both the Blue Ruin and the "Thank You Sir, May I Have Another" which would be my favorite. We had the Crostini and the cheese plate. Cafe Malta's use of locally sourced produce and meat comes through in their food. My hanger steak was fantastic, my mother-in-law loved her L'amfette. The service was among the best I have experienced in a long time. Our waitress was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive without being annoying. We will definitely be returning to this restaurant, I only regret wasting a year before trying it. read more

A very welcome addition to this Austin neighborhood. Looking for a place to meet for lunch, we decided to check out Cafe Malta and to our pleasant surprise, we discovered they have brunch on Saturday. Hooray! I was very tempted to go with one of my favorite meals (chocolate croissant and cappuccino), but decided to try out the Croque Madam and I was quite happy with my choice. Slices of ham on top of a baguette with Dijon mustard, Gruyere cheese and topped off with two eggs sunny side up. It was beyond filling and I was only able to make it through about 3/4 of my meal. The atmosphere was more charming than I expected considering it's strip mall location. The bar is cute and hosts a happy hour. A nice alternative to going downtown if you live in this neighborhood. read more

I had such high hopes for this place. My girl friend and I went here for lunch because it's close to the office. We both ordered the soup du jour which was a tomato and roasted red pepper soup. It sounded appetizing but what we got tasted like V-8 or just plain crushed tomatoes out of a can. Our sandwiches arrived a short while later and once again, left much to be desired. This place is the antithesis of everything I associate with Mediterranean food - usually it's chock-full of seasonings and packing flavor. Not this place. Every dish was under seasoned and semi-cold. The portions are also smaller than you might expect. In the end, we asked for a bread basket just so we could have something to fill up on. read more

I am so glad we tried this place out. Since we were in the process of moving not having food in the house was a great excuse to keep going back. I wonder why it took me so long to FINALLY go grocery shopping....During regular peak hours it does fill up fast and sometimes I get the impression the staff is being stretched but I'd rather wait a minute extra because my server is busy then go get ignored for no particular reason elsewhere. I have decided to make my way through the menu steadily even though I fight the urge every time to ask for the pot pie. I have also had the Croque Monsieur twice. :) read more

Cafe Malta - Pot pie Heaven - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Canceled my reservation for this evening via email. It's New Years Eve! I had already received an email confirmation AND a reminder email. Completely unprofessional! Not the first time they have dropped the ball, but it will be the last. read more

An auspicious beginning... The Gorgonzola gnocchi was melt in your mouth mac-n-cheese good. I enjoyed the tender, flake off onto your fork braised pork shoulder but the Israeli couscous was slightly burnt as if scraped from the bottom of the pot. Cafe Malta really could benefit from a more diversified wine list to elevate their food with distinctive pairings. All things considered, if I find myself in South Austin, I would come back to try their seasonal fare another time. read more

This place never disappoints. The homemade pastas are always perfect. The poached egg dishes are fantastic. Great seafood dishes. Everything tastes fresh and made from scratch. Not sure why the consensus rating isn't higher. I suspect it is due to the location at William Cannon and Brodie, which is off the 'hip beaten track'. If this was on East 6th or So Lamar, Cafe Malta would have 4+ stars. It is frequented by the suburbia crowd who may not "get it". Maybe casting pearls before swine? At any rate, this is definitely a diamond in the rough at the southwest end of Austin. read more

I would rate service and food as amazing. Ordered tetuoan , chicken is delicious, the spice level is spot on. If you are to go on a date, i would definitely recommend this place. read more

Went for lunch, got under cooked steak, and then my pasta with lamb was gamie and tasteless. Pasta stuck together, I used to like this place but not anymore. There were dirty tables from the time we were sat till we left. read more

I went for brunch which happened to be their second brunch service ever and it was amazing. Its tucked in a strip mall but don't let that stop you. The food and service were perfect and the prices are very reasonable (surprisingly cheap) given the portions and tastiness of the food. Did I mention the place smelt like butter and rich food as soon as I walked in. We could not decide on what to get so me and a friend shared the Pain Perdu (a million times better than french toast. It was absolutely incredible. I also had the Maltagliate (a pasta dish) which was very yummy. The chef (Keith) is a wonder in the kitchen and even came out to meet people. This place is a must and is not my favorite brunch spot. Its 35 minutes from my place to here but worth the drive. Oh and you have to try a Pain Au Chocolat one bite is not enough so I took two home with me. My friend took 6 back to Cali... they are THAT good. read more

OK, sure. There are a couple negatives. I had to wait like 30 minutes once for my food... it's kinda expensive. Whatever. It still gets five stars from me for two reasons: 1) It's basically the only really nice restaurant in the neighborhood. Besides that you've got... what... the Brick Oven? Pass. Awesome location if you live near Brodie/ William Cannon. 2) Basil panna cotta for dessert. Trust me. read more

Place was good! Cute little intimate spot. I had a work meeting with my girlfriends and we all enjoyed the place. Cute ambiance! I ordered the Lombatello was really good! Definitely would come back! Service was great, food came out quick. No complaints here! read more

Cafe Malta - Lombatello - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

It is so nice to finally have a nice and tasty restaurant in my neighborhood. The space is in a strip mall but once you enter it's quite charming. I went there with a party of six. We all enjoyed our very strong libations as well as all the food that was ordered. It was the second visit for one of the couples. We all plan on going again to try out other items on the menu. My husband has already brought it up as a dinner option when we trying to decide where to go and it had only been a little over a week since we had gone. Thank you Cafe Malta for opening so close to us. read more

Really really great food!!! A little slow but the service was very nice and accommodating. Our table of eight including kids got the cheese plate, mussels (~$11), kids menu items of gnocchi and pasta ($5 each comes w salad or mixed vegetables), tarte l'oignone (basically like a quiche), hummus... Everything was great! Especially recommend the cheese plate which is delicious and the mussels - the broth is to die for. I enjoyed the kids gnocchi as well read more

Lovely little bistro with a nice atmosphere. Had the Lombatello salad and the steak was cooked perfectly. A nice place for a quiet lunch.

Definitely the worst service I've ever experienced. Came in for Sunday brunch at 1230. I noticed on their open table that they had only done 17 covers for the day. It took 4 minutes to be seated. 7 minutes for water and ten minutes for any other acknowledgement. Then we watched out cheese board sit in the window for another 6 minutes. It's now 156 pm and we have yet to receive our food or any other refills. The food is good but not good enough to put up with the lack of service. Not a good experience read more

Fucking. Prime. Every dish is thoughtfully composed. Properly portioned, and absolutely delicious. Come here. Trust me. Im a doctor.

My fiance and I came here for a groomers meet up. I was a little put off by the selections but I've never had brunch before so I kept an open mind. My fiance ordered a mimosa and I ordered a coffee. The mimosa was I n her words "very delicious". My coffee was a little strong but tasty. I ordered the steak salad and was very impressed by the plating. The flavors of the steak and aioli were awesome. My fiance had the French toast and said it was great. Over all we had a great time. Thank you Cafe Malta read more

Cafe Malta - The Steak salad looks awesome. - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

A South Austin gem! We absolutely adore this cafe and their delicious attitude and helpful staff. When I was pregnant, they made me the best custom mock-tail! read more

For the area and the food, this is a two star restaurant. The prices are very high for what you get. We ordered a skewer appetizer for $7.50 and it came with one 3 inch skewer. The menu said skewers, plural, and when we pointed that out to the waiter, they did bring us another one. My steak salad was good but it was more like a side salad then a large dinner salad. My wife got the salmon salad and it was even smaller. We left feeling very hungry and dissatisfied. read more

We have been meaning to come here forever; tonight was our night. Started out with the mussels, meaty but not gritty..buttery sauce with a hint of spice. Then the Crostini with shredded pork; hint of creamy goat cheese, onion jam. Perfectly balanced. Then the fish croquet. Can I tell you? Crispy, tasty. Better than any croquet I've had before. Then the brisket ravioli. Fresh pesto, tender brisket. One of the best homemade pastas I've ever had. Pork roast, fork tender. Candied nuts, deep reduction...brought me back to thanksgiving. Did I mention the drinks? The desserts? The coffee? Do it. Do it now. read more

I was delighted to find out such an European style cafe among all Texan/Mexican restaurants in this area. The setting is nice and the dishes change seasonally. I ordered the daily special: pan-fried cod panini with sautéed vegetables. The panini was flavorful and the cod was cooked just about right. However the vegetables ruined my tasting experience because of too much salt, which makes me feel the cod was overly greasy after all. My friend ordered the L'amfette which is pasta with lamb tossed with tomato and apple. We love the fruit combination with protein however the flavor is still too salty for us. I will give this place a second chance to try dinner menu and the desserts. But ask for lighter flavor when order. read more

A fun new place for us! I got the super hot Bloody Mary. It wasn't really my thing but I'm glad I tried it. Service was good. The food was okay, but a great deal for each dish being under $10! read more

Cafe Malta - The bloody hell! - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

I ate here at Cafe Malta. I had a friend recommended we go to this place because it is in south Austin near where he lives and is the only really good place near where he lives. I had a pasta dish (squash with the pasta) it was pretty good. The gnocci was good. And they had a few really good white Italian wines. The place got a little to loud while I was there or I would give 5 stars. read more

Was a great surprise to find such a lovely place. Amazing food. Malta is an island right off of Italy and the food here is amazing and authentic read more

Cafe Malta - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

Great surprise, very affordable! Food and staff were amazing! Not what I would have expected driving up to the strip mall behind the gas station. The interior and food take you through a virtual wormhole to the Mediterranean! Will spread the word and return for sure!!! read more

Cafe Malta - Basil Pana Cotta with strawberry sauce! - Mediterranean Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Another strip mall gem in South Austin - great for a quiet dinner or girls night. Get the licosa margarita! it's perfect. I always enjoy my meals at malta and have become a bit of a regular. The goat cheese and brisket appetizer never disappoints, nor does the gnocchi. the steak is always cooked exactly as it is asked for and the veggie lasagna is SO GOOD. the portions are perfect and we always leave satisfied and not overwhelmed. Brunch is not my favorite here, a bit basic. Enjoy! read more

If you want just to have a drink or a coffee or just share a glass of wine with a friend, the atmosphere is great. The service is also good. Sadly, the food is not. I want to like this place, I really do. We don't have any upscale cafes in S. Austin, and since this is the only one, I try it out every now and again- hoping for a new chef or new ideas for food. Every time I try it, I can't eat my food. First of all, it's always incredibly salty. The fish I've had is always overcooked and salty. My husband ordered the mousaka, and it was made with uncooked potatoes that were rubbery, and it was overly salted and dry as well. He had an appetizer that my toddler could have made (sausages with melted goat cheese on stale bread). The portions are quite small, even by European standards. But like I said, the drinks are great, the atmosphere is wonderful, and the coffee divine. Just don't order the food. read more

Unexpected gem! You might not look for an excellent Mediterranean-oriented cafe in a nondescript shopping center but Cafe Malta is exceptional! The food is wonderful, service is attentive. Kitchen has a light, perfect hand with flavours and textures. [Probably the best place in Austin for mussels.] We celebrated a recent birthday there and the restaurant was able to accommodate a vegan guest as well as those with various food allergies. 10 STARS!!! read more

Ok ok I'm back to being a fan :-) hey, this isn't the best place in Austin, but I'll say it here- it certainly is far from the worst. Especially now that we've received sincere apologies and all other sorts of goodness from the owner after our last head-on collision there. We went back, the owner and staff treated us well, the service was great, stellar even, and the food was better than ever before. So. We're fans again. I mean this honestly, Cafe Malta is back on my list of places to recommend :-) They have really done wonders with the menu- everything is well seasoned and prepared- all sorts of great flavors going on- and I have to say it again as this was the most marked improvement: the service was incredible! Ok, this is my 4th and hopefully final review of Cafe Malta!! Enjoy ;-) read more

Love, love, love this place. It truly is a hidden gem. All the staff are super-friendly and polite and the food has always been amazing. Everything I have tried there is perfectly cooked, the drinks are yummy, and their Tour de Forks nights are delightful ways to explore new regional foods. Cafe Malta has quickly become a favorite for us. read more

I read some of the bad reviews online before I ate here and I'm so glad I ignored them. This place is delicious. I ordered the bbq brisket and was not disappointed. The sides, main dish, and drinks were all exceptional. I'm hoping this place continues to do well because the atmosphere and food is great! It's so nice having a little cute gourment resturant right down the street from my house. If you get a chance definitely check this place out! read more

I have visited this place 3 times and every time I have been blown away by the quality of food. Portions are on the smaller side, but the flavor, atmosphere and attention to detail by far make up for sizes. Glad to have a tasty neighborhood eatery! Thanks and keep up the good work! read more