ION Harbour unveils new menu, new look and a stronger taste of Malta

Malta’s only two Michelin-starred restaurant, Iniala’s ION Harbour by Simon Rogan, is stepping up its game.

The restaurant, perched on the rooftop of Iniala Valletta and famed for its panoramic views and delicately crafted food, has introduced a series of changes to both its menu and dining space.

One of the most anticipated additions is a new Duroc pork dish, which will take the place of chicken on the tasting menu in the near future.  

Prized for the quality and flavour of its meat, Duroc is a distinctive breed of pig that is being reared in Malta for the first time, with ION Harbour the first local restaurant to serve it. 

“We use this pork in the UK and I think its flavour is second to none; I’m really excited to see it on the menu here,” Chef Rogan says.

Another new dish showcases the Maltese white sweet potato (patata ħelwa bajda), an ingredient Chef Rogan rarely uses elsewhere but has embraced at ION for the distinctive flavour of the local variety. 

Elsewhere on the menu is one of the chef’s personal favourites: Mediterranean Rossi prawn served with sea jelly and fig leaf coated with buttermilk, and accompanied by a cracker made from the leftover prawn shells.

There is also frozen sheep’s yoghurt, a palate cleanser served with perpetual lemon, candied quinoa and melon. 

From Mġarr mushrooms and Rabat limousine beef to Xwejni salts and Żurrieq rabbit, the menu carries a clear Maltese character – something ION has always embraced but wants to push even further. 

“We want ION to be connected to its surroundings,” Chef Rogan explains.

“It’s a concept that has served us well in the 25 years we’ve been open in the UK and it is central to our ethos and beliefs. It’s the right thing to do.”

ION Harbour also forages for local ingredients in the wild, working hand in hand with forager Keith Abela, whom Rogan describes as a “walking encyclopaedia” of Malta’s herbs, flowers and sea.

“We have everything we need on this island; you just have to go out and find it,” Chef Rogan says. 

Besides the new menu, ION has also undergone a facelift, complete with a new bar, awning, tables, chairs and décor. 

The kitchen itself has been redesigned with the express purpose of bringing chefs closer to diners, encouraging them to personally explain their dishes at the table and inject more culinary theatre into the dining experience.

“We felt we were missing that element, and this will hopefully take us to the next level,” Chef Rogan says. 

Maintaining two Michelin stars for three consecutive years is no small feat, particularly since progression at the highest level often comes down to the subtlest of details and the finest of margins. 

So could a coveted third star be in the offing in the near future?

Chef Rogan knows what it takes.

His Lake District restaurant L’Enclume was awarded this accolade a few years ago, making history as the first ever restaurant in the north of England to receive three Michelin stars.

And while he is reluctant to frame ION’s journey around chasing awards, the ambition is clearly there.

“I have a very young and hungry team that is striving for success,” he says when asked about the potential third star.

“You never chase anything, but if you keep up the concept of trying to improve things every day and making the guest experience the best it could possibly be, then the accolades will follow.”

Who knows? We will try our best and maybe we will get there one day.”

Book a table here: https://ionharbour.com