Possibly Valletta’s most notorious bar, The Pub is a classic, no-frills English watering hole that keeps drinks flowing day through night. It is exactly what it says it is and nothing more, and that’s what makes it appealing. There is indoor and outdoor seating, five beers on tap, and two televisions, making it one of Valletta’s few bars where you can catch a match.
The bar is well-stocked, and whisky and gin lovers will be thrilled to see the selections include more than just the usuals – but they have those, too. The Pub isn’t a place for fancy cocktails or an Aperol spritz. Rather, gin and tonics, whisky straight, and pints are the name of the game once you step into the space. The Pub is a frequent spot for sailors, ex-pats, and locals, which means the crowd is talkative and not worried about manners.
Sadly, The Pub may be best known as actor Oliver Reed’s last stop. On May 2, 1999, he died at the bar from a heart attack during a break from filming Gladiator. According to witnesses, he drank eight pints of German lager, a dozen shots of rum, half a bottle of whisky and a few shots of Hennessy cognac in a drinking match against a group of sailors on shore leave from the H.M.S. Cumberland. After beating five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling, Reed suddenly collapsed, dying en route to a hospital in an ambulance.
Though the story is certainly heartbreaking, it is a good indication of the type of characters that might find themselves at this little Valletta watering hole. The Pub delivers a no-frills drinking experience that is perfect for those looking for a good glass of whisky without the shtick.
Find It Here:
136 Archbishop St.
Valletta, Malta
