Delivered party food in Malta costs about €7 to €22 a head in 2026, and a catered wedding or reception with staff runs from about €36 to €58 a head before drinks. A custom cake costs €25 to €95. This guide gives the prices that caterers, hotel catering departments and cake makers in Malta publish, the minimum orders and extras that change the final bill, the rules on VAT and food registration, and what to ask before you book.
Figures were last verified in October 2026 from the price lists, brochures and menus that caterers, hotels and cake makers in Malta publish on their own websites, and from Maltese law on legislation.mt, linked at first mention. Most caterers quote each event after a menu discussion, so treat the ranges as estimates and confirm the price for your date and numbers. This is general information, not professional advice on tax, food safety or contracts, and Dapperlance accepts no responsibility for decisions based on it.
Quick answers
How much does catering cost per person in Malta?
About €7 to €22 a head for delivered finger food and party menus, €9 to €26 for a delivered office lunch, and €36 to €58 for a wedding or hotel reception with service, before drinks. Prices in full
What does party food for 20 people cost?
Between about €150 and €440, using the published party menus of €7.50 to €22 a head. Most caterers set a minimum order of 10 people. Party food
How much is wedding catering per head?
One Valletta caterer publishes an all-inclusive wedding menu at €36 a head for 2026 bookings of 200 or more guests. A hotel’s outside catering reception menus run €42 to €57.75 a head with a 100-guest minimum. Weddings and receptions
How much does a private chef cost?
No private chef in Malta publishes a price. They quote per head after agreeing a menu, guest count and location. Private chefs
What does a custom cake cost?
From about €25 for a patisserie cake that serves 8 to 10, €45 to €95 for a decorated 6 or 8 inch cake, and from €50 for a fully custom design. Cakes
Are drinks included?
Rarely. Published open bar packages cost €8.50 to €18 a head for three or four hours, with a minimum number of guests. Extras
Is VAT included in a catering quote?
Catering carries 18% VAT in Malta. The published prices in this guide include it, but ask, because a quote can be given net. VAT and receipts
How do I choose a caterer?
Check that the business is registered with the food safety authority, ask what the per-head price includes, and get the deposit and cancellation terms in writing. Checklist
How much does catering cost in Malta?
In 2026 delivered party food in Malta costs about €7 to €22 a head, a delivered office lunch €9 to €26 a head, and a wedding or reception with service €36 to €58 a head before drinks. Most of the caterers and private chefs in Malta quote per head after a menu discussion, and only some publish a price list. The figures below come from the ones that do, so read them as the going rate and not as a quote.
| Format | Published price per head, 2026 | Minimum order |
|---|---|---|
| Finger food or party menu, delivered | €7 to €22 | 10 people |
| Office lunch or networking menu, delivered | €9 to €26 | 10 to 12 people |
| Wedding menu, caterer, all inclusive | €36 | 200 guests |
| Hotel outside catering, standing reception | €42 to €57.75 | 100 guests |
| Hotel outside catering, seated three courses | €40 to €47.25 | Quoted |
| Hotel outside catering, buffet | €42 to €47.50 | 80 guests |
| Hotel summer BBQ package with drinks | From €60 | Quoted |
Three things move the price. Service: a plated dinner with waiters costs far more a head than a tray of finger food left at your door, because the labour is the biggest cost. Numbers: every published menu has a minimum, and the hotel catalogue says its prices apply to the stated minimum and that smaller groups pay more. Drinks: no published food price includes them, and a bar package adds €8.50 to €18 a head.
What does party food delivered to your home cost?
A delivered party menu costs €7 to €22 a head at the three caterers that publish prices, each with a minimum order of 10 people. The menu price buys a set list of savoury bites and pastries, usually Maltese staples such as pastizzi, qassatat, timpana, cheese cakes and arancini, with mini burgers, skewers and pastries on the dearer menus.
| Caterer | Menus per head, VAT included | What changes between menus |
|---|---|---|
| Valletta caterer | €7.50, €9, €11, €13.50, kids €6 | 12 items on the cheapest, 21 on the dearest |
| Tarxien caterer | €8, €10.50, €15, €22, kids €4.50, tea menu €9.50 | Burgers, skewers, lamb and crab bites on the dearer menus |
| Gozo caterer | €7 to €15 for 14 to 28 items, a second range €7.50 to €20 | Number of items, from 11 to 28 |
For 20 guests that is €150 on the cheapest menu and €440 on the dearest. The Tarxien caterer also publishes an item list for people who want to build their own order, and it prices each item at €0.65 for a cheese cake or sausage roll, €0.94 for a canapé, €1.65 for a mini beef burger and €1.95 for a chicken satay skewer, with a tray of timpana at €28.32. The Valletta caterer sells mini burgers and hot dogs at €1.10 each.
All three say on the page that prices include VAT. The Gozo caterer’s terms add that a minimum order is required to secure delivery, that a delivery fee applies, and that the deposit is not refunded if you cancel within three days of a food drop-off. Ask every caterer the same three questions: the minimum, the delivery charge, and whether hot items arrive hot or need reheating.
How much does wedding catering cost per head?
The one caterer that publishes a wedding price charges €36 a head, VAT included, for its all-inclusive menu at 2026 bookings of 200 or more guests, and a hotel’s outside catering menus run €40 to €57.75 a head. Every other wedding caterer and venue checked for this guide quotes on request.
The Valletta caterer’s all-inclusive wedding menu was €29 a head for 2025 bookings and is €36 for 2026. It covers a wedding cake table, desserts, hot and cold entrées, seafood, an Asian selection, meats and poultry, a coffee table and four hours of beverages. After four hours drinks cost €2 a head an hour, a spirits package is €10 a head for five hours, and the caterer states that it does not supply tables and linen.
The Malta Marriott’s outside catering catalogue prints its prices for three years ahead, the most complete list found for this guide. For 2026:
| Hotel outside catering, 2026 | Per head, VAT included | Minimum guests |
|---|---|---|
| Standing reception, menus A to D | €42, €47.25, €52.50, €57.75 | 100 |
| Seated three courses, menus A and B | €40, €47.25 | Not stated |
| Buffet, menus A and B | €42, €47.50 | 80 |
| Dessert bar | €18 | Not stated |
The same catalogue shows how a hotel bills a wedding. An outside catering fee is quoted separately by venue and size. Service lasts four hours and overtime costs €200 an hour for every 100 guests. The deposit is 15% on signing, 30% six months before and 40% one month before, with the balance a week before, and all payments are non-refundable. Cancelling more than 121 days out costs 25% of the forecast bill, 31 to 120 days out 50%, and within 30 days 100%. Final numbers are due a week before and may move 10% either way from the contract.
The Grand Hotel Excelsior publishes no wedding price, but its summer BBQ packages with buffet and drinks start at €60 a head, a useful marker for an informal reception with drinks included. A Hamrun caterer advertises weddings starting from €8,500 without a guest count, which tells you nothing per head, so ask for the number behind any package price.
What does office or corporate catering cost?
A delivered office menu costs €9 to €26 a head in the latest published brochure, with minimums of 10 or 12 people. AX Caterers, the catering arm of a Sliema hotel, publishes a delivered events brochure dated May 2024, the most recent one it has released, so treat the figures as a 2024 baseline:
- Paninerija (Maltese sausage and cheese panini) €9 a head, minimum 12.
- Charcuterie board €13 a head, pasta buffet €14.50, taqueria €14.90, each with a 12-person minimum.
- Networking menu with salads, panini, wraps and dessert €18 a head, minimum 12. Family reception of hot and cold canapés €18 a head, minimum 12.
- Burger bar €17 a head, wok €20, BBQ €26, minimum 10 to 12.
- Drinks sold by the bottle: soft drinks €3, beer €2.50, wine €12.
Cold items arrive packed and ready to serve, hot items need reheating, and orders are placed a day ahead. Independent caterers deliver office lunches too and quote per head on request, and the party menus in the table above also work for a team lunch.
For a Christmas party in a hotel rather than a delivery, the Hyatt Regency’s Christmas 2024 brochure listed festive buffets at €48 and €52 a head with a 30-person minimum, canapé menus at €36 to €50 and set menus at €48 and €60.
How much does a private chef cost in Malta?
No private chef in Malta publishes a price. The private chefs checked for this guide all ask for an enquiry and quote per head once they know the menu, the number of guests, the date and the kitchen. The hotel figures above are the nearest published marker: a seated three-course menu with service starts at €40 a head at a hotel caterer, and a private chef cooking in your villa for a small group is priced against that kind of number, with a minimum spend for small parties.
To get a quote you can compare, send every chef the same brief: the date, the number of adults and children, the type of meal (canapés, a seated dinner, a BBQ), any allergies, the address and what the kitchen has, and whether you want the chef to shop for the ingredients, bring staff, and wash up. Ask whether the price is per head or a fixed fee, what the minimum is, and whether ingredients are included or itemised.
What does a custom cake cost?
A patisserie cake for 8 to 10 people costs €25 to €30, a decorated 6 inch cake €45 to €80, an 8 inch cake for 10 to 12 people €55 to €95, and a fully custom design starts at €50 before the quote for size and detail.
| Cake maker | Published price | Serves |
|---|---|---|
| Rabat patisserie | €25 to €30, or €45 to €60 for the larger size | 8 to 10, or 12 to 14 |
| Custom cake maker | €45 to €80 for 6 inch, €55 to €95 for 8 inch | 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 |
| Home bakery | From €50, final quote by servings and design | Quoted |
| Hotel cake shop | €6.50 a portion, €40 whole | 10 to 12 |
Cupcakes are €2.50 to €3 each: the home bakery lists them from €2.50 and the custom cake maker sells 12 buttercream cupcakes for €36. A box of cookies starts at €25 and a dessert table package of cake, cupcakes and cookies starts at €180 at the home bakery.
Lead times are short for a standard cake and longer for an event. The custom cake maker says orders may take two days from confirmation, and the home bakery asks for three to five days, seven or more for a large event, and adds 15% for a rush order. Delivery is extra: the custom cake maker charges €5 to €12 by zone on weekdays and Saturdays between 10:00 and 16:00, and double that outside those hours.
What comes on top of the per-head price?
Drinks, hire, delivery, deposits and overtime come on top of the per-head food price. The items that the published price lists spell out:
- Drinks. The Valletta caterer’s open bar is €8.50 a head for four hours with a 40-person minimum, excluding ice and service. The hotel’s standard open bar of wine, beer, water and soft drinks is €12 a head for one hour, €15 for two, €18 for three and €6 for each extra hour, and a rum and whisky bar is €12 a head.
- Tables and linen. The Valletta caterer states that it supplies no tables or linen. Hire is a separate quote everywhere, often from an event staff and equipment supplier rather than the caterer.
- Overtime. The hotel’s four hours of service cost €200 an hour per 100 guests to extend, and the caterer’s drinks cost €2 a head an hour after the fourth hour.
- Delivery. Cake delivery runs €5 to €12 by zone. Food delivery fees are quoted on request.
- Deposits and cancellation. The hotel takes 15% on signing and refunds nothing, and the Gozo caterer keeps the deposit for a cancellation within three days of delivery. Ask for the terms before you pay.
- Small groups. The hotel catalogue says further fees may apply below the stated minimum number of guests.
VAT is part of the price. The VAT Act sets the standard rate at 18% and applies it to food “supplied in the course of catering”, which the Act defines to include hot and cold dishes, sandwiches, pastizzi, cakes and confectionery that are not sold sealed or in 500 g packs. Basic food from a shop is zero rated, a catered meal is not. The prices in this guide are shown including VAT where the seller says so, and a quote can be given net, so ask. The same Act requires the seller to hand you a fiscal receipt immediately after you pay, and a catering business must issue it from a fiscal cash register.
How to choose a caterer in Malta
Ask whether the business is registered with the Food Safety and Security Authority, then ask exactly what the per-head price includes. Questions worth asking:
- Are you registered as a food business? The Food Safety Act says no one may run a food business unless the person, the business and the premises are registered with the Food Safety and Security Authority. That covers home kitchens too.
- Do your staff hold food handling cards? Everyone who handles food must be registered as a food handler and hold a valid certificate. The authority’s home food production guidelines, issued in 2026, require a Category B Food Handling Card for home producers, say home production is generally not permitted in apartments, and limit home producers to low-risk foods. A cake with fresh cream, custard or cream cheese frosting is not low risk unless the baker has separate temperature-controlled facilities. A home producer may sell only direct to you, not through a caterer.
- What does the per-head price include? Staff, service hours, crockery, glassware, linen, delivery, set-up and clean-up are separate lines on most quotes. The cheapest per-head price can be the dearest total.
- What is the minimum, and what happens below it? Published minimums run from 10 people for delivered menus to 80 or 100 for hotel receptions.
- Can we taste the menu? For a wedding or a large event, ask for a tasting and whether its cost comes off the booking.
- How do you handle allergies? Give dietary needs in writing. The Gozo caterer publishes a gluten free menu at €11.75 a head, so asking is normal.
- What are the deposit, payment and cancellation terms? Get them in writing before paying anything.
- Will I get a fiscal receipt? You should, immediately after you pay.
The catering and private chef category on Dapperlance lists caterers, private chefs and cake makers in Malta and Gozo, and messaging any of them is free. For the rest of the event, see event planners, entertainers and DJs.
Mistakes to avoid
- Comparing per-head prices that include different things. One quote has staff and crockery, another is food in trays. Put every quote on the same basis before choosing.
- Forgetting the drinks. No published food price includes them, and a bar package adds €8.50 to €18 a head.
- Booking a venue before asking what the caterer charges to work there. The hotel catalogue quotes its outside catering fee by venue and warns of extra charges for difficult sites.
- Ordering under the minimum and expecting the same price. Minimums are printed on every list, and smaller groups pay more a head.
- Paying a deposit without the cancellation terms in writing. Published terms range from losing the deposit three days out to paying 100% within 30 days.
- Ordering a cake by photo without agreeing the portions. A tall decorated cake for 30 people can be mostly display. Agree the serving count and the size.
- Buying from an unregistered home kitchen. Registration and food handling cards are the law, and a registered baker can show the registration.
Frequently asked questions
Is a buffet cheaper than a plated dinner in Malta?
Usually, because it needs fewer serving staff. At the one hotel that publishes both, the buffet menus are €42 and €47.50 a head and the seated menus €40 and €47.25, so the food prices are close and the difference sits in the staff and the minimum numbers: 80 guests for the buffet. Delivered finger food with no staff is far cheaper at €7 to €22 a head.
What is the minimum order for catering in Malta?
Ten people for the delivered party menus that publish a minimum, 12 for most delivered office menus, 30 for a hotel Christmas buffet, 80 for a hotel outside-catering buffet and 100 for a hotel standing reception. One caterer’s open bar needs 40 guests.
How far ahead should I book a caterer?
Delivered party food needs a day’s notice at the caterers that state a lead time, a cake two to seven days, and a wedding is booked months ahead. The hotel’s wedding terms ask for a deposit six months before the event and final numbers a week before, which shows the timeline a large event runs on.
Do home bakers in Malta need to be registered?
Yes. Every food business, including a home kitchen, must register with the Food Safety and Security Authority before trading, and anyone handling the food needs a food handling card. The authority’s 2026 guidelines limit home producers to low-risk foods, say apartments are generally not permitted, and allow sales only direct to the final customer.
Is VAT included in catering prices in Malta?
Catering is taxed at the standard 18% rate, and cakes and pastries sold loose count as catering under the VAT Act. The published prices in this guide include VAT where the seller says so. A quote can be written net, so check before you compare.
Reminder: prices in this guide are estimates as of October 2026, taken from the price lists and brochures that caterers, hotels and cake makers in Malta publish, and from the VAT and food safety law on legislation.mt. Every caterer quotes each event on its own terms, so confirm the price, the minimum, what is included, the delivery fee and the deposit and cancellation terms before you pay, and check the food registration and VAT rules with the Food Safety and Security Authority and the tax office. More guides to hiring and freelancing in Malta are on the guides page.
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