Methodology · Food Directory
Food Data Source & Methodology
The ImaginaMalta food directory combines two public data sources: OpenStreetMap community mapping and the Malta Tourism Authority licensed establishment register.
Source 1: OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaborative geographic database maintained by a global community of mappers. Malta has an active mapping community, resulting in good coverage of food establishments across the islands.
- Records sourced
- 1,955
- OSM tags used
- amenity=restaurant, cafe, bar, pub, fast_food, ice_cream, bakery, kiosk, confectionery, deli
- Data format
- GeoJSON export via Geofabrik (Malta extract)
- Snapshot date
- 2026-06-20
- Licence
- Open Database Licence (ODbL 1.0)
Contains information from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL 1.0). You are free to copy, distribute, transmit and adapt OSM data, as long as you credit OpenStreetMap and its contributors.
Source 2: Malta Tourism Authority
The Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) maintains a public register of licensed food establishments in Malta. This register includes restaurants, cafés, bars, and other licensed food venues that have been granted a licence to operate.
- Records sourced
- 2,864
- Register type
- Licensed food establishment register
- Issuing authority
- Malta Tourism Authority (MTA)
- Snapshot date
- 2026-06-20
- Data availability
- Public register — no proprietary scraping
Matching & deduplication
Where a place appears in both OSM and the MTA register, records are matched and merged. Matching uses name similarity and GPS proximity. Matched records are marked as MTA+OSM verified.
- MTA only
- 2,269 records
- OSM only
- 1,466 records
- MTA + OSM matched
- 489 records (highest confidence)
- Duplicates removed
- 11 verified
Quality scoring & indexation
Each food place record receives a quality score (0–10) based on available data fields. Only records with a score of 6 or higher are assigned individual detail pages and indexed by search engines.
- Total records
- 4,224
- Score ≥ 6 (indexed)
- 2,651
- Score < 6 (noindex)
- 1,573
- No ratings schema
- Confirmed — no star ratings or reviews
- No rankings
- Confirmed — no "best restaurant" language
What this directory is not
This is a source-backed location directory. It does not include restaurant rankings, star ratings, user reviews, price ranges, menus, or booking functionality. Opening hours, menus, reservations and current operation should be verified directly with the venue. Data may not reflect recent changes — check with the establishment before visiting.
Contains information from OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL). · Licensed establishment information is derived from Malta Tourism Authority public register data where available. · Last data snapshot: 2026-06-20.