What is traditional Gibraltarian food like?

Short answer

Gibraltarian food blends British, Spanish, Genoese, Maltese and North African influences. Calentita, a baked chickpea flour dish, is regarded as the national dish, alongside favourites such as rosto, torta de acelgas and rolitos.

Detailed answer

Traditional Gibraltarian cuisine is the result of a long relationship between the people of Andalusia and Britain, and of the many communities that have made Gibraltar their home over three centuries, including Genoese, Maltese and Sephardi Jewish families. Many local dishes arrived with these communities and were adapted on the Rock.

Dishes to know

• Calentita: a baked dish made from chickpea flour, water, olive oil, salt and pepper, regarded as Gibraltar's national dish. It closely resembles the Ligurian farinata, which points to Genoese roots, though it may also have come to Gibraltar with Sephardi Jews from North Africa.
• Panissa: a chickpea flour dish similar to calentita, also of Genoese origin.
• Rosto: a pasta dish of penne in a tomato sauce with carrots and meat.
• Torta de acelgas: a savoury chard pie, often eaten around Easter.
• Rolitos: beef olives, a dish of Maltese origin.

Where to try it

Calentita was once sold in the streets by vendors carrying large trays, and today it is available from local bakeries. Much traditional food is home cooking, served at family gatherings and celebrations. The annual Calentita food festival, named after the dish, celebrates Gibraltar's food and its mix of cultures and is a good place to try local specialities.