The Crunch Snack Delight: Revealing the Compelling World of Lollies Snack Bar

By: Jochebed Buttigieg & Jean Luke Zammit

(No date a) Facebook. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1644082035806351&set=a.564307261834056 (Accessed: 30 November 2023). 

The popular snack bar in Floriana, Lollies Snack Bar, has been around for 66 years and is still thriving with the new modern age.

Snack bars are essential for the hectic lifestyle of today. Snack bars are widely available and affordable, making them accessible to a wide range of consumers. This makes them convenient. It saves time because you would not need to prepare it; individuals may purchase it conveniently while on the go. Snack bars are a good place to obtain good meals without spending a lot of money on dining out.

The first recorded snack bar in Malta, Lollies Snack Bar has been around since 1957 and has captured the hearts of many people not only in Malta but also across the world. Being a corner shop right before the arches welcomes its customers with the homey atmosphere that it creates. Filled with laughter and good conversation, this snack bar is the perfect place for a peaceful evening.

The snack bar, which is located at Floriana in Saint Annie Street in the district of Valletta is surrounded by various different establishments some are of a similar nature to it. Because of the surrounding arches and the volume of fast-moving traffic, it can be challenging to find the snack bar. As you walk in, the space will strike you as a 1960s diner, complete with three tables encircled by several photos of some of the dishes that are served at the snack bar.

There is never a dull moment at this snack bar as the owner is constantly keeping good communication going. According to Joanna Demarco, one of the barman and a customer were having a healthy conversation about two football teams which shows the type of engagement that the employees have with their customers. This gives the traditional feel to how snack bars used to operate back in the day. Talks about every topic under the sun are very traditional in these types of establishments and therefore it shows how although time has passed, this snack bar still holds on to its fundamental and traditional values.

The snack bar is mostly known for its serving of traditional Maltese foods. The classic ‘ftijra biż-żejt’ (bread with tuna and other ingredients) and ‘ftijra bajt u bejken’ (bread with eggs and bacon) are two of the most popular and traditional dishes that they sell. According to Joanna Demarco, to further show the traditional values that still live in this snack bar, they sell tea in clear glasses and not paper cups like most similar establishments do.

In conclusion, Lollies Snack Bar offers more than just food. This is an establishment that shares its rich history with anyone who walks in it. This snack bar’s location connects the people with its past and present even while the world changes. Every time someone visits, it is like travelling back in time to when the snack bar originated.

References:

Demarco, J. (2012) Travel at Home: Te’ fit-tazza, waħda zokkor. (Accessed: 30th November 2023) (https://reportingchronicles.blogspot.com/2023/12/analysis-jochebed-buttigieg-jean-luke.html)

(No date a) Facebook. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1644082035806351&set=a.564307261834056 (Accessed: 30 November 2023).

(No date b) Lollies Snack Bar. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/LolliesSnackBar/menu/?id=100047643625476&sk=menu (Accessed: 30 November 2023).