From pasta to pizza and everything in between, the food of Italy has cemented itself as nothing short of an icon on the global stage.
Though it took a backseat to Japanese and South Korean fare up till the late 2010s, Italian cuisine has since returned to the forefront. This resurgence comes, in large part, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic: Stuck, frazzled and hungry at home amid “circuit breaker” measures, many of us found much solace in the cuisine’s comforting and hearty flavours.
It helped that the recipes were accessible enough to achieve in our kitchens, with a plethora of YouTube tutorials to guide us through everything from one-pot stews to multi-day fresh pasta dishes. (Nary a soul, save for the extra-adventurous Japanophile, tried slicing sashimi at home in those days.)
The love for Italian dishes continues even now that eateries and restaurants have opened back up. In 2023, Instagram tags for Italian cuisine edged out Japanese and Indian fare to take the top spot globally, according to a study by The Picky Eater, a health and wellness website.
To meet this growing interest, several Italian restaurants have set up shop in Singapore in recent months. Options takes a look at four new launches and how they’ve interpreted traditional fare for a local palate.
Fortuna: Experimental Sicilian-Neapolitan
7 Craig Road
Singapore 089667
Tel: +65 9115 1597
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Sundays to Thursdays: 12pm–2.30pm, 5.30pm–9.30pm; Fridays & Saturdays: 12pm–2.30pm, 5.30pm–10.30pm
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With a blend of Sicilian and Neapolitan cuisines, Fortuna has made its home in Tanjong Pagar, marking the city’s first such trattoria, with a menu crafted by Giorgio Sorce and Omar Tutino. Sorce, a master pizzaiolo, prides himself on pizzas that carry the essence of his homeland, using 100% Sicilian ingredients.
Upon entering, one is greeted by decor that combines sleek modern fittings with warm, Mediterranean accents. The ambiance strikes a balance between casual and sophisticated, making it equally suitable for a relaxed dinner or a festive group gathering. The open kitchen adds a touch of theatre, allowing diners to watch as chefs work on each dish.
Among the highlights on Fortuna’s pasta menu are the “1,000 layers” lasagna ($36++), which has Provolone del Monaco — a cheese made in the Campania region — between bechamel, mortadella and Bronte pistachio pesto.
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Pizzas, meanwhile, range from traditional styles to more contemporary, innovative creations, including pies that are both fried and baked, creating a crisp crust without the weeping oil stains that typically accompany deep-fried versions.
Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classics, either; Fortuna’s dough is fermented for 50 hours, giving it enough rise and structure to withstand rich and gooey toppings without getting soggy. We particularly love the “Not Just a Four Cheeses” pizza ($29++), which puts a cheeky twist on the traditional quattro formaggi style. Fortuna’s version blends several cheeses, including fior di latte, gorgonzola and pecorino, for a unique mix of flavours and textures.
We also like the truffle and anchovy pizza ($42++), which is prepared al ruoto style, on a thrice-fermented dough that delivers a crunchy, crackly exterior and tender interior. “Al ruoto” refers to the cooking method, with the pie cooked in a metal pan, slightly reminiscent of the Chicagoan fashion of pizza-making. On this pizza, the unique crust texture provides a solid backdrop for the anchovies’ salty tang, which in turn is balanced with earthy black truffles.
No Italian meal is complete without a classic dessert; the Fortunamisu ($18++) is a creative twist on the classic tiramisu. Using traditional Savoiardi ladyfingers soaked in Illy coffee, the dish is layered with a mascarpone mixture that’s airier than typical versions, providing a contrast to the strong coffee flavour. The addition of a chocolate crumble topping also adds a satisfying crunch.
Locanda: Comfort food, elevated
109 Rowell Road
Singapore 208033
Tel: +65 9619 2691
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Wednesdays to Fridays: 6pm–11pm; Saturdays & Sundays: 12pm–3pm, 6pm–11pm; Mondays & Tuesdays: closed
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The folks behind one-Michelin-starred Buona Terra have done it again, this time with Locanda, a casual concept just off Jalan Besar. The new restaurant, which takes its name from the Italian word for “inn”, offers an experience “akin to an invitation into the kitchen”.
Locanda’s menu draws on the expertise of Buona Terra’s chef Denis Lucchi; those who’ve eaten at the upscale restaurant would be familiar with his “gourmet larder” approach to food, taking top-end Italian ingredients and transforming them with modern spins. Of course, being a more casual venue, the twists at Locanda are decidedly milder, with a greater emphasis on authenticity.
Still, that focus on having the best quality of food remains, operations manager Daniele Fiore tells us. He adds that he’s even switched out the brand of dry pasta he eats at home — which he’s had for decades — to the one used here, because it’s just that good.
We jump into the meal, eager for what’s to come. First up, a “bruschaccia” ($18++); this fusion of two Italian classics — bruschetta and focaccia — sees the bread infused with braised red Tropea onions for a gentle umami-sweet flavour. We like the rich, moreish version with casera cheese, lardo and hazelnuts, topped with generous shavings of black truffle and a hint of truffle honey.
Also from the starter menu is the gnocco fritto, a basket of lightly salted, deep-fried dough balls that are almost like short, bite-sized youtiao, or Chinese fried dough. These come with a choice of cold cuts ($15++ per 50 grams), including parma ham, mortadella and speck.
Locanda’s pasta menu features a mix of fresh and dried pastas, each chosen for the texture it provides to the completed dish. The malloreddus ($28++) has the ribbed pasta shells doused in unctuous octopus ragu, though we wish for just a little more of that seafood kick. For a meatier option, the pappardelle ($24++) comes with five cuts of Australian beef, combined with braised mushrooms for an intensely savoury ragu genovese.
Moving to the mains, we have the ibérico pork ($39++), cooked sous vide before getting glazed with pork jus, honey and spices for a spin on the grill. The meat is just barely pink in the centre and incredibly juicy; the braised fennel and apple sauce on the side adds a sweet touch that rounds out the dish.
Dessert brings the cannoli ($15++ for two), filled with ricotta, chocolate and candied citrus. Though it’s expectedly decadent and rich, the crisp dough, mix of flavours and chopped pistachios coating each end make this an easy finish to the meal.
Our time at Locanda leaves us feeling like we’ve just stepped out of the coolest nonna’s dining room; the food is comforting, with just enough of a pop to keep things exciting. For the foodie seeking something just off the edge of town, this is surely a stop worth making.
Casa Vostra: Punchy pizzas
252 North Bridge Road, #01-49/50/51 Raffles City
Singapore 179103
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Daily: 11.30am–10pm
The side of Raffles City that faces City Hall MRT station was once home to an eternally packed McDonald’s. The greasy fast-food joint may have closed, but the crowds remain, with queues snaking to enter the newly opened Casa Vostra at the same spot.
Casa Vostra is a collaboration between chef-owner Antonio Miscellaneo and the Ebb & Flow Group. Best known for his La Bottega Enoteca pizzeria in Joo Chiat, Miscellaneo has brought some 30 pizza and pasta dishes to the new venture, with an emphasis on elevating classics with new techniques.
Our meal begins with the fried calamari ($12++) and the burrata ($25++), which comes with roasted tomatoes and basil pesto. We particularly like the latter’s iconic combination of mild, fresh cheese with deeply savoury tomatoes.
Then comes the star of the show: pizzas. Miscellaneo has taken his signature “Newpolitan” style of pizza-making to Casa Vostra. The term — a portmanteau of “new” and “Neapolitan” — refers to the method of dough-making to achieve a crisp outside, while maintaining a soft and fluffy inside.
On this occasion, we have the prosciutto and rocket red pizza ($24++), which is generously layered with velvety prosciutto and sharp, peppery arugula. Dots of fior di latte (a cheese similar to mozzarella, but made with cow’s milk instead of buffalo’s) underneath give the slices a pretty fantastic cheese pull, while a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar adds sweetness, acidity and depth to offset the richness of the dish’s other components.
We also get one of Casa Vostra’s house-made pastas: stuffed ravioli with ricotta and spinach ($22++). The dish exemplifies how Italian-style cooking can take just a few ingredients to create something glorious; each ravioli is cooked to an al dente texture, delicately enveloping the creamy filling. Sage and butter sauce drizzled on top adds to that richness, bringing it to that just-right level of indulgence.
Casa Vostra also offers a number of cocktails, including the peach “ballini” ($16++), its take on the classic bellini with a ball of peach puree floating in prosecco. The drink takes some time to really open up and meld together, but once it does, it’s a perfect balance of sweet and sour that we think would be great for brunch.
Ending the meal is the tiramisu ($12++), which strikes a delightful balance between the boldness of espresso and the subtle sweetness of mascarpone. We especially appreciate that it’s made with decaf, so we won’t have to worry about staying up all night with endless thoughts of this sweet treat.
Acqua e Farina: A new outpost
35A Keong Saik Road
Singapore 089142
Tel: +65 9105 2377
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Tuesdays to Sundays: 11.30am–2.30pm, 5.30pm–10.30pm
Italian food fans here will know Acqua e Farina at its original location in The Rail Mall. The restaurant recently opened a new location on Keong Saik Road, bringing its familiar brand of traditional fare from both northern and southern parts of Italy to the heart of town.
We start our meal here with a tortino ($32++) that includes crayfish bisque and porcini mushrooms. It’s savoury and homey, but the over-salted puff pastry leaves us repeatedly reaching for a glass of water. We prefer the tegamino ($32++), a buttery concoction of braised onions topped with guanciale and asparagus.
Among the pasta offerings at Acqua e Farina is the tagliatelle with prawns, portobello mushrooms and nduja ($36++). Cocoa powder is folded into the noodles, adding a slight bitterness that complements the spicy, creamy sauce. The risotto ($36++) that follows is umami-heavy, thanks to a combination of uni broth and cured fish roe.
The Montanara pizza ($34++), meanwhile, is the restaurant’s take on the traditional Neapolitan style, where the dough is first deep-fried before a round in the oven. The cooking method makes for a light and airy crust, which is then topped with tomato sauce, sausage and burrata.
A dessert platter ($20++) offers four miniature portions of creme brulee, lava cake, panna cotta and tiramisu. We like the tiramisu for its careful balance of lightness and decadence, but the sugar atop the creme brulee is under-caramelised, so we get the sweetness without the much-needed bitterness.
Like many eateries in the area, Acqua e Farina also carries a menu of wines and cocktails, including the Spumonsky ($22++), a mix of campari, vodka, grapefruit and tonic; and a signature drink ($22++) that blends limoncello with Cynar, lemon juice and soda. Those seeking an unpretentious spot to enjoy a slice of pizza over tipples won’t be disappointed here.
