If I had a dollar for each time someone asked me "Where is the best Italian restaurant in Singapore?", I would be able to afford over 1000 roti pratas from Springleaf Prata House at Thongsoon - add on some Milo Dinosaur with that.
The answer? It really depends on what kind of Italian dishes you are craving for. Are you craving for an authentic Italian bowl of cacio e pepe? Or how about wood fired pizzas? Are you in the mood for spending a bit more dough for a Michelin star Italian fine dining experience near Marina Bay? Or are you looking for somewhere more casual along East Coast Road and Bukit Timah Road?
You don't have to be in Italy to have an authentic Italian dining experience!
Singapore, a tiny red dot on the map, is a food haven for Food & Beverage businesses. You can find many Italian restaurants in Singapore each with its own unique selling points. Italian dining is not just pastas and pizzas so when I visit any Italian restaurant in Singapore, I am constantly looking for these three things - authenticity, quality of food and hospitality. Come with me as I expose the best Italian restaurants in Singapore, starting with GIO | Gourmet Italian Osteria Singapore.
GIO | Gourmet Italian Osteria Singapore
Located in the heart of Tanjong Pagar, GIO is one of the restaurants on top of the list if you are searching for authentic Italian cuisine and wine- especially their carbonara. Mamma mia! I am still salivating thinking about it.
That's not all. Homemade tiramisù is complimentary if you dine in on your birthday! I have tasted their homemade tiramisù and it is exactly like how it was when I was travelling in Treviso - the birthplace of tiramisù. It is made fresh daily with Italian mascarpone, only egg yolks and whipped with a wooden spoon! Not a machine, a wooden spoon! Okay basta (enough), I can't share more about their recipes or else they will kill me.
If you are a wine lover, GIO provides an extensive wine range of almost 100 selections to choose from! Famous Italian cocktails such as Negroni and Spritz can also be found in the bar menu.
Authenticity (10/10)
What makes GIO to be one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in Singapore? Executive Chef David Marchiori, a dear friend of mine, shares that he focuses on two things: the food and its customers. All the menu is prepared in respect to traditional Italian cuisine. An Italian osteria is a place where simple food and wine is served, with the emphasis on local specialties. Can't fly to Italy just yet? Don't worry, Chef David got you covered. GIO serves its patrons contemporary Italian cuisine, much like being in Italy in 2022.
GIO's mission is to provide high quality Italian dining experiences, recreating, in Singapore, the same sense of community you feel while sitting at some typical Italian restaurant's table in Venice or Rome.
Quality of Food (10/10)
Chef David joined the culinary industry late in the game but have always focused on concreteness, quality and respect of raw materials in his recipes.
I was craving pasta (ovviamente) and ordered a hearty plate of Rigatoni all Carbonara, which is a classic Italian food and widely known all around Singapore. Growing up in Singapore, we were brought up with carbonara that had bacon and cream inside. Mamma mia! Pasta dishes with cream inside them should be a crime in Singapore and they should be fined. I am joking of course, or maybe not.
GIO serves authentic carbonara made of rigatoni pasta tossed in guanciale (cured meat made from the cheek of the pig/ pork jowls), egg yolks (which makes the cream for the pasta) and topped off with freshly shaven pecorino-romano cheese (not parmigiano cheese). One word: Buonnissimo! It warmed not just my belly, but also my heart. I was immediately transported to the streets of Roma and that's what makes GIO one of the best Italian restaurants in Singapore.
If you are not a fan of creamy pasta, other pasta dishes such as Gnocchi al Ragù (tomato sauce base with beef and pork) or even Tagliatelle al Tartufo Nero Autunnale (butter base with parmigiano reggiano and fresh black truffle) are great alternatives. Mmmmm pasta with black truffle sounds good!
Other Italian food must-haves? My friend, Stefanie, ordered Pizza Fritta con Pelati Conditi con Bufala, which is a Neopolitan style deep-fried pizza served with peeled tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. We are both BIG fans of mozzarella di bufala, which is mozzarella made from the milk of Italian Mediterranean buffalo, mainly from the Campania region in Italy. The tomatoes from the pizza fritta was so fresh and even though the pizza was deep-fried, your taste buds would not be overwhelmed by an excessive amount of oil. In fact, it tastes light with refreshing toppings.
Chef David popped by our table for a little chat and surprised us with a hearty bowl of Tortellini in Brodo, which is homemade tortellini (with pork) served with a golden meat broth. As I am writing this article in the cold winter in Milano, this sounds like a perfect dish to have right now. His version of tortellini in brodo was actually his Nonna's (grandmothers) recipe handed down to his mamma and now to him. As he happily explained this nostalgic dish to us, I could sense the passion put into this dish.
Hospitality (10/10)
Nothing kills the vibe of any restaurant than poor customer service. Having worked in the service industry for almost 10 years, this has somewhat become a pet peeve for me wherever I go, especially in restaurants. GIO did not disappoint in this area. Having only visited once, I will return again due to their impeccable customer service. The staff were friendly but professional and do I dare say very knowledgable of the Italian cuisines.
They change cutleries with every new dish served, gave excellent recommendations when we had a dilemma on which Italian cuisine to order and paid great attention to us such as topping up our glass of wine and water regularly. I cannot remember a time where our glasses were empty except before calling for the bill.
The point that knocks GIO off the park as one of the best Italian restaurants in Singapore is that there is no such thing as "last order" unless you're talking about alcohol. Patrons can enjoy their stay for as long as they want without any stress from the staff to shoo them away. Chef David doesn't just stay in the kitchen but actively engages with his customers and giving them the classic Italian hospitality - inviting and full of life.
Grazie mille Chef David e GIO per tutto. Ci vediamo a presto!
(Thank you Chef David and GIO for everything. See you soon!)
There are two types of restaurants: those who focus on the chef and those who focus on its food and customers. GIO belongs to the latter.
When I return to Singapore, I am looking forward to indulging in new Italian cuisines such as Filetto di Baccalà alla Mediterranea (Salt cod filet with tomatoes, cappers and black olives) and Beefcheek. Knowing myself, I might just revert back to their carbonara.
ADDRESS: 27 Tg Pagar Rd, Singapore 088450
OPENING HOURS: Monday -Saturday, 11:30am-3pm, 5-9pm, Closed on Sundays
CONTACT: +65 8030 1224
INSTAGRAM: @gio_singapore
WEBSITE: https://gio.sg
Recommend me some great Italian restaurants and let's expand our Italian gastronomical adventure in Singapore! I have a few places in mind such as Garibaldi Italian Restaurant Bar, Buona Terra, Bar Cicheti, Casa Manini and Pasta Bar ... just to name a few. Stay tuned as I surprise you with more Italian restaurants in Singapore to try!
