The best Italian restaurants in Singapore

Twenty seats are all it takes to understand what Buko Nero is doing in Chinatown — and it is doing it very well. This intimate contemporary Italian restaurant has a warm, homely interior designed for lingering: a cosy four-seater corner handles private conversations, while the main room hums with the energy of a kitchen that cares deeply about craft. Chef Oscar’s passion for Italian cooking with an Asian touch has earned Buko Nero a devoted local following since opening. The evolving menu is built around seasonal produce and a philosophy of studied simplicity — letting the best ingredients speak rather than dazzling with complexity. For a compact, personal Italian dining experience that punches well above its size, Buko Nero is a must-visit.

On the 27th floor of Oasia Hotel Downtown in Tanjong Pagar, OSO Ristorante has been perfecting Italian fine dining since 2004 — and the views alone would justify the trip. The restaurant is anchored by two passionate owner-operators: Stéphane Colleoni on the floor and Diego Chiarini in the kitchen. Chiarini’s philosophy is rooted in freshness: “Fresh food has 24 qualities, one each hour,” he says, and every dish reflects that thinking. Don’t miss the three-course set lunch or the five-course dinner menu. Private dining options span the Antinori room, the Macallan room, and a partially sheltered al-fresco poolside terrace that seats up to 120. For a refined meal with panoramic Singapore skyline views, look no further than OSO.

Push through the brass doors of Capasso on Telok Ayer Street and the visual impact is immediate. Blue velvet curtains segment the space into an open-kitchen restaurant and a lush whisky-and-wine lounge; a 200-crystal artisanal chandelier anchors the room above seating designed by Patricia Urquiola, one of Milan’s most lauded designers. A statement artwork by Lauren Baker commands the entrance wall. Italian chef Mauro Gulli drives the kitchen with a produce-driven menu that matches technical confidence with bold flavour: house-baked Koji bread with smoked butter, duck-stuffed fagottini, and the josper-roasted bone-in ribeye costata di manzo are standouts. There’s a four-course executive set for lunch, and a full degustation dinner menu in the evenings. For Italian dining with serious style in the heart of the CBD, Capasso is a must-book.

Named after owner-chef Simone Vespasiani’s beloved grandmother and inspired by family recipes from a quaint Tuscan archipelago, Trattoria Nonna Lina is one of Singapore’s most heartfelt Italian restaurants. The brightly painted shophouse facade — rendered in the bold colours of the Italian flag — signals exactly what awaits inside: checkered tablecloths, rustic warmth, and decor that evokes the sleepy seaside town of Porto Santo Stefano. Simone cooks while his brother manages the room, and together they create the feeling of a family gathering where everyone belongs. The menu leans into Tuscan tradition: homemade pappardelle della vigna with Italian sausages and blue cheese cream , trofie al pesto with Uncle Ettore’s Genovese recipe, and cacciucco — a slow-cooked assorted seafood stew in thick tomato broth for two — are the draws. 

“Sicilian heart, Italian soul” is more than a tagline at Caffe Italia — it sets the terms for this warm neighbourhood restaurant in Institution Hill near River Valley. The kitchen keeps things honest: wood-fired pizzas with blistered, fragrant crusts emerge alongside homemade pasta crafted with care, while a selection of classic Italian dishes and premium beverages round out a menu suited to long, unhurried meals. Weekend brunch adds to the daily rhythm, and the relaxed setting makes it equally suited to a quick midweek dinner or a drawn-out Saturday night. Open daily until late, Caffe Italia is one of the most accessible options for a proper Italian supper after a long day in the city. Don’t miss Caffe Italia for reliably satisfying Italian cooking in a welcoming corner of Singapore.

Chef-owner Gabriel trained at the Chef Academy in Terni, Italy, and refined his craft at Kingham Plough — an award-winning fine dining gastropub in the Oxfordshire village of Kingham, England, under executive chef Emily Watkins — before translating those dual influences into an 18-seat dining room on River Valley Road in Tanglin. The results are compelling. At 8picure, Italian-leaning fusion cooking is approached with technical rigour and an eye for layered flavour: fresh produce and quality ingredients are matched with complex cooking methods that produce dishes both striking in presentation and deeply satisfying on the palate. The six-course and eight-course degustation menus are the main event; BYO Wednesdays keep the midweek visit accessible. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday, book at 8picure for a distinctly personal tasting experience.