From The Straits Times    |

For many, spaghetti is the ultimate comfort food. Hearty, versatile and flavoursome, it’s a mealtime favourite for families and couples alike. In lieu of National Spaghetti Day happening in the United States on Jan 4,

we’ve rounded up the 10 best restaurants serving delicious spaghetti dishes in Singapore. From the usual carbonara and bolognese to squid ink pasta and chilli crab pasta, there’s something for everyone.

 

1. RUBATO Italian Kitchen + bar 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Just a 5-minute walk from Tan Kah Khee MRT, this Italian restaurant at Greenwood Ave is nestled in Singapore’s prime residential belt of Bukit Timah. 

Known for their Angel hair pasta with scallops and Hokkaido truffles ($48), this appetiser is a must have for every diner who visits RUBATO. Served chilled with exotic Japanese seaweed, the pasta is blanched in a secret recipe stock for an explosion of umami and for the seriously indulgent diner, you can also request for additional truffles where the wait staff are more than happy to shave it fresh right in front of you. 

One of the most notable pasta dishes is their ‘Seafood in a bag’ ($26.90), the dish is a seafood linguine wrapped in parchment paper and invigorated with a sauce that’s doused in a flavourful stock. It’s hearty and gratifying, plus it’s popular among all ages. Listed on Tripadvisor as the #10 most authentic Italian restaurant in Singapore, RUBATO is THE produce-driven establishment that’s worth every buck.  

RUBATO Italian Kitchen + Bar is located at 12 Greenwood Avenue, Singapore 289204, tel: 6252 3200. Opens everyday from 1130am to 12am. 

 

2. Cacio e Pepe

Photo: Facebook/@Cacio e Pepe

Tucked away in a serene residential area of Hillview, Cacio e pepe is a family-owned Italian restaurant in the west. Known for its unpretentious good food, this under-the-radar restaurant has one of the best squid ink pasta($24) we’ve tried, the seafood is fresh and the aroma of the sauce is just chock full of savoury goodness. Oh, and did we mention that their egg pastas are all handmade? 

Besides the generous serving of ingredients, their Burrata with basil leaves and EVOO($16) is a great appetizer to start with. The light produce is paired with a creamy mozzarella that will definitely whet your appetite for the rest of the meal. 

Cacio e Pepe is located at 3 Chu Lin Road (off Jalan Remaja), tel: 6760 3534. Opens from Tuesday to Sunday 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.00pm – 10.30pm

3. Prego at Fairmont Singapore

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Touted as one of the best Italian restaurants in Singapore, Prego at Fairmont Singapore offers delicious Italian cuisine for every palate.

To get the most bang out of your buck, we recommend trying their Sunday Buffet Brunch (adults $94++ onward and children $48++ onward) comprising a Cheese Station, Live Pasta Crafting and Risotto Bar, Fresh Seafood and an Italian Gelato Bar with dreamy desserts.

Our interest lies in their Live Pasta Crafting and Risotto Bar where diners get to spectate as chefs skillfully create pasta on request—and yes, they’re incredibly Instagram-friendly.

Here, diners will have the opportunity to create their own pasta dish by first choosing which type of pasta they’d like: Ravioli, spaghetti, or their seasonal squid ink pasta. Then, they get to pick a sauce of their choice—Spiced Tomato Sauce with Seafood, Bolognese Sauce, Carbonara Sauce or Truffle Cream Sauce— and end it off with their choice of toppings.

Voila! You’ve got your very own curated pasta dish. Bonus? Diners get to indulge in free-flow bubbly at zero additional charge.

Prego is located at Level 1, Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560, tel: 6431 6156. Sunday Brunch Buffet available on Sunday 12pm to 3pm.

4. 49 Seats

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Renowned for its affordable and delicious Asian-Italian fusion dishes, 49 Seats is the perfect supper destination—especially if you’re craving pasta.

Their signature Tom Yum Seafood Pasta ($14.90) comes highly recommended for those who like it spicy, savoury and tangy all at once.

It comprises a delicious mix of prawns, mussels and baby clams. If you like smoked duck with your pasta, their Creamy Smoked Duck Pasta ($14.90) and Smoked Duck Aglio Olio ($14.90) are your best bets.

Both dishes feature a classic take on the dishes with a local twist and succulent smoked duck breasts. An important point to note is that the smoked Duck Aglio Olio is only available on request.

The best part about dining at 49 Seats, apart from their delicious food, is the affordability and availability; most of their dishes cost $16.90 and below, and diners enjoy 10 per cent off after 10pm, 20 per cent off after 11pm, 30 per cent off after midnight and an astonishing 50 per cent off all pastas after 3am. Definitely worth checking out.

49 Seats is located at 49 Kreta Ayer Road, Singapore 089007, tel: 6225 4332. Opens Monday to Thursday from 6pm to 2am  and Friday to Saturday from 6pm to 5.30am.

 

5. Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Situated in the Tanglin Post Office opposite Tanglin Mall, Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro is a laid back cafe by day and a happy-hour hotspot by night.

It also has some pretty good food fare to boot. They serve marvellous American-European meals with a local twist, with their Chilli Crab Pasta ($25) being most popular amongst its patrons.

Any pasta aficionado will tell you that it’s meant to be cooked al dente (shy of well done), and served right after so that the pasta continues cooking in the sauce whilst absorbing the rich flavours.

And that’s exactly what you get here. The viscosity of the sauce is decadently thick and creamy but not overpowering, and it complements the pasta and other ingredients. It’s spicy, so be warned. The only caveat is that it is almost always crowded and reservations have to be made in advance. But it’s worth it.

Nassim Hill Bakery Bistro Bar is located at #01-03 Tanglin Post Office, 56 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247964, tel: 6835 1128. Opens Tuesday to Friday from 8am to 10.30pm and Wednesday to Thursday from 8am to 11pm. Closed on Monday.

 

6. Al Forno East Coast Restaurant and Pizzeria

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Only 20 Italian restaurants in Singapore are awarded the coveted Ospitalità Italiana Seal of Quality— a prestigious award given out to authentic Italian restaurants—and Al Forno is one of them.

It’s a fine dining restaurant with gold standard service and even better food. Although they’re better known for their pizzas, their pasta dishes are delicious too. Carbonara dishes are aplenty in Singapore but at Al Forno, they’ve mastered the art of balancing the right amount of cream in the dish so that all the flavours work harmoniously to give you a mouthgasm.

Their Spaghetti Carbonara ($24) comprises al dente pasta, eggs and bacon— a simple yet decadent meal that’ll satiate your cravings. Al Forno’s Penne di Montagna ($25) is an equally delicious dish for those who prefer tomato-based pasta. It comprises spicy Italian sausage, bacon and mushrooms.

The dish is usually served with penne pasta, so if you prefer spaghetti, do inform the waiting staff. It’s also one of the few places in Singapore that receives stellar reviews for its Spaghetti Al Nero di Seppia ($26), also known as squid ink pasta, comprising clams, prawns and squid. You won’t be disappointed.

Al Forno East Coast Restaurant and Pizzeria is located at 400 East Coast Road, Singapore 428996, tel: 6348 8781. Opens for lunch daily from 12pm to 2pm and dinner Monday to Friday from 6.30pm to 10pm and Saturday and Sunday from 5.30pm to 10pm.

 

7. Pietro Ristorante Italiano

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Nestled in a private residential area at Yio Chu Kang, Pietro Ristorante Italiano offers authentic Italian cuisine and has had a steady following since it was founded. The Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia ($28++) is undoubtedly one of the best pasta dishes on their menu. It’s served with prawns, scallop, squid and clams, garnished with chilli.

If you’ve never tried squid ink pasta before, you might want to take the plunge with Pietro’s offering. It’s a simple, unpretentious dish where the ingredients speak for themselves.

But if you’re still on the fence about it (and worried about staining your teeth), try their Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Fungi ($18++) or Spaghetti alla Carbonara ($18++). Either way, you’re in for a gourmet Italian experience like none other.

Pietro Ristorante Italiano is located at #01-03, 5B Portsdown Road, Singapore 139311, tel: 6479 9521. Opens Monday to Friday for lunch from 11.45pm to 2.30pm and dinner from 5.45pm to 10.30pm and Saturday and Sunday for lunch from 11.45pm to 2.45pm and dinner from 5.45pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Tuesday.

 

8. Beanstro

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is notorious for overpriced foods. But at Beanstro by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (CBTL), it’s quite the contrary.

Expect reasonably priced meals that are also delicious here. From brunch specialities to pasta and CBTL’s signature beverages, there’s something for everyone.

We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of pasta served here, especially their Chicken Pomodoro ($17.50).

It’s served with fresh parmesan cheese and chicken breast strips in flavourful tangy tomato sauce. Seeing as you’d be hard pressed to find a more affordable alternative at MBS, we highly recommend checking it out.

Beanstro is located at B2-20, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956, tel: 6688 7001. Opens Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 8am to 11pm and Friday and Saturday from 8am to 2am.

 

9. Waterfall Ristorante Italiano

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Diners can expect to be treated to a glorious Italian gourmet affair at Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. Try their Linguine Allo Scoglio ($34), an authentic Southern Italian seafood pasta with prawns, scallops, mussels, clams and cherry tomatoes, where you’ll get to choose between 13 homemade pasta options.

For those with an appreciation for richer flavours, give their Tagliatelle Al Tartufo Efegato Groasso ($39) a try. Comprising of pasta in truffle sauteed bottom mushroom and parmesan sauce topped with foie gras, it’s a classic dish with incredible flavours​​​​​​. Another notable mention would be their Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino ($22), another classic dish, prepared by lightly sautéing garlic, red chilli and extra virgin oil and garnished with finely-chopped parsley.

With a daily spread comprising handmade pastas and fresh seafood at reasonable price points, it’s definitely worth having a meal here.

Waterfall Ristorante Italiano is located at Level One, Garden Wing, Shangri-la Hotel, 22 Orange Grove Road, tel: 6213 4138. Opens daily for lunch from 12pm to 3pm and dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm.

 

10. Pasta Brava

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Having clinched several awards, Pasta Brava is one of the best authentic Italian restaurants in Singapore.

Their delicious Spaghetti Del Pescatore ($24) comprising a generous serving of crayfish, scallops, prawns, clams and squid tossed in exquisite squid ink sauce, is reason enough to pay this restaurant a visit. The dish has a distinct aroma that can be likened to seabreeze (thanks to its fresh seafood) that’ simply invigorates your palate.

Another notable dish is their Mezzelune Ripiene di Zucca ($23.50), which features perfectly al dente half moon-shaped pasta liberally filled with pumpkin and served in a delicious capsicum cream sauce, which is a great option for vegetarians.

Pasta Brava is located at 11 Craig Road, Tanjong Pagar Singapore 089671, tel: 6227 7550. Opens Monday to Saturday for lunch 11.15am to 2.30pm and dinner from 6.15pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sunday.

 

11. Positano Risto

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Nestled in the heart of Kampong Glam is Positano Risto, a halal Italian restaurant inspired by its namesake cliffside village.

Try their Soft Shell Crab Linguini ($22.95), which features crabmeat and linguine tossed in homemade seafood bisque sauce and topped off with crispy soft shell crab.

We love the liberal chunks of crab meat and perfectly crisp yet juicy soft shell crab.

For something more classic, try their Spaghetti Arrabiata ($12.95) comprising their signature homemade tomato sauce that’s spiced to your preference.

Positano Risto is located at 66 Bussorah Street, Singapore 199479, tel: 6292 1886. Opens Sunday to Thursday from 11.30am to 10pm and Friday and Saturday from 11.30am to 11pm.

 

12. Ristorante Luka

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Situated along Tanjong Pagar road, Ristorante Luka—by chef-owner Takashi Okuno—is an affordable Japanese-Italian restaurant that always has a queue during lunch time.

Their Uni Aglio e Olio ($26) is probably one of their most popular dishes—and for good reason.

The marvellous dish comprises perfectly al dente pasta, fresh tomato, garlic, olive oil and is topped off with decadent Japanese sea urchin. Their Tuna Tartare ($16) reimagined with negitoro (leftover tuna) and ikura (salmon roe) deserves a notable mention as well. It’s definitely worth braving the queue for.

Ristorante Luka is located at 16 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088439, tel: 6221 3988. Opens from 11.30am to 10.30pm.

 

 

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