Review: Caffe Italia appeals with a unique tapas concept, but its mains take the crown

The backstory

Founder Angelo Buglio, a Sicilian native, brings his hospitality expertise from stints at popular local Italian restaurants Garibaldi and Monti to this novel concept: Italian fare served tapas-style, complete with a conveyor belt for that sushi bar feel.

He wants Caffe Italia to be the world’s first Italian restaurant serving Italian fare, tapas-style, with the small dishes allowing for a more convivial and communal style of dining.  

The word “tapas” originates from the Spanish word tapa, which literally translates to “to cover”, referring to the small dishes that were provided complimentary with a drink in Spain. These dishes were served on a plate, balanced on the glass (covering it), and hence the name “cover”. 

Over time, it’s now taken to refer to appetisers and small snacks, used in both Spanish and everyday dining situations. 

At Caffe Italia, which opened in October last year, Angelo has opted to serve tapas up on a conveyor belt, allowing diners seated at the bar to pick and choose their preferred tapas easily — similar to the conveyor belt sushi concepts that are dime a dozen in Singapore.

Our verdict

Given that the appeal of Caffe Italia is its tapas-style dishes on a conveyor belt, you might be tempted to just concentrate on the stream of tapas plates emerging on the belt, however, I’d also recommend making room for the other savoury dishes on the menu. 

While the tapas — think downsized charcuterie board staples — make for great nibbles and go great with drinks, the real stars at Caffe Italia are actually its mains (especially the pizzas).

Among six dough options, the modern soft and fluffy napoletana style stands out. In fact it’s so good that we won’t be surprised if you feel compelled to order another pizza just to enjoy the crust, because it’s that good.  

Its pasta options are by no means any less stellar.

Caffe Italia’s assortment of pasta combinations warrants a solid 15-minute read — there’s four choices of pasta and an impressive 47 additional toppings (yes, I counted) to spoil you.

Despite the sheer number of toppings you can opt for, it was the seemingly unassuming caviar angel hair that turned out to be the star of our evening — it’s true when they say you really can’t judge a book by its cover.

What it’s good for

To be honest, there was a good moment where I doubted my dining companion’s choice to start off with the caviar angel hair (S$35). After all, with a description of “French butter sauce, lemon and imported sturgeon caviar”, I wondered to myself, how impressive could it be? 

But thankfully I relented and allowed myself a forkful of this, because that was all it took for me to be floored and hooked. 

The dish’s simplicity belied its complexity — the pasta was a harmonious balance of buttery richness and tangy brightness, accentuated with a tinge of brininess from the caviar. 

This was an uncomplicated dish, but one that delivered layers of flavour (so much so that I couldn’t quite stop after my first bite), proving that sometimes less is more.

With more than 30 pizza options at Caffe Italia, I’ve never had a more challenging time narrowing down my choice, but we eventually settled on the meatballs (S$32) pizza, served on a contemporary napoletana 48-hour proofed dough. 

Topped with tender Angus beef meatballs, fior di latte mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, and a southern-Italian-inspired tomato sauce, the pizza hit most of the right notes.

My only gripe? The tomato sauce was too mild for my liking — a dash more seasoning would have elevated it. That said, the pizza came with numerous perfectly spiced meatballs, which made up for it, while a drizzle of chilli oil brought everything together.

For dessert, I bypassed the ever-reliable tiramisu for something less ubiquitous: Cannoli cioccolato ($15). These housemade fried tube-shaped shells, filled with dark chocolate cream and garnished with nuts and powdered sugar, proved to be a decadent delight. 

The shell was lightly crisp and the filling, rich and velvety, akin to ganache — perfect for dark chocolate lovers like me. Every element was a refreshing and welcome surprise, considering that cannoli isn’t as commonly found here as we’d like, and that good renditions are even rarer to come by.

What it could improve on

Despite the highs, not everything at Caffe Italia impressed, which is not uncommon for new establishments trying to find their footing. 

For one, the calamari ($19), which we usually look forward to ordering as a tapas or snack, was a disappointment. While its texture was generally acceptable — though some pieces bordered on chewy — the lack of seasoning was a letdown. 

This is especially to someone who has found, and has had really good calamari in Singapore (but I’m gatekeeping the location for now) — the sort that is so crunchy and well-seasoned that you don’t even need any accompanying condiments.

I also belatedly realised, after we had left, that the dish didn’t come with a wedge of lemon (contrary to what the menu had listed). It would have probably helped add a nice spritz of acid for balance. 

Now, this being a tapas-focused bar, you’re probably wondering if the tapas here are actually worth ordering. 

To that we say: Go for the tapas if you’re not looking for a full meal and are looking for nibbles to have alongside some bubbly. However, if you’re famished, I highly suggest heading straight for the big plates and skipping the tapas.

The tapas on the conveyor belt are plated in a way that resembles miniature cheese boards (which might be a delight, depending on who you ask). 

As we didn’t spot our desired tapas on the belt, we ordered the pecorino romano and truffle puree (S$13.50) off the menu. 

While there was little to fault about the taste, we later realised that the truffle puree, which we had expected when ordering the dish, was replaced with simple fig jam. 

We were not made aware of this when ordering, and while the staff did apologise for the oversight well after we had dug into the dish, the lapse was a bit of downer for the rest of the meal. 

Wanting to try more desserts off the menu, we also opted for the creme brulee (S$17).

Although it had a beautifully vanilla-forward custard, it faltered on the usual caramelised top that you’d typically expect and enjoy in a creme brulee

The sugar topping was clearly under-torched, denying us the satisfying crack that elevates this classic dessert — a small detail, but one that makes a big difference, especially when the dessert has “brulee (or “burned” in French)” in its name. 

Whether you’re here for a lavish communal meal or just feeling peckish for a tipple and a snack, Caffe Italia’s menu is certainly one of the more comprehensive ones around, though we’d personally stick to the mains if we come back next. 

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? The place is very peaceful and ideal for intimate catch-ups, even with a full-screen TV at the bar, as the volume is turned down. 

Is a reservation necessary? When we visited on a weekday evening, it wasn’t busy at all. However, the crowds might show up on the weekends, so reservations would be recommended then.

How to get there? Caffe Italia is a 5-minute walk from Fort Canning MRT station’s Exit B.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For the latest eats, check out Yakiniku Gyubei in Tanjong Pagar, Japan’s well-known head-to-tail yakiniku restaurant’s first outlet in Singapore and Ooomahmee at Chef X serving up comforting Japanese favourites.

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Caffe Italia at Clemenceau Avenue.