This new hawker pasta stall Bronzo serves seriously good handcrafted pasta in generous portions

If the last few years have proven anything, it’s that young hawkers in Singapore are raising the bar — especially when it comes to pasta. 

There’s a new one located at the Bukit Timah Interim Market & Food Centre: Bronzo Pasta Bar.

Walk past the small open carpark and head towards the back corner of the hawker centre. You’ll find humble counter and compact kitchen of Bronzo, a spot that churns out fresh pasta every morning.

Bronzo is run by a small three-person team — including Subash Morgan, 25, who was helming the stall solo, when we visited on a weekday afternoon. 

He tells us that dinner service usually sees at least two people in the kitchen.

They arrive at 10am — two hours before opening — to make fresh dough, and put it into the pasta machine batch by batch, while some pasta requires a bit of more hands-on work in the process. 

They currently offer three shapes: Rigatoni, bucatini, and pappardelle, enough to cover sauces with range.

The menu immediately stands out, as several of its dishes are rarely seen in hawker settings. 

Admittedly, the prices may raise eyebrows at first glance. But once the plates are served, the value becomes evident. Portions are large (and to us, very shareable), the sauces are expressive, and the dishes are constructed with technical care.

At least to me, Bronzo left me ready to return — whether to re-order what I loved, or to explore something new.

Pastas that don’t hold back

To start strong with our favourite of the day, the amatriciana w/ guanciale (S$15). We often personally do not gravitate toward tomato-based pastas, but this one changed minds.

Subash says that the amatriciana sauce is prepared in-house, simmered with onion, garlic, basil and tomato paste. We loved that it didn’t lean too sweet, but rather it was savoury and full-bodied. The rigatoni, too, catches the sauce beautifully.

There’s also the guanciale, which appears across Bronzo’s pasta dishes, and it’s excellent every time. Tender, salty, and fatty in the best way, it delivers a punch of umami and adds real depth to each dish.

Before serving, the pasta is torched to lightly blister the cheese, giving that slightly smoky, browned edge that makes every bite addictive.

The cacio e pepe (S$13) is a deceptively simple dish. It is done the classic way, with ingredients such as cheese, black pepper, and pasta water. But its simplicity shines.

We appreciated that it wasn’t overly creamy or gloopy. Instead, it lets the bucatini and Pecorino cheese take centrestage — and it packs a punch with flavour. Again, the guanciale gives the dish that extra dimension of richness and savoury depth.

We heard that the beef cheek ragu (S$19) is the brand’s bestseller. Subash tells us they can only offer a limited number of portions each day, with around 20kg prepared for a weekend service.

The slow-cooked ragu is deeply flavoured, built on a classic mirepoix flavour base — where carrots, celery, and onion are slowly cooked down in fat. There’s also white wine and chicken reduced in the sauce — rich and hearty with a savoury intensity that clings well to the wide pappardelle. It’s plentiful, too.

The beef cheeks are the star. They were tender, pull-apart soft, and generously portioned. Interestingly, the combination of slow braising, aromatics, and depth of seasoning gives the dish a faintly Asian warmth — making it distinctive and familiar to the palette.

If you’re a beef lover, this is the one.

Sides and desserts, too

We wanted to try the house-made focaccia (S$4), and it also comes alongside the house-made ricotta w/ hot honey & pistachio (S$10). The focaccia, however, is only served in the evenings as it has to be prepped during the day.

There’s also the braised octopus w/ roasted pepper sauce & herb slaw (S$18), too. The original intention, we were told, was to have a squid dish — but octopus keeps better and offers a similar flavour profile. 

Surprisingly, Bronzo’s menu also offers desserts — something uncommon in hawker settings with a kitchen.

We were intrigued by the tiramisu shaved ice (S$7), but it was sold out when we visited (we’ll definitely return for it). 

Instead, we went for the roasted barley cream with banana compote and almond crumb (S$8).

This turned out to be a blessing. The dessert was extremely creamy without being heavy, with the banana adding natural sweetness and the almond crumble giving a good crunchy element. Even after a very carb-forward meal, we found ourselves cleaning the cup.

Bronzo Pasta Bar leaves a strong impression — not just for being a hawker stall serving handmade pasta, but for doing it with confidence, technique and real flavour clarity.

If you’re in the Bukit Timah area, or simply craving pasta in a casual setting without compromising on quality, it’s well worth the trip.

As for me, I’m already planning a return visit for that amatriciana.

For more ideas on what to eat, read about Pho Vietz at Bugis or Taiyo Camp Club by Shane Pow at Chef X.