Fortuna Singapore: New Italian restaurant with fried pizza by world No. 87 pizza chef

2024 has been a year marked by a deluge of high-profile pizza restaurants.

First, there was Beyond the Dough, then Da Michele and now, Fortuna Singapore has also joined the party, having just opened in Tanjong Pagar on Jun 1.

Although new to Singapore, the brand is actually a popular brand that hails from Sydney, Australia.

Following the same blueprint, Fortuna Singapore is a fun and vibrant outfit that marries the culinary heritage of two of Italy’s most renowned culinary regions — Naples and Sicily — to dish out the heartiest Italian comfort food.

What sets it apart from other Italian restaurants is a youthful and personable touch — it’s a joint venture by three friends, each with their own strengths.

For operations, there’s Egon Marzaioli who’s a veteran of F&B operations from Down Under. 

Then there’s Omar Tutino who had worked in the kitchen under the tutelage of world-renowned Michelin chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo.

Finally, the Fortuna trio is rounded out by master pizzaiolo Giorgio Sorce, who was recognised as No. 87 in the world in 2023’s Top 100 Pizzas rankings.

Talk about a dream team.

Three pizza styles, all great

The first thing that caught our eye when we parsed through the pizza section of Fortuna Singapore’s menu was a “fried & baked” section.

For those unfamiliar, fried pizza, or pizza fritta, is a classic street food in Naples, but extremely hard to find in Singapore. 

Fortuna makes its pizza fritta by flash-frying the dough before popping it into the oven — the result is a lightly crunchy dough with a delightful chew, all without any greasiness.

On top of that, our gambero and stracciata (S$38) came with a motley of creamy stracciata cheese, luscious giant shrimps and fragrant pistachio pesto, which went so well with the dough.

However, it’s not just the fried pizza that impresses — Fortuna’s classic Neapolitan-style pizza is just as impressive. Baked a la minute and rendered a golden brown with the sexiest leopard spotting, it’s as good as it looks.

The dough here goes through a painstaking 50-hour fermentation and the result is a pillowy dough that’s accented with a light, graceful chewiness.

While there are a plethora of classic options, the Not Just a Four Cheeses (S$29 for 22cm, S$40 for 30cm) puts a rather interesting twist on the usual quattro formaggi recipe.

The pizza is studded with parmesan chips for crunchy textural contrast, while dollops of fig compote inject a sprightly tanginess to balance out the hefty flavours of the cheese.

You might think that’s all the types of pizza but no, Fortuna Singapore has a third style of pizza on the menu, pizza al ruoto.

This style is double-fermented, triple-cooked and sports a sublime texture where it delicately crackles on its crust, while the insides are fluffy and chewy — almost like toasted sourdough.

The dough also has a tangy undertone, which is immaculately contrasted with the robust umami of the whipped walnut butter, anchovies and truffle in Fortuna’s truffles & anchovies (S$42) rendition.

Modern Italian flavours

Besides pizza, Fortuna Singapore also has plenty of tasty pasta dishes and sides to go around.

As simple as it sounds, the ricotta mantecata dip ($16) is probably a must-order. It’s a simple amalgamation of ricotta, hot honey and lemon zest, but it’s absolutely divine as an accompaniment to any dough.

Slather it all over your leftover crusts — you won’t regret it.

For something more unique: Fortuna’s signature “1000 Layers lasagna” (S$36) is a must-order.

Unlike the usual, it comprises layers of pistachio pesto, bechamel and mortadella, all encased with a thin, crispy crust.

It’s rich and flavourful with the luxurious sauce adding a nice dose of nutty umami — superb, but might not be what lasagna lovers expect.

The other standout pasta has to be the spaghetti (S$38), which is also quite a departure from the usual tomato-sauce affair Singaporeans would expect.

Fortuna’s take features a twirl of al dente spaghetti drenched in a sumptuous Mazara king prawn bisque, a splash of chilli oil and finished with bread crumbs.

Seafood lovers and prawn mee enthusiasts would be obsessed with this — it tastes very much like a more intense version of local prawn mee, with a potent dosage of prawn richness.

Guests with a sweet-tooth should also check out the desserts: Fortuna does a pretty solid tiramisu.

It’s silky and topped with chocolate crumbles to add a nice malty touch on top of the coffee.

As a whole, Fortuna delivers splendidly on its hype. The vibes are great, the food is great and the pizza is exceptional.

Definitely a spot worth considering for a group outing — so you can try more pizzas!

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the return of popular bubble tea brand Chagee and Haji Lane dining spots that you should check out for your next date.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine Out service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Fortuna Singapore at Craig Road.