Tucked along the charming streets of Amoy Street, Gotti Italiano brings the flavours and spirit of Southern Italy to Singapore’s CBD. Housed within a heritage shophouse at 78 Amoy Street, the restaurant combines traditional Italian cooking with a contemporary, lively atmosphere, making it a destination that works just as well for a leisurely dinner as it does for a special celebration.
With a menu centred around handmade pasta, stone-baked pizza, Italian antipasti and hearty mains, Gotti Italiano offers an experience that goes beyond simply serving Italian food. It is about the combination of food, setting and atmosphere — an Italian dining experience with a distinctly Singaporean energy.
A Dining Room with Italian Character
One of the first things that stands out about Gotti Italiano is its ambiance.
Located in a restored heritage shophouse, the restaurant has plenty of character. Rather than feeling like a generic modern Italian restaurant, the space embraces its heritage surroundings while adding a more dramatic and contemporary personality. Italian artwork, warm low lighting and an intimate dining environment create an atmosphere that feels elegant without being overly formal.
The restaurant describes its concept as “Italian Heritage, Modern Pulse,” and that is a fitting description. The dining room draws inspiration from the traditional soul of Italy, while the overall space transitions naturally into something livelier as the evening progresses.
There is also a bar element to the experience, giving Gotti Italiano a social quality that makes it particularly appealing for dinner and drinks. The restaurant positions its bar as a place for crafted cocktails and Italian wines, while its evening programming adds another dimension to the venue.
In short, Gotti Italiano is not simply somewhere to have a quick plate of pasta. It is designed as a place to settle in, enjoy the surroundings and make an evening of it.
A Menu Inspired by Southern Italy
At the heart of Gotti Italiano is its food.
The restaurant focuses on Southern Italian flavours, with influences from regions including Naples, Calabria, Sicily and Liguria. Executive Chef Alessandro Giustetti brings experience from Michelin-starred kitchens and luxury Italian restaurants, with an emphasis on handmade pasta, regional techniques and quality ingredients.
The menu is divided into several sections, including antipasti, pasta, pizza, secondi and dolci, giving diners plenty of flexibility depending on whether they are looking for a light meal or a full Italian feast.
Start with Antipasti
For a meal shared with friends, the antipasti selection is a great place to begin.
The Burrata Classica is an appealing choice for those who enjoy the combination of creamy and fresh flavours. The burrata is served with peppery rucola, cherry tomatoes, olive oil caviar, basil pesto and balsamic glaze. The result is a dish that balances richness with acidity and freshness.
For something with a little more character, the Tentacolo Di Polpo features grilled octopus served with cherry tomato coulis, confit tomato, toasted almond flakes and mint oil. The combination of smoky grilled seafood, bright tomato and fresh mint gives the dish a Mediterranean quality.
Another standout is the Capasanta E N’Duja, pairing seared Hokkaido scallops with Calabrian n’duja mashed potato, crispy spianata and parsley oil. It brings together sweetness, spice and richness in one plate.
These starters also showcase one of Gotti Italiano’s strengths: familiar Italian ingredients are combined in ways that feel contemporary while remaining rooted in the cuisine’s regional traditions.
Handmade Pasta Takes Centre Stage
For many diners, pasta is the real test of an Italian restaurant, and Gotti Italiano places considerable emphasis on handmade pasta.
One of the more indulgent choices is the Guancia Di Manzo, featuring handmade fusilli with a rich Wagyu beef cheek ragù that is slow-braised for 12 hours with red wine. The long cooking process gives the ragù depth and richness, making this a comforting choice for anyone who enjoys hearty Italian pasta.
The Risotto Alla Gricia takes inspiration from the classic Roman combination of pecorino, guanciale and black pepper. Gotti’s version uses Carnaroli rice and adds a lemon crumble, bringing brightness to what could otherwise be an intensely rich dish.
For something distinctly Sicilian, the Mezza Maniche Alla Norma combines short pasta with tomato and eggplant sauce, orange zest, crispy eggplant and handmade oven-baked ricotta. It is a good example of how the menu incorporates classic regional Italian flavours while presenting them with a modern touch.
Vegetarian diners are also well catered for. The Gnocchi Alla Barbabietola pairs homemade beetroot gnocchi with feta, honey and toasted walnut, creating a combination of earthy, creamy, sweet and nutty flavours.
Pizza with a Southern Italian Spirit
Pizza is another major part of the Gotti Italiano experience.
The Margherita Alla Gotti puts a house spin on the classic Margherita, using yellow San Marzano tomato sauce, Fior di Latte, heirloom cherry tomatoes and fresh basil.
If you prefer something richer, the Crudo E Rucola combines Prosciutto di Parma, burrata, rucola and aged Parmigiano over a San Marzano tomato base.
For spice lovers, the Diavola brings together signature chilli sauce, spicy spianata, Fior di Latte, black olives and crushed chilli.
Then there is the Tartufo, a more luxurious white pizza featuring truffle cream, portobello mushrooms, rucola and truffle burrata. It is the kind of pizza designed for diners who enjoy bold, earthy flavours.
Mains for a More Substantial Meal
If pasta and pizza are not enough, the secondi selection offers several substantial options.
The Branzino features pan-seared sea bass with whipped polenta, spinach and mint purée, king oyster mushrooms and pickled shimeji. It is a lighter alternative to some of the richer pasta dishes while still offering plenty of flavour.
For meat lovers, the Filetto Di Manzo features a 160g grain-fed beef tenderloin accompanied by grilled asparagus, black garlic gremolata and a smoky burnt tomato and capsicum purée.
The Maiale Iberico, meanwhile, combines slow-cooked Ibérico pork jowl with pickled heirloom carrot salad, pumpkin seeds, n’duja mashed potato and carrot-orange kosho. The dish brings together richness, spice and acidity for a more adventurous main course.
Don’t Skip Dessert
A proper Italian meal should finish with something sweet, and Gotti Italiano has several tempting options.
The Tiramisu gets an Amalfi-inspired treatment, combining mascarpone and Amaretto-soaked savoiardi with a pistachio twist.
For chocolate lovers, Pere E Cioccolato features warm Valrhona chocolate and pear cake with toasted hazelnut, caramelised milk and pear chantilly.
There is also Millefoglie Alla Ciliegia, which layers puff pastry with mascarpone cherry custard, macerated strawberry and lemon-cherry sauce.
For something simpler, the Italian vanilla Gelato with toasted pistachios is an easy way to end the meal.
Gotti Italiano: More Than Just Dinner
What makes Gotti Italiano interesting is the way it combines dining with a broader social experience.
During the day, the restaurant offers lunch, including a three-course Executive Set Lunch starting from $38++, making it an option for CBD workers looking for an Italian business lunch. In the evenings, the restaurant takes on a livelier personality, with dinner service and selected specialty nights.
The restaurant also offers weekend brunch, with its La Dolce Vita concept featuring a 90-minute bottomless Italian feast of pasta, stone-baked pizza and Limoncello tiramisu.
That versatility is part of Gotti Italiano’s appeal. You could visit for a business lunch, return for a romantic dinner, or gather with friends for a longer evening.
Final Verdict
Gotti Italiano is a restaurant that successfully brings together Italian heritage, contemporary cooking and a lively Singapore dining atmosphere.
Its heritage shophouse setting provides plenty of character, while the low-lit interiors and stylish atmosphere make it particularly appealing for an evening meal. On the food front, the menu covers the Italian classics diners expect — pizza, pasta, burrata and tiramisu — while adding more contemporary interpretations and regional influences.
The handmade pasta deserves particular attention, while the pizza selection offers plenty of variety for sharing. The antipasti are equally suited to a communal meal, and the secondi provide more substantial options for diners who want something beyond pasta and pizza.
For anyone searching for an Italian restaurant in Singapore, particularly around Amoy Street, Telok Ayer or the CBD, Gotti Italiano is worth considering for its combination of atmosphere, Southern Italian flavours and broad menu.
Ultimately, Gotti Italiano feels less like a restaurant you simply drop by for a quick meal and more like somewhere you go to enjoy the full Italian dining experience — good food, an atmospheric setting and plenty of reasons to linger a little longer.
Gotti Italiano
78 Amoy Street, Singapore 069897
Cuisine: Southern Italian
Website: Gotti Italiano