Giardino Pizza Bar & Grill

Giardino Pizza Bar & Grill have once again hit on a great spot from where they can introduce Singapore diners to their colourful, flavourful Italian cuisine. There’s a sibling Giardino outlet at Robertson Quay, but here at City Hall’s grand Chijmes the Italian restaurant fits right in with the old-world, European charm of the area. Easily accessed from Victoria Street, Giardino has a drinks list that expands on its sister restaurant’s selection, and an equally authentic range of Italian dishes that feature small plates and mouth-watering grilled main courses.

Just like Giardino’s Robertson Quay outlet, Giardino Pizza Bar & Grill at Chijmes is a great place to simply order up a round of drinks. The offering here in City Hall is slightly more extensive than at Giardino Robertson Quay, with classics drinks like like negroni and garibaldi joining the list of Bellini, prosecco cocktails and spritzers that serve well as aperitifs and digestifs, or just as simple summer day refreshers. Cocktails from the Singapore Sling to coladas and margaritas in all manner of flavours are matched by spirit-infused Italian coffees and a range of mocktails for the moderately minded. With all this liquid refreshment sloshing around, you’re going to want some good food to soak it all up, right?

Luckily, Italian cuisine is Giardino Pizza Bar & Grill’s forte. As the name suggests, Giardino is synonymous with great wood-fired pizza in Singapore, with an incredible range that covers the classics to more loaded authentic pies like the misto carne, something like a mixed charcuterie platter atop a pizza, or the striking bianco e nero, black and white, with grilled squid and a squid-ink sauce on a base of tomato and mozzarella. Soups and salad, pasta and risotto are great traditional options, with the lobster bisque a highlight (involving burnt orange and tarragon for an incredibly complimentary taste). What sets the City Hall Giardino restaurant apart are its small plates that are ideal for sharing, tapas-style. Potatoes roasted in duck fat and served with shredded duck and rucola, Italian arancini with taleggio, and the gnocchi with browned butter, sage, and fava beans are brilliant rustic choices. From the grill, the catch of the day is always popular, while the duck leg with caramelised carrots and truffle fries, pork sausage and pork collar or a perfect T-bone steak with potato crochette makes a booking at this Victoria Street Italian a winner.