Stylish modern-Italian spot in Telok Ayer with standout pastas and a showy pistachio tiramisu; service can be inconsistent and tables tight, but weekday set lunch offers strong value.
Chicco Trattoria delivers solid neighborhood Italian dining with strong food quality—handmade pastas and seafood aglio olio earn consistent praise—but inconsistent execution on pasta doneness and seasoning prevents a higher grade. Service ranges from attentive to rushed, and tight table spacing limits comfort despite appealing Telok Ayer location. The weekday set lunch offers genuine value, making it worth visiting for reliable lunch experiences.
In a row of CBD shophouses, this room feels warm and bustling with close-set tables and a steady hum from the lunch crowd. Service ranges from celebratory shoutouts for named staff to hiccups with seating and pacing, so experiences vary. A diner summed it up: "The set lunch moved smoothly and the chicken was the star." The cooking leans modern rather than fussy—handmade pastas, seafood-forward plates, and that theatrical pistachio tiramisu. Expect elevated comfort more than purist tradition: mafaldine with slow-cooked beef runs rich, seafood aglio olio brings clean umami, and risotto is deeply bisque-driven. Prices track the neighborhood, with the weekday set lunch offering real value. Families do fine here thanks to approachable staples like rigatoni carbonara, roast chicken, fries, and gelato. There is no explicit kids menu, but plenty that children recognize; just note the tight seating at peak hours and consider earlier bookings.
Area vibe: Historic shophouse street in CBD; weekday office crowd and after-work diners; lively, compact sidewalks.
Safety: Well-lit, busy CBD area with steady foot traffic; generally safe day and night.
What's nearby: Near Telok Ayer MRT, Amoy/Thian Hock Keng; many cafes and bars within short walk.
Seafood aglio olio, slow-cooked mafaldine, and pistachio tiramisu are the must-try hits.
Casual dress and a recommended dinner reservation, tight tables and extra charges are all worth knowing before you go.
A cozy, buzzy shophouse trattoria with tight tables and a lively soundtrack.