Solo Ristorante • Tasting Review 2026
Origin and Food Concept
Solo Ristorante is a cozy Italian restaurant with an open kitchen located on Amoy Street. It specializes in modern, ingredient-focused Northern Italian cuisine with a touch of Emilia-Romagna, offering familiar classics that are subtly refined rather than completely reimagined.
Established in 2018 in a conserved shophouse on Amoy Street within Singapore’s CBD, the restaurant took a new direction in March 2020 when Italian chef-partner Simone Fraternali took the helm, shaping its current culinary identity. Solo is not about theatrical fine dining but rather "casual fine dining," offering precise, warm, and generous Italian dishes centered on high-quality produce, handmade pasta, and subtle seasoning. The culinary style is personal, rooted in Chef Fraternali's heritage, prioritizing flavor and ingredient quality.
The kitchen draws inspiration from Emilia-Romagna—known for ragù, fresh egg pasta, Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamico, and rich meat dishes—while also incorporating the coastal essence of Rimini and nearby seaside towns. This results in a menu that seamlessly transitions between hearty inland classics and lighter seafood options.
The menu is characterized by distinct culinary guidelines.
Handmade pasta takes center stage, featuring gnocchi, pappardelle, and tagliolini. The restaurant is especially renowned for its smoky uni tagliolini, complemented by tarragon, lemon zest, and fresh sea urchin.
Classic dishes are subtly enhanced, such as a lighter, perfectly sauced melanzana alla parmigiana or gnocchi crafted with minimal flour for a soft, almost cloud-like texture.
Seafood and meat focus on the quality of ingredients: dishes like braised-and-grilled octopus with Taggiasche olives, guinea fowl, beef cheek, and wood-fired Wagyu showcase a commitment to clean flavors and meticulous technique.
The menu is both seasonal and adaptable, with previous offerings including à la carte options, set lunches, tasting menus, and chef-led daily selections based on availability.
Our Observations
This was a confident, warmly Italian dinner at Solo Ristorante: classic technique, generous seasoning, and a menu that moves comfortably between Piedmontese-style raw beef, Adriatic seafood, and a Japanese-inflected pasta course.
The kitchen’s strength lies in balance—richness is consistently cut by acidity, smoke, citrus, or salinity—while the two reds provided a useful study in Pinot Noir’s elegance versus a fuller Merlot-Syrah blend. Solo is known for its seasonal, modern Italian cooking and its signature uni tagliolini, which set high expectations that the meal largely met.
Rosette Media Tasting Panel Review : 9/10
About Chef Simone Fraternali
Chef Partner Simone Fraternali grew up near the Adriatic Riviera in Gradara, Italy, where he was surrounded by the wonders of "Zero KM" food, with every ingredient locally sourced. From the age of 6, he assisted family members in handpicking ingredients and cooking in the family kitchen, where he developed a deep appreciation for food and a love for tradition.
Witnessing the significant impact cooking can have on people, Chef Simone's passion led him to explore the world. He spent nearly three decades experimenting and gaining knowledge in the kitchens of renowned 3 Michelin star restaurants (including three-Michelin-starred Da Vittorio in Lombardy in Northern Italy) in 2008, before moving to Singapore in 2013 to work in high-end establishments, including Il Lido, Aura, and So Sofitel—experience that shaped both his classical technique and his comfort with local influences. Now, at his own pride and joy, he values the practice of sourcing quality ingredients and assembling them to achieve the most exquisite flavors.
The Dining Encounter
We went through the paces of a lovely evening meal of amazing food and drinks for this awesome venue, complemented by superb service..
Carpaccio di Manzo
The Angus beef carpaccio arrived as a study in restraint: thinly sliced, cool, deep-red beef with a clean mineral sweetness and a pleasingly supple texture. The Parmigiano Reggiano contributed crystalline salt and nutty depth, while the mustard dressing brought a gentle sinus-clearing heat that prevented the dish from becoming overly rich.
The aged balsamic was the most intelligent element—dark, syrupy, and lightly sweet, it rounded out the mustard’s sharpness and gave the plate a long, savoury finish. This was not a carpaccio trying to be delicate at all costs; it was assertive, well seasoned, and satisfying.
Polpo
The braised and chargrilled octopus delivered the best of both preparations: tender, almost buttery flesh from the braising, with a smoky, lightly charred exterior that added texture and a campfire-like savouriness. The octopus had genuine bite without toughness, suggesting careful timing and a confident hand with the grill.
The soft creamy well-grated potato acted as a neutral, creamy base, absorbing the octopus juices and charred notes, while the candied tomato supplied concentrated sweetness and acidity. That sweetness could have tipped into cloying territory, but the tomato’s acidity and the smoke from the octopus kept the dish composed. This is a rustic dish, comforting, and texturally excellent; the candied tomato is the dish’s emotional high note.
Tagliolini with Uni
This was the evening’s most distinctive plate and arguably Solo’s signature expression: handmade tagliolini coated in a smoky uni sauce, brightened with tarragon and lemon zest. The pasta itself was properly al dente, with enough bite to stand up to the sauce rather than dissolving into it, and Chef Simone's first creation when he first arrived along the shores of Singapore.
The uni brought an immediate wave of briny, custardy umami—oceanic, slightly sweet, and rich. The smokiness was a clever counterpoint: rather than masking the sea urchin, it gave the sauce a grilled, savoury dimension. Lemon zest lifted the richness, while tarragon added a subtle anise-herbal edge that made the dish feel more Italian than simply Japanese-Italian fusion. Indeed a luxurious, aromatic, and deeply umami; the best dish of the night for its precision and originality. Solo’s uni tagliolini is widely recognised as one of its signature dishes.
Wagyu
The 200g wood-fire wagyu sirloin, MB5, was the most substantial course: deeply savoury, with a firm but yielding bite and a clean beefy core. At MB5, the marbling was present but not overwhelming—more elegant than excessively fatty—allowing the wood-fire character to come through.
The exterior carried a pleasing char and smoke, while the capers salsa rossa provided the essential contrast: sharp, briny, and slightly tangy against the beef’s richness. The heirloom carrots added sweetness and colour, though they were more supporting cast than co-star.
The main question is execution: wagyu sirloin rewards precise cooking, and the ideal version would have a pronounced smoky crust with a uniformly rosy centre. When it lands, it is excellent; even slightly past that point, the cut remains enjoyable because of its marbling. A truly robust, smoky, and well matched with the capers salsa rossa; a proper carnivore’s main.
Dentice
The wild red snapper, prepared Adriatic-style with potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and olives, was the most traditionally Mediterranean dish of the meal. The fish had a clean, sweet flavour and a flaky yet moist texture, with the skin likely providing a gentle crispness against the softer potato base. I won't compare Cantonese cuisine for steamed fish with this dish, as it resonates in very different worldly cuisines, but being a Cantonese person, I can almost feel the effort that went to prepare this dish.
The cherry tomatoes offered bright acidity, the olives brought salinity and bitterness, and the potatoes grounded the plate with starch and comfort. Together, they created a classic coastal Italian profile: fresh fish, olive oil, tomato, salt, and herbs. This dish was less flashy than the uni tagliolini or wagyu, but it was likely the most food-friendly and balanced—especially for anyone seeking a lighter main without sacrificing flavour.
Just fresh, savoury, and harmonious.
Solo Tiramisu
The tiramisu was a reassuring, well-made finish: fluffy mascarpone cream, Savoiardi biscuits, cocoa, and coffee. The mascarpone was airy rather than dense, with a gentle sweetness that let the coffee do much of the work. The Savoiardi appeared properly soaked—soft and aromatic, but not collapsed into mush—while the cocoa added bitterness and a dry, elegant finish. The coffee note was clear but not harsh, making this a classic rather than deconstructed tiramisu.
The Wines
San Martino Pinot Nero
The San Martino Pinot Nero is a light ruby red with a slight garnet edge, showing intense cherry, vanilla, and spice on the nose. Its palate is structured but elegant, with noticeable acidity and only light tannin—an approachable, food-friendly Pinot Noir from Veneto.
At the table, its cherry fruit and fresh acidity made it particularly versatile. It would have been excellent with the carpaccio, where its red-fruit freshness complemented the beef without overpowering the Parmigiano, and also capable alongside the octopus or snapper. Against the wagyu, it is lighter than ideal, but its acidity would still cut through the capers salsa rossa.
Best pairings: Carpaccio di Manzo, Polpo, Dentice.
Character: Bright cherry, vanilla, spice, lively acidity, gentle tannin.shop.
Paolo e Noemia d’Amico Villa Tirrena
Villa Tirrena is a fuller, more structured red, typically a Merlot and Syrah blend from volcanic soils in the Tuscia area between Lazio, Umbria, and Tuscany. It shows ripe red and black fruit, cherry, and spice, with rounded, velvety tannins shaped by French oak ageing.
This was the more obvious partner for the Wagyu. Its darker fruit and softer, broader tannin frame the beef’s richness, while its spice notes echo the char and salsa rossa. It would also work well with the carpaccio if you prefer a red with more weight, though the San Martino’s freshness is arguably the more precise match there.
Best pairings: Wagyu, Carpaccio di Manzo, aged cheeses.
Character: Ripe red and black fruits, cherry, spice, velvety tannin, oak-derived polish.
The Venue
The room enhances the food concept: a bright, open kitchen is centrally located in the shophouse, with counter seating that brings guests close to the pasta preparation and cooking. Dark wood, warm tan furnishings, a private dining room (where we first encountered this lovely venue with a group of family offices) , and a small alfresco area for aperitivo create a cozy, neighborhood-restaurant vibe rather than a formal dining-room atmosphere.
In essence, Solo Ristorante prioritizes Italian comfort with professional finesse over novelty for novelty’s sake: traditions from Emilia-Romagna, creativity seasoned by Singapore, and a strong emphasis on pasta, produce, and hospitality. Amazing!
Reservations
Accolades
Thanks to both co-partners Chef Simone and Angela for a lovely evening at Solo Ristorante!
More information here..
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