Caffe Fernet

Caffe Fernet is an Italian restaurant and bar in Customs House, on the Collyer Quay waterfront at Marina Bay. It calls itself the neighbourhood Italian table for downtown Singapore. The kitchen cooks bright, coastal Italian food, and the bar is built around aperitivo drinks such as spritzes and Negronis.

It belongs to Jigger & Pony Group, which Indra Kantono and Guoyi Gan founded in 2012. The group is best known for its cocktail bars, and it opened Caffe Fernet at Customs House in 2018. Today David Tang and Dean Ng lead the kitchen, while Keshav Kumar runs the bar.

What to order

Pasta is the heart of the menu. The signature is the Mafaldine Cacio e Pepe, a ribbon pasta in the classic cheese and black pepper sauce, served every day. Other choices include Garganelli Amatriciana, Paccheri Tuna Bolognese and Tagliatelle Beef Ragu. From Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, handmade pastas such as Spaghetti Carbonara and Cavatelli Puttanesca join the list.

• Cocktail snacks: mushroom arancini, calamari fritti, bruschetta and a charcuterie and cheese board
• Small plates: hamachi, salmon or tuna crudo, burrata, charred octopus and Iberico pork pluma
• Large plates: Branzino Piccata, Chicken Scarpariello and a Hereford ribeye
• Desserts: tiramisu, a cherry berry crumble and carrot cake

Set lunch menus are offered too. There are gluten-free and vegetarian menus as well.

The bar

Food and drinks get equal attention here. The aperitivo list covers Italian classics like the Americano and Sbagliato. There are several takes on the Negroni, including an Olive Negroni and a Pandan Negroni. The wine list leans Italian, with bottles such as Chianti Classico, Amarone and Nero d'Avola.

The setting

Customs House sits right on the water, looking out over Marina Bay. Caffe Fernet has an outdoor dining area where pets are welcome. Early evening is a good time to come, when aperitivo hour runs into dinner. The restaurant also hosts private events, from client lunches to receptions for up to 200 guests.

Getting there

The nearest MRT station is Raffles Place. The restaurant says it is about a five-minute walk from Exit J. You can book a table through the Caffe Fernet website.

Nearby

The Merlion is a short walk along the waterfront, so a stop at Merlion Park fits well before dinner. The Fullerton Bay Hotel is a few steps away on Collyer Quay. For a full evening plan, try our Marina Bay evening itinerary. You can also browse more European and Italian restaurants or all restaurants in Marina Bay and the CBD.