iO Italian Osteria (HillV2)

iO Italian Osteria is a casual Italian restaurant at HillV2, a small mall on Hillview Rise in Upper Bukit Timah. It opened in 2014 as one of the mall's first tenants. It has stayed popular for more than a decade, thanks to its relaxed mood and simple, hearty food.

The kitchen is large and open, so you can watch the team make pasta by hand and bake bread and pizza. The menu covers small plates, pasta, pizza, mains and desserts, much like a neighbourhood osteria in Italy.

What to order

Recent reviews point to a few dishes worth trying:

• Stuffed Schiacciata Romana: a thin, crisp flatbread filled with truffle and a cheese spread made with pecorino and mascarpone.
• Porchetta: baked pork belly stuffed with wild fennel and served with mustard. The skin should crackle.
• Tagliolini Gamberi: thin pasta with prawns, asparagus and a creamy prawn stock.
• Pesce del Mercato: the market fish of the day.
• Pistachio Tiramisu: a nutty take on the classic dessert.

Pizzas come out of the in-house ovens. Earlier reviews also mention eggplant parmigiana and a grilled pork chop. The drinks list includes the restaurant's own house wines. Note that several popular dishes contain pork.

The setting

The dining room is full of things to look at and feels more like a busy market than a formal restaurant. It is lively rather than quiet, which makes it good for groups, families and easy dates. HillV2 itself is a small neighbourhood mall with other shops and places to eat.

Getting there

The restaurant is at #02-01 HillV2, about a three-minute walk from Hillview MRT station on the Downtown Line. If you are new to the train system, our guide to using the MRT in Singapore covers fares and cards.

Nearby

Upper Bukit Timah is one of the greenest parts of Singapore. Pair lunch with a walk in Dairy Farm Nature Park or Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, or learn some wartime history at the Former Ford Factory. For another meal in the area, try Daisy's Dream Kitchen. You can also browse more European and Italian restaurants or other restaurants in Upper Bukit Timah.