La Nonna

La Nonna is an Italian trattoria on Lorong Mambong, the restaurant street at the centre of Holland Village. It opened in 2006. The name means grandmother in Italian, and the cooking follows that idea. Expect hearty, rustic dishes in the style of Italian country kitchens, with a leaning towards Tuscany.

The menu follows the Italian seasons, and the restaurant refreshes it roughly every quarter. Seasonal specials run alongside the regular dishes.

What to order

The menu is long, so it helps to know the house favourites. Dishes often picked out by the restaurant and by reviewers include:

• La Nonna pizza, the house pizza
• Linguine al granchio, a crabmeat linguine
• Agnello, a grilled rack of lamb with vegetables
• Caprese or the cold cuts platter to start

Beyond these, there are about ten pizzas. They range from margherita and diavola to a five-cheese pizza, a calzone and a vegan vegetable pizza. A separate section of dishes from the wood oven covers lasagne, parmigiana, baked macaroni and cheese, and a cauliflower gratin.

Pastas and risottos include saffron risotto, gnocchi alla sorrentina, truffle taglierini and pappardelle with oxtail. Mains include roast pork porchetta, cod, sea bass baked in a parcel, rib-eye beef and lamb. For dessert, choose from tiramisu, panna cotta, lava cake, apple cake, lemon cake, gelato and sorbet.

The setting

A traditional bronze oven is the focal point of the dining room. Around it you will find dark wood, taupe walls and old Italian posters. Shelves hold antique lamps and wine bottles. The result feels like a country kitchen with a few modern touches. There is outdoor seating too, which suits a relaxed lunch or an evening drink.

The wine list is mostly Italian, with a few bottles from France and New Zealand. There is beer, including Italy's Peroni, plus spirits and Italian liqueurs such as limoncello and grappa. A daily happy hour runs in the early evening.

Good to know before you go

• Book through the La Nonna website or by phone.
• The restaurant often runs lunch and takeaway deals, so check its promotions page before you go.
• Families are welcome. La Nonna runs a Sunday offer for children, so check the website for the current terms.
• Vegan diners can order the vegetable pizza, which is marked vegan on the menu.
• Delivery across Singapore is available through delivery partners.

Getting there

La Nonna is at 26 and 26B Lorong Mambong. The nearest MRT station is Holland Village on the Circle Line. Take Exit A and walk a few minutes to Lorong Mambong. Several bus routes stop nearby, and the closest car park is off Warna Road.

Nearby

Holland Village has plenty more places to eat and drink. Read our guide to Dempsey Hill and Holland Village, or browse all restaurants in Dempsey, Tanglin and Holland. The Singapore Botanic Gardens are two stops away on the Circle Line, which makes a morning walk and an Italian lunch an easy pairing. Dempsey Hill is a short taxi ride away. For more pasta and pizza, see our list of European and Italian restaurants in Singapore.