What once used to be McDonald’s at a corner unit on the ground floor of Raffles City is now an Italian pizza joint. And while many were saddened to say goodbye to the iconic supper spot, it’s worth noting that Raffles City’s newest tenant is not just any pizza shop. Casa Vostra is helmed by chef Antonio Miscellaneo. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the chef behind Singapore’s best pizzeria – La Bottega Enoteca – ranked 19 in the coveted 50 Top Pizza Asia Pacific 2023 list.
The pizza brand first launched in 2023 as a delivery-only, ready-to-heat concept, which gained massive popularity and later ran a sold-out pop-up event at Ann Siang Hill in late 2023. Its wild success sparked the idea to launch a Casa Vostra dine-in store to make artisanal pizzas more accessible to the masses. And true to its word, the newly opened Raffles City outlet offers chef Antonio’s trademark Newpolitan pizzas at prices as low as $15.
The signature 11-inch pizzas are light, fluffy, and chewy as expected – thanks to the 48-hour proofing process – and come in a whopping 17 flavours in categories like red, white, and the highly-raved Doublecrunch pizza variation. The Gamberi pizza ($28) has a nice, airy texture and comes topped with fresh, plump Argentinian prawns, though it can do with a punchier and more flavourful sauce. For something richer, go for the Tartufo e Funghi ($22) which comes with a generous black truffle mushroom spread coating each slice for an earthy, savoury mouthful. Sticking to the basics? Classic flavours like Marinara ($15) and Margherita ($16) are also available.
You shouldn’t skip ordering the Doublecrunch pizzas too. There are only three flavours, but you’ll want to go straight for the Mortadella ($22). The crust on this looks sturdy, but it gives way with a satisfying crunch on the first bite. Tasty Mortadella slices and fresh burrata make up the stuffing, plus a special topping that in our opinion is what makes all the difference – pistachio bits.
And yes, pizzas may be the highlight at Casa Vostra, but we’d also make a case for the thoughtful antipasti and pasta selections. Chef Antonio is known for cooking up excellent frittatina (a traditional Neapolitan starter of fried pasta) over at La Bottega, and the ones here are also worth a shot. The frittatina lasagne ($8) is decent, but whether it can hold a candle to the legendary frittatina carbonara ($8) is up for takes. As for pasta, the crab tagliatelli ($26) impresses with al dente, freshly made noodles swimming in a slightly rich buttery sauce and generously topped with chunks of crab meat.
Casa Vostra is no La Bottega, but that’s the whole point of it – a casual dining concept in the heart of the city that still gives you a taste of artisanal, handmade pizzas at reasonable prices. In the words of chef Antonio himself, “Come to Casa Vostra if you want a great pizza, and go to La Bottega if you want an exceptional pizza.”