The Place Located in the newest office building in the CBD, IOI Central Boulevard Towers, I checked out Sospiri restaurant located on level 7, an authentic Southern Italian restaurant and rooftop bar by renowned restaurateur Beppe De Vito of the ilLido Group. The name ‘Sospiri’ was inspired by De Vito’s favorite childhood dessert in Puglia, where the design of the space exudes Italian-Mediterranean vibes.  

As I walked towards the restaurant, I was first greeted by the Sospiri rooftop bar right beside Sospiri restaurant, where you get to enjoy drinks and bar bites with a view of the Singapore skyline, including Marina Bay Sands.

The restaurant space is spacious and seats up to 128 pax, where the interior combines warm colors and natural light. There is also a private dining room which accommodates up to 14 guests. 

The Food The menu here focuses on Southern Italian cuisine, and you can go for set menu or ala carte options. The weekday 3-course set lunch is priced from S$38++ per person, while dinner set menus is priced at S$78++ for 4-course and S$98++ for 5-course. 

For a start, the antipasti at Sospiri are all priced between S$18 and S$28 where I had the Battuta di Tonno (S$24) – Blue Fin Tuna Tartare with Amalfi Lemon, Salmoriglio and Pantelleria Capers. It comes with a side of thinly sliced crispy to spread the tuna tartare on, and portion is good to share for 2-3 pax.  

Other antipasti I had include the Burrata di Andria con la Vignarola (S$26) – Burrata Cheese with Broad Beans and Artichoke Salad, as well as the Capocollo di Martina Franca (S$28) – Apulian Cured Ham with Olive Pettole.

The most interesting bit for me is the Olive Pettole since it was my first time having this popular Puglia snack. It goes well with the cured ham, where the taste of Pettole is akin to fried fritters for me.   

On to pastas, I enjoyed the simple Chitarra Cacio e Pepe al Tartufo (S$32) – Homemade Spaghetti alla Chitarra with Black Truffle and Cacio & Pepe. There is a good balance of cheese and cream here, and it is not too cloying for me.

The portion is also good to share for 2-3 pax if you are planning to try a few more dishes. All pastas are priced between S$25 and S$35. 

I also had the Linguine di Gragnano al Granchio (S$35) – an equally savoury option where the linguine goes with Crab, San Marzano Tomatoes and Violetta Eggplants.  

No menu inspired by the South Italian coast would be complete without fish and meat dishes, priced between S$35 and S$48. I had the Orata al Limone (S$45), roasted seabream with cime di rapa and Amalfi lemon sauce, where the flavour of the seabream is fresh with the texture just right.

Alternatively, the Scaloppine al Marsala (S$36) is an interesting pork option with Mangalica pork loin scaloppine, cardoncelli mushrooms and marsala wine sauce. The pork loin here is very thinly sliced and the taste is quite rich from the marsala wine sauce as well.  

On to desserts which are priced between S$15 and S$18, you will find classics such as Diplomatica (S$18), a traditional dessert made with liquor-infused sponge and puff pastry topped with Italian meringue, and the signature Sospiri al Pistacchio (S$12), angel cake puffs with Bronte pistachio chantilly. 

If you just want something simple to end the meal, there is always Gelati & Sorbetti (S$8/scoop). 

Rants The dining space is quite open concept, so you have full visibility of who is sitting at the opposite end of the room.

Will I Return Again? It is an elegant dining space at Sospiri where prices are relatively competitive given its prime CBD location. The menu suits small groups or couples, and it is also nice that the restaurant focuses on Southern Italian cuisine rather than just being generic Italian.  

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Sospiri  
IOI Central Boulevard Towers, Level 7 
2 Central Boulevard 
Singapore 018916 

Opening Hours  
Lunch (Monday to Friday): 11.30am to 2.30pm 
Brunch (Saturday to Sunday): 11.30am to 3pm 
Dinner (Monday to Sunday): 6pm to 12am 

Ranted by The Ranter