For years, Acqua e Farina has been one of those proper ‘if you know, you know’ Italian restaurants. Tucked away in sleepy Rail Mall, it has quietly won over west-siders with generous portions, fair prices and the kind of warmth that makes you feel like a regular by your second visit.
After close to a decade of feeding its loyal following, the team made a quiet but confident move into the city with a second outlet in Keong Saik earlier this year. Unlike many of its Italian CBD counterparts, there’s no influencer circus and no opening-week queues – just the same hospitality and carb-forward cooking that built its reputation in the first place.
The vibe
Acqua e Farina Keong Saik keeps things deliberately unfussy. The space is bright and welcoming, with pastel green seating, warm blond wood floors and a cheery yellow accent wall that lifts the room. There’s a terracotta-toned bar, shelves lined with Italian bottles, and plenty of communal tables designed for sharing plates and conversation.
My Saturday lunch visit leans heavily family-oriented, with multi-generational tables and lively chatter filling the room. If you’re after something more intimate, weekday evenings are the sweet spot for date night. It's neighbourhood dining through and through – convivial and far more interested in feeding you well than chasing clout.
The food
At the helm of Acqua e Farina are chefs Antonio Manetto, from a small town near Naples, and Roberto Galbiati, a Milan native. Together, they embody the north–south dialogue of Italian cuisine, and it’s this conversation that defines the menu.
Northern Italian cooking tends to favour richness – think creamy sauces, butter, rice and cured meats – while southern cuisine draws on seafood, tomatoes and punchy Mediterranean flavours. You’ll find both sides in easy harmony here.
Every table starts with a complimentary basket of warm bread served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a nice, welcoming gesture, but consider this your warning to pace yourself. There’s plenty to work through on the menu.
Order a few antipasti to share. The tegamino con cipolle, asparagi e guanciale ($33) is a crowd favourite, pairing sweet braised onions and crisp asparagus with salty, pan-fried guanciale. For pastas and risottos, the risotto ai ricci di mare e bottarga ($37) is a must-order. Unapologetically indulgent, each grain of Vialone Nano rice is soaked in sea urchin broth and lifted by briny bottarga. Equally satisfying is the linguine con aragostine e zucchine ($36), where generous chunks of crayfish, zucchini and cherry tomatoes are tossed through a rich, luscious crayfish bisque.
Pizzas are chef Antonio’s speciality, and even in a year crowded with new pizza openings, Acqua e Farina still serves some of our favourite pies in town. The dough is made with two types of flour directly imported from Italy and fermented for 36 hours before it's hand-pressed before baking, resulting in a base that’s chewy, flavourful and light enough to keep you reaching for another slice.
For something special, go straight for the montanara ($37). This twice-cooked Neapolitan speciality, unique to the Keong Saik outlet, is first fried then baked, arriving crisp-edged and generously topped with tomato sauce, sausage, ’nduja and burrata. Beyond that, the menu runs deep with classic pizzas, calzones and a folded pizza boat – a Sicilian speciality – so you won’t be short of options.
Dessert sticks to comforting classics like hot chocolate lava cake, tiramisù and gelato. If decision-making isn’t your strong suit, the dessert platter ($20) lets you sample crème brûlée, lava cake, panna cotta and tiramisù in mini portions.
So, does the CBD really need another pizza-and-pasta Italian joint? In the case of Acqua e Farina, we’d say hell yes and we’re very glad we no longer have to trek west for this gem.
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