Locanda Brunch

Locanda, a casual Italian restaurant opened in July 2024 by the one-Michelin-starred Buona Terra, is named after the Italian word for “inn.” In Italy, travellers use these inns as a base to explore the countryside, which I assume would be craggy stone villages and rolling hills striped by vineyards. At Locanda’s home on Rowell Road in Little India, you can journey to an artisanal kombucha store, a darkened massage parlour, and the aptly named Drink.Drank.Drunk bar.

Rowell Road and the parallel Desker Road have a sordid past just a decade ago, and Locanda is a symbol of the neighbourhood’s gradual purification. Exposed brick walls and polished gold light fixtures suggest a hip trattoria. There isn’t an Italian grandmother in the kitchen, but there are ex-Buona Terra chefs William Bai and Anthony Chang stuffing you with hearty bread and slick pasta. Yet this kind of restaurant is still a rarity in the area that curious passersby regularly try to peek over the window curtains.

Snuggled in a calm corner of the vibrant Little India neighbourhood, the restaurant offers a quiet respite from the colourful chaos outside, just like its name, which is taken from the Italian word for “inn”, suggests. The service and ambience are warm, the red brick-lined walls and wooden tables are charming, and the menu’s Italian classics are a treat. In the spirit of true Italian hospitality, you’ll feel right at home here.

At the heart of Locanda is a deep love for pasta. From handmade ones to unique flavours, this much-adored dish takes the spotlight. It’s perfect for bigger groups to sample a variety of carb-tastic dishes, complemented by fresh seasonal produce and creations that take inspiration from regions across Italy.

Locanda Soft Roll

Charcoal Grilled Squid

If you like authentic Italian pasta (casual), and an extensive wine list - this is it.

The dishes we ordered are specials of the day. The tonarelli squid ink with bamboo clam was exquisite at 8/10

The duck ragu rigatoni was par excellence at 8/10

The Orecchiette with spicy sausage was just how an Italian nonna would have it 8/10

Then to the specials. The salt baked 1kg turbot. It doesn’t get better than this - olive oil an garlic lemon aoli with fresh French turbot. This was also 8/10