Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar

The Verdict

If you are comparing Garibaldi to Singapore's newer wave of Italian restaurants, the honest answer is that it holds its own on the strength of its wine list and a menu broad enough to satisfy a group with conflicting tastes. It is not the most fashionable Italian address in the city, but it has been consistently ranked in the Opinionated About Dining Leading Restaurants in Asia list since at least 2023, reaching #324 in 2024 and #365 in 2025. For a first-timer weighing Italian options in Singapore, that track record matters more than hype.

What to Expect

Garibaldi sits at 36 Purvis Street in the Bras Basah area, a quiet stretch that puts some distance between you and the bustle of the Marina Bay restaurant corridor. The room is described as cosy and contemporary in style, which, for a first visit, means you should expect a polished but unpretentious setting rather than a grand dining room. Dress smart-casual; this is a $$$ cuisine price point (two-course meals running above S$66) housed in a neighbourhood that rewards slightly more than jeans-and-trainers without demanding a tie.

Owner and chef Roberto Galetti runs a deliberately wide menu. The philosophy is practical rather than precious: he wants every guest to find something familiar. Ossobuco, costoletta alla Milanese, tiramisu are among the signature dishes on record, all classics of northern Italian cooking executed to a standard that has kept the restaurant relevant for years. If you are visiting for the first time and are unsure where to start, those three dishes are the safest anchors for your order.

The lunch service runs 12 to 2 pm, dinner from 6 to 10 pm, Monday through Sunday. That consistent seven-day schedule is a practical advantage: Garibaldi does not close mid-week, which makes it easier to plan around. Booking is direct and difficulty is rated easy, so while you should not assume you can walk in on a busy Friday evening, you are unlikely to need more than a few days' notice for most slots.

The Wine List

The wine program is where Garibaldi clearly outpaces most Italian restaurants in Southeast Asia. Wine Director Antonio Valentini oversees a list of approximately 7,000 labels with a total inventory of around 13,530 bottles, with particular depth in Piedmont, Tuscany, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne. Wine pricing sits at $$$, meaning there are many bottles above S$100 on the list, but the range is broad enough to find options at lower price points. The corkage fee is S$60 if you choose to bring your own. For wine-focused diners, this list is a genuine reason to choose Garibaldi over alternatives with thinner cellars. Sommelier Bhim Dahal is available to guide selections, which is worth using given the scale of the list.

To put that in regional context: Italian restaurants with wine programs of this depth and provenance focus are rare in Singapore. If you are comparing Garibaldi to Art di Daniele Sperindio or Fiamma, the wine list is the clearest differentiator in Garibaldi's favour.

Lunch at Garibaldi

Given the editorial angle here, it is worth being direct: the lunch service is likely the better entry point for a first visit. The two-hour window (12 to 2 pm) keeps the meal structured, the classical Italian menu is well-suited to a midday format. Ossobuco and costoletta alla Milanese are both dishes that travel well into the lunch hour without feeling out of place. The wine list is fully available at lunch, which makes this a strong option for a business lunch or a midday meal where you want to eat and drink well without committing to a long evening. If you are comparing to a Saturday brunch at a hotel restaurant, Garibaldi at lunch offers more precise Italian cooking and a more serious wine program, even if it lacks the theatrical buffet spread.

How It Compares

Against other Italian options in Singapore: Buko Nero, Fico, and Solo each offer a tighter, more modern interpretation of Italian cooking. Garibaldi's advantage is its breadth and its wine program. For groups where not everyone wants a tasting menu format, the large Garibaldi menu is a practical win. For Italian dining globally, the standard is set by venues like 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong and Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles, but within Southeast Asia, Garibaldi competes on reputation and cellar depth more effectively than most. For Italian cooking in other Asian cities, see also cenci in Kyoto, PRISMA in Tokyo, Octavium in Hong Kong, and Il Ristorante-Niko Romito in Dubai.

Explore More in Singapore

For the full picture on dining, drinking, staying in Singapore: our full Singapore restaurants guide, our full Singapore hotels guide, our full Singapore bars guide, our full Singapore wineries guide, and our full Singapore experiences guide. For Italian cooking elsewhere in the region, see Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder and 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Shanghai.