Famed US pizzeria Roberta’s has landed in Singapore. Here’s what to expect

Do we need another pizzeria in Singapore? Roberta’s says yes.

Joining other New-York born pizza parlours that’ve set up shop in Singapore is the laid-back 44-seater joint in the iconic Marina Bay Sands, wedged right between fellow celebrated restaurants db Bistro & Oyster Bar by Daniel Boulud and Mott 32.

For the uninitiated, Roberta’s was founded in the edgy neighbourhood of Bushwick in Brooklyn, New York back in 2007, and is best known for its thin crust base and chewy cornicione Neapolitan-style pizzas.

“When we looked at expanding into Asia, Singapore was the perfect place for our first outpost. The city has a truly vibrant F&B scene, and we believe we are able to build a Roberta’s community in Singapore,” says Brandon Hoy, co-founder and co-owner of Roberta’s Pizza. “Marina Bay Sands is an iconic location and a great starting point for us. Our key objective is to continue building a dynamic operating team as we scale up in Singapore and regionally. We feel this is the best way for us to grow.”

The restaurant will offer the full range of pizzas and salads from Roberta’s menu, sans the pasta and desserts which are currently only available at its US outlets. If you’re wondering about the quality, don’t fret. While a local team will be running the operations here, they’ve spent time training at both the Bushwick and Los Angles locales to bring guests in Singapore the most authentic experience possible.

Listen: if Queen Bey‘s a fan of the pies here, then we’d best be trying it out for ourselves. Read on for everything to expect at Roberta’s Singapore.

The pizzas

Here’s a TLDR of Roberta’s signature wood-fired thin pizza crust. While it does take inspiration from the Neapolitan pizza, the pizzeria crafts a sturdy, chewy crust instead of the traditional, pliable texture to make it easier for diners to eat the pies with their hands.

The naturally leavened dough first begins with a blend of Double Zero and Prima flour, without any commercial yeast. Fun fact: The natural starter used here is actually from the same culture of wild yeast that went into the making of the brand’s first pizza crusts back in 2007, and the same mother dough was specially brought into Singapore for Roberta’s here.

After letting the dough rest for a couple of days (best at three days, we heard!), it’s sent to the same hybrid wood-gas Pavesi oven that’s used in its sister outlets for a quick 90-second stint at about 800° Fahrenheit (426° Celcius).

Roberta’s has 10 pizzas on its menu, with classics like the Rosso (tomato, garlic, basil and oregano) and the Margherita for those who like to stick to timeless flavours. For a little twist with the same red base, we recommend the Famous Original, a New York favourite that’s a combination of three cheeses — smooth mozzarella, sharp Parmigiano and smoky caciocavallo — as well as oregano and chillies. Want to take it to the next level? Roberta’s Los Angeles’ bestseller, The Bee Sting, is a tangy blend of tomato, mozzarella, Calabrese salami and basil, crowned with housemade chilli oil and honey.

Vegetarians aren’t forgotten of course. Baby Sinclair — named after one of the main characters in the early-1990s Disney television series, Dinosaurs — features a union of cheddar, dinosaur kale, mushrooms, Calabrese peppers and garlic. Your meat-loving friends will love this mildly spicy number too, we promise.

We’ve had a number of slices at this point, so we were worried about the Cheesus Christ coming next. Three cheeses? Alarm bells were ringing in our stomachs — until it arrived at our table, that is. This was a personal favourite, despite the heavy cream, mozzarella, Taleggio and Parmigiano in the blend. The winning ingredient though was a generous scattering of Tellicherry pepper, which added a beautiful aroma to the pie and cut through the potential greasiness of the cheese. Think a cacio e pepe, but on a pizza.

The sides

The 12-inch pies may be the main draw for diners, but what’s a shared meal without some sides? If you’re getting a serving of the House Bread — a chewy, hollow ball that uses the same dough as its pizzas — you’ll have to make a tough decision. Traditionalists will stick to the delightfully creamy homemade Cultured Butter option, while burrata fans will fall in love with the silky, homemade Stracciatella. We’re big gluttons here, so we’re making a case for both, which means you’ll need a couple more friends at the table.

To ease off the guilt from all the carbs you’ll be inhaling, order a serving of greens. The refreshing Green Lettuce Salad comes in a massive bowl, and is packed with crispy little gem lettuce and mixed herbs tossed in sea lettuce vinaigrette, before a finishing flurry of caper breadcrumbs and tangy grated Pecorino is added to the mix.

If you’re not up for classics, the Smashed Cucumber Salad is a surprisingly delightful alternative that’s worth a try too. Here, the cold, crunchy vegetable is mixed with fermented garlic paste, Korean Chilli, herbs and spicy seeds for a tasty rendition of the Asian classic.

Roberta’s Singapore is located at B1-45/46, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. It is open daily from 11am to 11pm (last order at 10pm). Walk-ins and takeaway only. Reservations are not available.