Restaurant review: Celebrity favourite Roberta's Pizza opens first international outlet in Marina Bay Sands

Crispy crust, stringy gooey cheese, and tomato sauce that tangoes with tastebuds — not many can master the science behind a well-balanced oven-kissed pizza. But when a pizza place attracts the likes of American icons including Bill and Hillary Clinton, as well as Beyonce and Jay-Z, it should be good — and it was.

Brooklyn’s famed pizza joint Roberta’s Pizza has opened its doors at The Shoppes in Marina Bay Sands. First established in 2007 in a cinder block warehouse in Bushwick, Roberta’s has welcomed diners with wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas for over a decade. Now, the brand’s first international outlet in the heart of Singapore’s most luxurious landmark offers the same full range of its culinary arsenal at affordable prices.

Before you sink your teeth into a pie though, it’s likely you’ll take stock of its interiors.

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Just like its American counterpart, the Singapore space is embellished with vibrant artworks by New York-based painter Jason Woodside and is also debuting the funky artworks of Singaporean pop artist Andre Tan in his latest instalment called CAMOCITY. In fact, the artist’s titling piece Melting Pop takes centre stage as it greets diners at the outlet’s show window.

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If you want to be part of the action, take a seat along the bar skirting the open kitchen and work stations of the pizza masters at work. See pizza dough being twirled in mid-air and tossed into a Pavesi oven. While you wait, the opposite walls decked out in photos from the brand’s outlets in the US will draw your attention — bonus points if you can spot the celebrities we mentioned earlier!

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Get your feet wet at Roberta’s Pizza with the Stracciatella with House Bread ($15). A perfect start to the carb-heavy feast, the airy bread — baked to order — is made using the same dough as its famed pizzas, and accompanies a soft, creamy, and fresh burrata.

Lighter options include the delightfully mouth-watering Smashed Cucumbers ($12), a zesty starter pickled with Korean chilli and spicy seeds served with fermented garlic paste, and the Chicory Salad ($16) sporting a refreshing orange tang and crunchy gremolata breadcrumbs.

White taking inspiration from Neapolitan pizza, Roberta’s ditches ditches the pliable base for a sturdy, chewy crust, making it easier for diners to eat with their hands. The secret to their signature wood-fired thin pizzas, though, is their natural starter and the dough recipe that they’ve safeguarded over the past 15 years.

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For something comforting and classic, look no further than the The Famous Original ($26). Atop the light and airy base, the tomato base is paired with three types of warm voluptuous cheeses — mozzarella, parmigiano and caciocavallo — that sing in perfect harmony.

The Bee Sting ($28) surprises with salty calabrese salami, and honey-derived sweet flavours that complemented the spicy kick of chilli after each bite, while carnivores can munch on Speckenwolf ($29), loaded with smoky, savoury speck that play off against sweet caramelised red onions and umami mushrooms.

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Wash it all down with their House Arnold Palmer, a balanced mix of house-made lemonade and earl grey iced tea, at just $5.

Though we didn’t manage to taste the pastas and dessert just yet, the restaurant has managed to satisfy our cravings with its homey vibes and good food. Roberta’s has now brought a slice of authentic Brooklyn-style pizza to the heart of the city — and frankly, we can’t quite get enough.

Roberta’s Pizza is located at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, B1-45/46, Galleria Level. Open daily from 11am to 11pm.

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This article was first published in City Nomads.