Live la dolce vita (Italian saying for ‘the good life’) at Da Paolo Dempsey Restaurant & Bar, Da Paolo Group’s flagship, all-day experiential lifestyle destination. Spanning 5,000 square feet, the multi-concept space features a restaurant, cocktail bar, and retail haven – a retreat amidst the idyllic and verdant Dempsey Hill. Savour an authentic Italian experience curated around modern-day lifestyles and palates with elevated Italian staples of food and drinks.
A local and homegrown brand, Da Paolo is now led by the second generation who continues a 33-year family legacy. In an amalgamation of its multiple concepts launched over the decades, Da Paolo Dempsey Restaurant & Bar was conceptualised by the Scarpa siblings, Andrea and Francesca Scarpa, as well as the latter’s husband, Guillaume Pichoir.
2019 saw the opening of this immersive concept that encapsulates the family’s fond memories and experiences of their Italian summers in an epicurean affair.
Inspired by the Scarpa’s abode in South Italy, be transported to the spirited summers of Italy in a lush space imbued with nature’s bounty. Bask in natural sunlight amongst lemons, olive trees and gorgeous turquoise shimmer of the sea. Teeming with a warm and energetic atmosphere, matched with the effusive Italian hospitality, one immediately feels right at home – the Scarpa’s home.
Housed in an airy, high-ceilinged conserved building, the space is enlivened with pockets of luxuriant foliage unique to Dempsey Hill, overhanging Sicilian lemons, and an upside-down olive tree with preserved bark that pays homage to the family’s olive plantation. Its interior evokes a rustic Italian charm with rattan chairs, terrazzo-top tables, as well as multi-coloured lemon-printed majolica tiles that line the floor and long wooden dining tables.
A striking blue and orange Campari mural draws guests back to the bar’s focus on Italians’ favourite pastime, Aperitivo Hour. On breezier days, be one with nature and unwind with a cocktail in the spacious patio area that takes shade with bamboo blinds. These elements come together seamlessly for a fresh, exuberant experience synonymous with days of a quintessentially Italian summer.
Relationships are forged over food and at the heart of Da Paolo’s epicurean offerings lie the beloved Italian proverb – ‘tavola non si invecchia’ or translating to ‘at the table with family and friends, one does not grow old’. Put together by Andrea Scarpa, Group Executive Chef for Da Paolo Group, only the best Italian produce make up the honest-to-goodness menu that will take guests from breakfast to lunch, dinner and everything in between.
Start the day early and fuel up with a hearty brunch of Spicy Italian Shakshouka ($29); brimming with free-range eggs, homemade Italian meatballs, chorizo, Nduja (spicy no-case pork salami), charred eggplant and chickpeas - dig in Scarpetta-style like the Italians do and sop up its aromatic tomato sauce with the accompanying house-made wood-fired sourdough.
The Pork Sausage Scotch Egg ($27) is another soul-satisfying choice. Generously served atop smoky wood-fired sourdough toast is creamy ricotta and smashed green peas, sweet roasted baby carrots, mint leaves, grated pecorino, and crowned with a deep-fried, juicy pork sausage Scotch egg with an oozing yolk.
Cooked upon order with fresh, house-made egg pastas, relish signatures like the Ravioli di Magro ($27), that sees toothsome handmade egg pasta filled with ricotta and spinach and glazed with fragrant sage-infused brown butter. The Gnocchi al Gorgonzola ($29) highlights pillowy bite-sized potato gnocchi coated in velvety smooth gorgonzola sauce and topped with nutty toasted hazelnuts – an elevated classic combination.
A must-have is the Slipper Lobster Risotto ($37). Perfectly cooked, al dente Carnaroli rice is enriched with a flavoursome sauce of reduced lobster bisque and Italian tomato sauce made from scratch, then finished with succulent chunks of sauteed slipper lobster. A gluten-free pasta option is also available ($3++).
Reminiscent of a homely and lively trattoria, watch the trained chefs expertly hand-stretch Da Paolo’s wood-fired Naples-style pizza at the live pizza station. Crafted with a special blend of Italian flour, the dough incorporates a slow fermentation process between 48 to 72 hours, yielding a dough with not only great flavours but one that is easily digestible and nutritious. Lightly dusted with semolina flour for extra crunch, the pizzas are then baked in a custom rotary wood-fired oven, with each pizza delivering a perfectly crispy crust and chewy centre.
Rosso and Bianca pizza options abound and not to be missed from the selection is the glorious, not four but 8 Cheese ($37). The Bianca base begins with a Chef’s selection of eight types of cheese ranging from Mozzarella to Blue cheese, Ricotta, Smoked cheese, Saffron cheese, Pecorino, and more. Complementing its decadence are toppings of smoked date cream, truffle honey, and freshly cracked black pepper. Those seeking to indulge can choose to add shavings of fresh Italian truffles at a seasonal price.
Exclusive to the restaurant, the Wholesome Kale Bowls feature a variety of proteins such as chicken, lamb, and salmon, as well as plant-based and gluten-friendly picks. The wellness-conscious will lean towards the nourishing and sumptuous Impossible Mediterranean Meatballs ($30) chockfull of Impossible Beef Meatballs, cauliflower gnocchi, raw broccoli and kale salad, and lashings of Greek yoghurt.
Head over to the counter to discover the fresh bakes and desserts of the day on display. Available all day, Da Paolo churns out a wide range of cakes, from the Marsala wine-laced house specialty, Tiramisu ($17/portion), to the crowd-pleasing Flourless Chocolate Mud Cake ($11/slice) with layers of moist chocolate cake and rich Valrhona chocolate ganache.
Ideal for breakfast, a late afternoon snack, or a dessert especially when paired with Da Paolo’s gelato, the highly popular croissant-doughnut hybrid Crodo comes in flavours like Chocolate Hazelnut or Glazed ($6.50/$5.50), while the chunky Scones ($6.50) entice with moreish varieties such as Chocolate Chip and Blueberry White Chocolate.
Re-energise with Da Paolo Classico Blend Coffee served as a classic Espresso ($5) or in the refreshing Iced Caffe Shakerato ($8). The house coffee is crafted using a special blend of Arabica and Robusta beans which have been roasted and cooled in the pristine air of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site set within the Northern Italian Alps.
As the sun sets, whet the appetite with delicious drinks and snacks during Aperitivo Hour. Inspired by the stories and traditions of Italy, cocktail aficionados can sip on lip-smacking Italian-inspired libations, such as the refreshing Bridge Of Sighs ($24) with prosecco and blood orange, a Bellini-style Sinking City ($22), or the dessert-like Cocco Bello ($24) concocted with coconut rum, sweet vermouth, dates, and chocolate. Alternatively, kick back with the Porthole By You ($49), as Da Paolo’s bartenders guide you along a fun experience of customising a unique cocktail infuser.
A curated list of mid to high-end Italian, French and New World wines is available both on retail, and for enjoyment at the restaurant. Guests can peruse and purchase the wines at retail prices and add a corkage fee of $28++ to enjoy the bottle over a meal at Da Paolo Dempsey Restaurant & Bar.
Also available are natural wines from France with unique picks such as the biodynamic Château La Grave Fronsac ($105 per bottle) from the iconic Paul Barre winery in Bordeaux. Another noteworthy mention is the historic label Ferrari Brut Trento DOC ($18 per glass, $88 per bottle) from Italy, which is currently the most awarded traditional method sparkling wine in the world and the official toast of Formula One. Hop lovers will take to the Italian premium craft beers from Collesi ($19, 500ml), listed exclusively at Da Paolo Dempsey Restaurant & Bar.
Complete the Aperitivo experience with Antipasti – think an irresistible Italian Salumi & Cheese Board (minimum 3 types of 70g each, price by weight) of prized, cured meat with crackers, fruits and nuts; the Fritto Misto ($62) with lightly battered seafood and seasonal vegetables, as well as the Homemade Meatballs ($20) or Hummus Dip ($21) served with house-made sourdough toast.
Recreate the many delectable moments from the restaurant in the comforts of home. Specially curated and hand-picked by the Scarpa family, the retail section is extensively stocked with artisan Italian gourmet offerings of cold cuts, cheeses, fresh pastas and accompanying signature sauces, desserts, and more. Specialities include Malt & Whisky ($28/100g) – a cheese coated with whisky and malt barley, high-quality San Daniele Ham ($16.50 per 100g) and house-made Pistachio Tiramisu ($18).
The best is yet to crumb with a collection of breads like the Wood-fired Sourdough Stirato ($5 per loaf) baked fresh daily at the restaurant, as well as the White and Wholemeal Sourdough Loaves. These sourdough variations of Italian-style and Italian-inspired breads are but a selection of an expanded bread range offered at Da Paolo’s café-deli concept, Da Paolo Gastronomia and its eight outlets in Singapore. The versatile breads are conveniently sized, and great on their own or paired with condiments from the ever-giving retail selection.
An artisanal gelato counter offers respite and a go-to for any sweet cravings, with 18 flavours house-churned with Italian ingredients such as the redolent Sicilian Pistachio made of Bronte pistachios, and Dark Chocolate featuring eight types of cacao from around the world. Have it with a crunchy cone ($8 per scoop), in a take-away tub ($25 per tub), or have Da Paolo blend it into a decadent Milkshake ($15) with a flavour of your choice.
The brand’s homemade gelato is made in collaboration with Chocolat Milano, a 60-year-old artisanal Italian gelato brand. A favourite of the Scarpas as their family home in Milan is mere steps away from Chocolat, so a visit to the shop became a daily ritual for a delicious cold treat made fresh with quality ingredients and original recipes.
From its humble beginnings as a small trattoria in 1989, Da Paolo has now become a household name for serving quintessential Italian cuisine, and with each new opening, the group continually raises the authentic Italian experience to new heights.
a. #01-13 Dempsey Rd, Blk 8, Singapore 247696
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