The 10 best Italian restaurants to try in the Klang Valley

Italian food is probably one of the most popular cuisines in the world, so much so that every country has their own localised versions of traditional dishes. Chain pizza outlets are everywhere— they’re probably your go-to when having a house gathering or when you’re too tired to cook. They’re extremely convenient too. All you have to do is place an order online, and an hour later, you get warm pizza at your doorstep. 

Most households have their own staple pasta dish too. Inspired by the simplicity of aglio e olio, many cook pasta with whatever they have in their pantry. Kind of like mee goreng, but with spaghetti or penne.

Fusion restaurants tend to marry Asian flavours with Italian cooking methods too, bringing forth delicacies like tom yum pasta, masak lemak cili api pasta, and lamb ragout and mango chutney pizza.Although we’re constantly surrounded by Italian food that’s easily accessible, it’s nice to have some authentic dishes every once in a while. With that, here are 10 must-try Italian restaurants in the Klang Valley with delizioso eats.

1. Ciao Ristorante

Ciao Ristorante, founded in 1991, is run by an Italian man whose passion for the F&B industry remained when he moved to Malaysia. Not only does the restaurant serve authentic Italian cuisine, it’s also a popular venue for intimate weddings and events. 

They offer dishes that may be difficult to find elsewhere, like Gnocchi al Gorgonzola (RM58), a plate of gnocchi covered in rich Italian blue cheese sauce, and Ravioli di Carne ai Funghi (RM58), a beef cheek ravioli dish with mushroom sauce. 

Seabass fillet cooked with herbs, capers, anchovies, white wine, and tomato sauce, listed as Branzino al Cartoccio (RM72) is available here too. If you’ve ever wanted to try the coveted delicacy foie gras, check out their Filetto di Manzo alla Rossini (RM188), a pan-fried beef tenderloin with port wine sauce and vegetables. 

Ciao serves classic pizzas like Margherita (RM38) and Napoletana (RM42), as well as their house special CIAO (RM52) that comes with dried salted beef, asiago, mushrooms, and drizzled with truffle oil.

20A, Jalan Kampung Pandan, Off, Jln Tun Razak, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+603 9285 4827
Mon to Fri: 12pm – 2.30pm & 5pm – 10.30pm
Sat & Sun: 5pm – 10.30pm
Facebook | Instagram | Website

2. Ciccio

Ciccio celebrates the warmth of Italy with its rustic decor and traditional recipes. They’re mostly known for their pizzas that are still cooked in a wood-fire oven.

When it comes to their pizzas, they truly have something for everyone. They have pizzas like Porchetta (RM42) that’s topped with mozzarella, touch of cream, roasted pork belly, and rocket, Salmone (RM48), a pizza served with smoked salmon, capers, and semi-dried tomatoes, as well as Capricciosa (RM45), which comes with cooked ham, artichokes, mushrooms, and black olives.

The eatery also has homemade pasta and risotti. Try out their Ravioli Pesce (RM52), a seafood ravioli dish with prawns, cooked in white wine and cherry tomato sauce, or their Risotto ai Funghi (RM88 for 2 pax) that’s prepared with mushrooms and truffle essence. 

Their pasta menu includes dishes like Rigatoni Salsiccia e Radicchio (RM42), which comes with Italian sausages, beef bacon, and red chicory, and classic Spaghetti Meatballs (RM42) made using beef and pork meatballs.

15, Changkat Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+603 2141 8605
Daily: 5pm – 12am
Facebook | Instagram | Website

3. Luce Osteria Contemporanea

Luce Osteria Contemporanea prides itself in serving true and authentic Italian wood-fired pizzas. Their pizza menu is extensive, featuring 55 homemade pizzas in addition to other classic Italian dishes. 

With both classic and specialty pizzas, the restaurant definitely knows how to satisfy every taste bud that comes through the door. Their classic menu alone lists 17 items— they have the likes of Quattro Stagioni (RM48), a pizza with honey baked ham, pork sausage, button mushrooms, and artichokes, and Calabria (RM40) that’s topped with spicy sausage, red onion, and black olives.

If you live by the saying “go big or go home”, check out their specialty pizza named Santra (RM108), as not only is the pizza shaped like a star, it also comes with smoked salmon, scallops, tiger prawns, and rocket salad. Following the seafood theme, they even have Pescatora (RM44) served with black mussels, white clams, tiger prawns, squid, scallops, and baby octopus.

10, Lorong Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6019 202 6908
Daily: 12pm – 1am
Facebook | Instagram | Website

4. Aposto

Located in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Aposto serves up Italian cuisine with a more modern flair. The restaurant’s name comes from the saying “tutto posto”, meaning “everything’s good”. Here, Chef Chu Wei Sin has created a menu using the freshest ingredients.

The pasta at Aposto is made by hand daily. They have Duck & Olive Mandilli (RM68) made with duck that’s been braised for 18 hours, green olives, parmigiano reggiano cream served on a bed of herbed handkerchief pasta, as well as White Corn & Gorgonzola Ravioli (RM62), a plate of corn and mascarpone filled ravioli topped with gorgonzola cream sauce.

Other items you can find here are their Galician Octopus Carpaccio (RM68), a platter of thinly sliced octopus with seaweed crisp, tomatoes, and citrus gel, and the Hokkaido Uni & Scallop Risotto (RM290), a seafood risotto that features uni, scallop sashimi, ikura, and lumpfish caviar— how fancy!

38, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6010 282 4990
Tue to Sun: 5.30pm – 11pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

5. Luciano’s Italian Street Food

For those looking for a casual dining spot, Luciano’s Italian Street Food is the Italian restaurant for you. This cosy eatery takes on a less daunting approach to the cuisine, making it a great choice if you want to pop by for a quick and delicious meal.

Their pizzas differ from other places as theirs is served in smaller rectangles. They have regular and gourmet slices, so you can choose to relish in simplicity or add a little zest to your bite. What’s the difference between a Pepperoni Pizza (RM16.50) and a Pepperoni Gourmet Pizza (RM19.50), you may ask? The regular pepperoni uses a tomato sauce base and is topped with beef pepperoni and mozzarella cheese, while its gourmet sibling has added ingredients like caramelised onions in balsamic vinegar and roasted peppers.

They also have weekly specials. In the past, they’ve served Penne Pasta in Tomato Spicy Sauce (RM17.99), Beef Lasagna (RM32.99), and Butter Parmesan Arancini Stuffed with Cream Cheese (RM5).

Lot 1.145A & 1.72B, Ground Floor, Wisma Central, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6010 244 0771
Tue to Fri: 11am – 8pm
Sat & Sun: 12pm – 9pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram

6. a’Roma Dinings

a’Roma Dinings is located in the charming town of Taman Paramount, an area filled with good food, cafes, and secondhand shops. Founded in 2015, they’ve always strived to bring the authentic Italian experience to customers.

Start your meal with one of their artisanal breads that’s made in house; Foccacia (RM15), Ciabatta (RM15), and Brioche (RM18). They have a wide range of appetisers to choose from, like Esgargot (RM46) and their Charcuterie Platter (RM75) featuring mordatella bologna, milano salami, 20-month aged prosciutto di parma, and serrano jamon.

The pasta here is made fresh daily using Italian flour and kampung eggs. a’Roma offers dishes like Cassarecce with Iberico Pork Ragu (RM46), Fettuccine with Saffron Butter Sauce (RM54) topped with Iberico pork ragu, and Roman Style Semolina Gnocchi (RM52) served with a four cheese sauce.

1, Jalan 20/14, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
+603 7865 9829
Tue to Thu: 5.30pm – 10pm
Fri to Sun: 11.30am – 2.30pm & 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Closed on Mon
Facebook | Instagram | Website

7. La Risata

La Risata has 2 locations, one in Ampang and another in Medan Damansara. This Italian restaurant’s can be translated to “the laughter”, which perfectly describes the liveliness of the eatery. La Risata first opened its doors to the public in 1996 and is known for their hearty Italian cuisine.

They have quite an extensive menu featuring pizzas like Pizza Pesce Affumicato (RM37) made of smoked salmon, smoked red tuna, smoked snow fish, mozzarella, rocket, and cream, as well as Pizza Polpo Brasato (RM33), a squid ink pizza topped with braised baby octopus and beef bacon. 

The eatery has other mains such as Pappardelle al Ragu D’Agnello (RM33), fresh pasta ribbons with lamb ragu, Spaghetti con Arragosto (RM43) that’s served with lobster, and Gnochetti di Spinaci con Timballo Verdure (RM35), a spinach gnocchi dish with vegetables timbale in tomato, cheese,and butter sauce.

For a list of locations, contact numbers and opening hours, refer here.
Facebook | Instagram | Website

8. Enorme Italian Restaurant

Located in Petaling Jaya, Enorme serves pizzas, pastas, and even steaks. Enorme is the Italian word for “huge”.

Enorme serves set lunches between 12 to 2pm on weekdays. Their set lunches come with iced lemon tea, their soup of the day, and dessert. You can choose between dishes like Al Funghi Pizza (RM22.10) that’s topped with button mushrooms and honey baked ham, BBQ Pork Chop (RM28.33), or Aglio Olio with Bacon Spaghetti (RM23.10). 

One thing that sets Enorme apart is that they offer different portion sizes for their pizzas and pastas. The pizzas are available in extra small, large, and enorme, while the pastas can be served in platters or in regular plates. 

The restaurant has pizzas like Prosciutto Di Parma (RM21.13-RM145.17) which features parma ham, and Pancetta Amante (RM19.03-RM133.09) with crispy bacon, pineapple, and onions. Not only do they serve the standard pasta dishes like Bolognese (RM35.22 – RM68.29), they also have Maiale Scaloppine (RM42.67-RM83.22) that comes with pork tenders, and Anatra (RM44.26-RM87.33), made with pulled duck confit and sun-dried tomatoes. 

P-G-20, Podium PJ Centrestage, No.1, Jalan 13/1, Seksyen 13, Pjs 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
+603 7661 0651
Mon: 6pm – 10pm
Tue to Sun: 12pm- 3pm & 6pm – 10pm
Facebook | Instagram | Website

9. Fellini Ristorante & Caffe

Fellini Ristorante & Cafe uses a more approachable angle to Italian cuisine. Their menu is straightforward and easy to read without sacrificing the authentic Italian experience. 

Before you feast on your bowl of pasta, sample some Italian cold cuts and cheese with their Calabrese Platter (RM69 for 2 pax, RM120 for 4 pax) or graze on local cold cuts like pepperoni and grilled sausage slices with the Local Platter (RM49 for 2 pax, RM88 for 4 pax). You can also nibble on their Bruschetta (RM22). 

If you think there’s only one way to make aglio olio, think again. Fellini lets customers decide how they want their garlic and olive oil pasta to be made. Diners can choose Peperoncino (RM25), Vegetables (RM35), Bacon (RM39), among others. The same applies to their Carbonara.

Other pasta dishes served at this Italian restaurant include Coda di Bue (RM38) that uses a sauce made from slow-cooked oxtail, Fettuccine Salmone (RM39), and classics like Arrabiata (RM27) and Al Pesto (RM36).

119, Jalan Gasing, Seksyen 10, 46000 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
+6012 655 7710
Tue to Sun: 11.30am – 4pm & 6pm – 10.30pm
Closed on Mon
Instagram

10. GOODDAM

GOODDAM is an Italian-inspired restaurant led by Chef Daniel Yap. As the eatery focuses on making the most of seasonal local produce, their menu is rotational; it changes every quarter. 

From May to Jul 2023, GOODDAM’s all-day lunch menu includes Pork Meatball Fettuccine (RM40) and Duck Confit Garganelli (RM40) with zucchini and padano cheese. 

This quarter carries the theme of Spring-Summer in Lombardy, serving 2 or 3 course meals for lunch, and 3 course meals for dinner. This seasonal menu offers Truffle Mushroom Risotto, Pumpkin Tortelli, Wagyu Tenderloin MB7, and many more. 

They also have a vegetarian menu that features plant-based eats like Cauliflower Steak and Chickpea ‘Meatball’ Fettuccine. You get to complete your meal with a dessert of choice, either their Brown Butter Milk Ice Cream with tomato and gooseberry mostarda, or the GOODDAM Tiramisu.

This season, their weekend 2-course lunch starts from RM100, the 3-course dinner is priced at RM205, and the vegetarian dinner is RM185.

Lot B-G-07, The HUB SS2, 19 Sentral, Jalan Harapan, Seksyen 19, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Mon & Wed to Sun: 12pm – 2.30pm & 6.30pm – 10pm
Closed on Tue
Facebook | Instagram | Website

The post The 10 best Italian restaurants to try in the Klang Valley appeared first on SETHLUI.com.