By Amy Pigeon for VeraVita
Here we are again—jet lagged, running on fumes, and somehow covering stories in Italy less than 48 hours after a major VeraVita launch. Are we sick of hearing this same story opening all of my Italian adventures? Perhaps one day I’ll learn. But if you’re going to crash headfirst into Roman storytelling mode, there are worse places to do it than Singer Palace Hotel‘s Le Terrazze restaurant.
The lobby glows with polished wood, burnished stone, gleaming mosaics of marble and plush, jewel-toned furniture draped in velvet. Cozy, intimate, yet somehow dreamily luxe. The balance of comfort and the familiar paired with opulence, that Rome does exceptionally well. There’s no spectacle, no showing off—just a sense that what’s to come will be relaxed, refined, and deeply decadent. The kind of experience that feels like sprezzatura on a plate: effortless, stylish, and full of connection.
I was here to enjoy a dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, and to start the evening with an aperitivo. As the elevator lifted me skyward in its glass capsule, revealing the sea of undulating terracotta rooftops through its windows, the city transformed. At the top: Jim’s Bar, a rooftop lounge stitched in green, blossoms of ivory, and leagues of romantic spires in the distance. The sounds of a trumpet player with the clink of celebrating stemware. This was Rome—suspended, sexy, serene, and singing. A scene so classically Roman rooftop luxury, yet somehow a world of its own.
Waiting for me was Michela Mola, the hotel’s owner. She welcomed me not with pretense, but with generosity and warmth, handing me a gift after our introduction—a Roman cookbook, bilingual in Italian and English. “To help with your Italian,” she laughed. I cringed and laughed at the same time, admitting my Italian teacher all but loathes me for my lack of practice.
My first Aperol Spritz of the evening arrived. Bliss. I am one to go weeks without a single drop of alcohol–but something about a Spritz in Italy gently encourages me to sigh into presence in a way that the same cocktail doesn’t conjure magic back home in Canada. The usual suspects arrive with the generous spirit of Italian hospitality, a sampling of nuts, olives, potato chips, and (unexpectedly) blue tortilla chips–taken together, a meal unto itself. Each cocktail crafted by Bar Manager Federica Geirola is served with a savoury pairing expressly prepared by the Chefs–a thoughtful and creative way to elevate the beloved aperitivo ritual.
As the evening unfolded, we excitedly chatted about the new chapter of hope with the election of the Pope, with Conclave having just begun the day of my arrival, and moved on to discuss a bit of the hotel’s history. Opening just in 2018, we spoke of Singer Palace’s resilience—a less-than-ideal time, to say the least, to open a property in not only a country, but an industry hit the hardest by the impending pandemic. And yet, alive and thriving in 2025–a testament to the unshakeable roots of hospitality excellence and culture Michela and the Visocchi family have built in this establishment. After our lovely chat, Michela states “I’m sorry, I must leave now, I have to take my daughter to see Conclave. We don’t know when it is happening again!”
And so was our cue to move to dinner at Le Terrazze, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant where dinner is served under an olive tree threaded in fairy lights, the city’s rooftops draped around us like an amphitheatre of history. Joining me was my friend Drew—a true Roman local and collaborator of ours at VeraVita since the beginning, who’s helped shape more than a few of our favourite video pieces.
That night, the kitchen had stories of its own—narrated by Chef Alessandro, a 36-year-old born in Ciociaria, a region of rugged hills and honest cooking.
Alessandro’s culinary path began early—so early, in fact, that he had to stand on a stool just to reach the stove as a child. Driven by love, instinct, and an unwavering passion for hospitality, he built his career from the ground up, training in Trentino, Savona, Fiuggi, and eventually Rome, where he worked in top-tier hotels and restaurants before finding a home at Singer Palace. His food is direct, humble, confident, and deeply personal, with the dishes we enjoyed carrying this story.
We began with antipasti.
- Battuta di fassona piemontese—chunky, clean, and kissed with honey—Divine in its simplicity and restraint. Unbeknownst to me, this would be my first Italian tartare of many. Usually prepared the French way in North America, tartares tend to overkill seasoning the dish. In Italy, a mere drizzle of olive oil, and in this case, a hint of honey, honours the beef in a way that allows the flavours of the hero ingredient to speak for itself–as it should. This is the Italian way.
- Tempura cod with saffron mayo, so light it barely touched the plate before vanishing.
- A jewel-toned caponata with pine nuts, golden raisins, caper fruit and olives—bright, briny, and beautifully balanced. Silky, delicate, and sweet.
Next came our main courses. For my first night back in Rome, I began with a classic—the spaghettoni alla carbonara. Quelle surprise! I really am becoming so predictable by this point. Perfectly rendered pork cheek that walked the line between crisp and melty. No over-salting, no overspicing with the peppered guanciale. Just that elusive balance only Rome can teach in its iconic dish.
Drew chose the vitello come un saltimbocca. Veal so tender topped with a beautiful prosciutto it did exactly as promised in Italiano—”jumped in the mouth”. Paired with crisp sautéed potatoes and a side order of fennel and orange salad, the meal danced between heartiness and brightness.
Regretfully, joyfully, and completely, we were too full for dolci. I suppose we will have to return to Le Terrazze–for journalism purposes, of course…
As the night drifted into twilight, a jazz trumpet echoed off the tiled rooftops, the breeze turned cool, and the lights of the Eternal City twinkled to life around us. Over our final sips of wine and my spritz, we looked out at the skyline and smiled. This wasn’t just dinner—it was my first taste of Italy on this return trip.
And it was a perfect one.
Thoughtful hospitality, heartfelt connection, the effortless elegance of Roman ambiance, live jazz, and food that made us pause—Singer Palace set the tone for everything to come.
A reminder that Italy always knows how to say welcome. – VV
Photography by our friend Drew and supplied by the Singer Palace Hotel
