Some restaurant renovations replace an old identity with a new one. LAVO Singapore has done something more disciplined. After a four-month closure in 2025, the restaurant reopened with warmer interiors, a seafood-forward menu and a clearer connection to coastal Italy.
Set on Level 57 of Marina Bay Sands, LAVO Italian Restaurant has always benefited from one of the most dazzling backdrops in Singapore. The renovation gave that famous view a stronger interior counterpart. Instead of depending almost entirely on the skyline for atmosphere, the renewed Italian restaurant now creates its own sense of place through brick arches, Mediterranean colours, planting and carefully layered light.
LAVO Singapore Before and After the Renovation
Before the refresh, LAVO was already a successful restaurant, rooftop bar and nightlife destination. Its reputation rested on lively brunches, generous Italian-American food, cocktails and wraparound views from Marina Bay Sands.
The renovation did not remove that energy. It gave the restaurant a more specific visual story—one inspired by the Amalfi Coast and the leisurely rhythm of sun-kissed days beside the Mediterranean.
Before the renovation
- The restaurant leaned strongly towards urban glamour, parties and nightlife.
- Its romantic appeal came mainly from the terrace and dazzling backdrop.
- Rich Italian-American signatures shaped much of the menu.
- The large dining space felt more like a single entertainment venue.
- Daytime and evening service shared a similar visual identity.
After the renovation
- Rustic brick, arches and textured tiles introduced coastal flair.
- Blue, terracotta and jewel-toned seating softened the room.
- Greenery and earthen vessels created a warmer Mediterranean character.
- Layered lighting made individual tables feel more intimate.
- The menu became brighter, lighter and more seafood-focused.
- The Italian restaurant now changes mood more deliberately from lunch to nightfall.
The strongest improvement is coherence. The room, food and drinks now seem to belong to the same account of coastal Italy, interpreted for a tropical city rather than copied literally from an Italian seaside town.
Marina Bay Sands Meets Coastal Italy
LAVO describes itself as an ode to coastal Italy, reimagined through the lens of a city living in eternal summer. That description could easily sound like advertising, but the renovated space gives the idea a practical foundation.
Sun-washed brickwork and broad arches add depth to the dining room. Honey-toned finishes, handcrafted-style tiles and warm upholstery prevent the large restaurant from feeling cold or anonymous. The details suggest tradition, while the cleaner composition adds a modern urban sensibility.
I appreciate that the design does not attempt to conceal the restaurant’s location inside Marina Bay Sands. Through the windows, Singapore remains unmistakably present. The Mediterranean references simply soften the transition between the bright interior, open terrace and silver city skyline.
LAVO Italian Restaurant Finds Greater Intimacy
Large restaurants often struggle to create romance. Even when a couple is seated at a good table, the room can feel more suited to events than intimate conversation.
At LAVO Italian Restaurant, arches and planting now create visual divisions without closing the restaurant into separate rooms. Upholstered seating introduces warmth, while smaller pools of light help distinguish one table from the next.
The lighting also supports the restaurant’s changing schedule. At lunch, natural sun keeps the room bright. As nightfall approaches, chandeliers and table lamps deepen the atmosphere. The energy shifts gradually towards the sleek bar, cocktails and late-night entertainment rather than changing abruptly.
A Rooftop Bar Designed Around the View
The terrace remains the most obvious reason to make a reservation at this rooftop bar. From 57 floors above Singapore, diners receive wraparound views of the bay, sea and city.
The renovation wisely avoids competing with that backdrop. Instead, the indoor lighting and coastal materials frame it. Before the renovation, missing an outdoor table could feel like losing the restaurant’s main advantage. The renewed interior now offers a credible alternative, with enough visual warmth to support a romantic meal indoors.
By nightfall, the rooftop bar becomes livelier. A single Negroni can easily turn into another drink as music and conversation build around the bar. Yet the design leaves room for couples who prefer to remain seated over dinner rather than immediately join the nightlife atmosphere.
Eternal Summer with a Modern Urban Sensibility
The idea of eternal summer appears throughout the renovation. Blue and terracotta fabrics recall coastal towns, while greenery suggests gardens warmed by the sun.
However, the design remains grounded in Singapore. Tropical humidity, strong daylight and changing weather affect how materials and plants perform. Mediterranean planting may look effortless, but maintaining it in this climate requires practical planning.
That tension gives the renovation substance. LAVO is not pretending that Marina Bay Sands sits in southern Italy. It takes the brightness, simplicity and ease associated with Sicilian sunshine and adapts them to a modern urban sensibility.
Ralph Scamardella Reworks the Italian Restaurant Menu
The interior was not the only part of LAVO to be reimagined. Under the culinary direction of Ralph Scamardella, the restaurant introduced a menu with more seafood, citrus and zesty flavours.
Scamardella’s direction keeps the food grounded in Italian tradition while allowing the menu to feel lighter. Quality produce, fresh herbs and simpler preparation support the same coastal flair expressed by the design.
The grilled fish captures the renovation especially well. It is prepared with restraint, allowing crisp skin, juicy flesh and citrus to carry the taste. There is richness, but it does not overwhelm the plate.
Ralph Scamardella Preserves LAVO’s Familiar Signatures
A complete move towards lighter food might have alienated guests who visit LAVO for indulgence. Ralph Scamardella and the culinary team therefore retained the restaurant’s best-known dishes.
The Meatball remains a substantial house signature, combining beef, veal and pork sausage with marinara and whipped ricotta. It belongs to a richer Italian-American tradition than the new coastal dishes, but its familiarity gives the menu continuity.
The 20-Layer Chocolate Cake also remains. Its layers of chocolate and peanut butter mascarpone offer a deliberately excessive finish after a menu otherwise shaped by seafood, fresh citrus and simplicity.
Sophisticated Italian Cuisine and Refreshed Cocktails
The drinks programme follows the same sunlit direction. Citrus, herbs, tropical fruit and aperitif-style spirits bring refreshing flavours to the rooftop bar.
A limoncello spritz naturally suits the terrace, while drinks inspired by Sicily and the Amalfi Coast strengthen the menu’s connection to Italy. Some cocktails introduce basil, lemongrass, pineapple or coconut, giving the drinks a Singaporean tropical edge.
Guests should still review current prices and menu availability before making a reservation, particularly because seasonal specials and cocktails may change. For popular sunset periods, booking in advance is sensible.
How the Renovation Changed the LAVO Experience
The renovation’s effect can be seen in four areas:
- Atmosphere: Warm light and coastal materials create romance beyond the terrace.
- Identity: The restaurant now has a clearer relationship with coastal Italy.
- Flexibility: Lunch, dinner, drinks and nightlife feel like distinct stages of one day.
- Menu: Seafood and zesty flavours balance the restaurant’s richer signatures.
Yet the renovation creates better moments of intimacy within that energy. A couple can be seated beneath warm light, share seafood and cocktails, then watch the city brighten below. The experience can easily turn from dinner into a longer night without requiring a change of venue.
For more inspiring dining experiences enhanced by thoughtful redesign, explore our article on five romantic eateries in Singapore made unforgettable through renovation.