Italian Chef Pivots to Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine at New Dempsey Restaurant

Chef Antonio Miscellaneo, known for his work at Casa Vostra and La Bottega, is charting a new culinary direction with the opening of Petra at Dempsey Hill. The restaurant replaces Curly's at the popular dining precinct and marks Miscellaneo's first venture into Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

The menu at Petra showcases traditional Mediterranean cooking techniques and ingredients, with house-baked flatbreads and creamy mezze dips forming the foundation of the offering. The culinary direction reflects contemporary Mediterranean trends, with vegetable-forward salads inspired by the style popularised by chef Yotam Ottolenghi.

Signature dishes include whole Mediterranean sea bass cooked over charcoal, highlighting the restaurant's focus on live-fire cooking and fresh seafood. The shift from Italian to broader Mediterranean cuisine allows Miscellaneo to explore regional flavours spanning the Eastern Mediterranean basin.

Petra's opening represents a notable evolution for Miscellaneo, who has established his reputation in Singapore's Italian dining scene. The new venture joins a growing roster of Mediterranean restaurants in Singapore's competitive dining landscape.