Go bold. Stay classic. That line feels like it was written for CIBO, because it captures exactly what the place does best. It serves Italian comfort that feels familiar the moment it hits the table, but never flat, never safe, never forgettable. There is always a little edge in the flavour, a little extra intention in the way the dish comes together. It is classic, yes, but it is also confident.
Start with the Bucatini Puttanesca, because this is the dish that proves CIBO understands the difference between “tasty” and truly craveable. Puttanesca has always been a loud pasta in the best way. It does not rely on cream or heaviness to be satisfying. It’s built on sharp tomato brightness and the kind of salty depth you usually only get from ingredients that know how to behave together: olives, capers, garlic, chilli, and anchovy. The anchovy is the secret weapon here. People hear it and assume it will taste fishy, but that’s not what happens when it’s done right. It melts into the sauce, disappears as an ingredient, and shows up as flavour. It makes the tomato taste deeper, richer, more complete. Add the bite of capers, the briny pull of black olives, and the gentle heat of chilli flakes, and you get a pasta that tastes like it has personality.
Then there’s the bucatini itself, which matters more than people think. It looks like spaghetti, but it’s thicker and hollow, so the sauce doesn’t just coat the outside. It slides inside the pasta too. That’s why the dish feels so satisfying with every forkful. You don’t end up chasing sauce around the plate. The flavour sticks with you from the first bite to the last. This is the kind of pasta that makes you slow down, not because it’s delicate, but because it’s so boldly balanced you want to taste it properly.
If the puttanesca is the loud, confident star, the cappuccino soups are the warm, quiet support that makes a meal feel complete. This is one of those CIBO ideas that sounds simple until you realise how smart it is. Soup is comfort food, but it’s often a commitment. A full bowl can feel too heavy if you’re also ordering pasta, or too much if you just want something warm while you chat. CIBO solves that by serving soup in cappuccino cups. It makes the experience casual and easy, like a warm pause in the middle of your day.
The selection speaks to different moods without losing that Italian soul. Minestra di Funghi Farro leans earthy and grounding, with mushrooms bringing depth and grains giving it body, the kind of cup that feels especially right when you want something that settles you. Pappa al Pomodoro is pure Tuscan comfort, tomato and bread brought together into something thick and soothing, finished with parmesan and basil so it tastes layered, not one-note. Crema di Zucca goes creamy and indulgent, with squash sweetness rounded out by bacon or pancetta for that savoury finish that keeps it from feeling too soft. Minestrone alla Genovese gives you the wholesome vegetable base but lifts it with that pesto brightness, so it tastes fresh and fragrant instead of plain. Crema di Tartufo is the “treat yourself” choice, mushroom and truffle coming together in a way that feels instantly luxurious the second you smell it.
And then, just when you think you’ve already had your fill of comfort, CIBO ends the meal with something that feels soft, rich, and slightly unexpected. The Mascarpone Tres Leches Cake is not just a sweet ending. It’s a signature. Tres leches is known for being moist and milky, but CIBO leans into a more refined flavour profile by pairing it with mascarpone cream and adding almond and parmesan. That parmesan detail is the kind of thing that makes people pause, but it’s also the kind of detail that makes sense once you taste it. It’s not there to make the dessert savoury. It’s there to give the sweetness structure, to create contrast, to make the flavours feel fuller and more memorable. Mascarpone keeps it smooth and creamy without being heavy, almond adds a gentle nuttiness, and the finish stays balanced. It’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t overwhelm you. It melts, it lingers, and it makes you want another slice even when you told yourself one bite was enough.
That’s the thread running through these “best hits.” CIBO isn’t trying to reinvent Italian food. It’s doing something more difficult than that. It’s taking dishes with strong identities and making them feel modern, easy, and repeatable, without stripping away what made them iconic in the first place. Bold flavours. Classic roots. No fuss, no pretence, just food that understands what you came for.
