Lunch @ Buona Terra

The deal: This fine dining Italian restaurant located in a historic black-and-white off Orchard Road finally caves in to the lunchtime crowd. At $38 for three courses, there’s a surprising amount of choice: four starters, five mains and three desserts. Dishes include cured salmon carpaccio with orange and capers, pan-seared duck liver with poached pear, papperdelle pasta with braised Wagyu beef cheek and charcoal-grilled lamb rack with zucchini and mint oil. Everything’s prettily-plated and decadent with perfectly-cooked meats and well-seasoned pastas. Wine pairings are advised, the sommelier pairs house wines according to your dishes.

Why it’s worth it: It’s not often that a degustation-only restaurant puts out a lunch menu with this much variety. The dishes are prepped with finesse and the portions apt for a three-course affair without the post-lunch lull. Plus, the location makes it feel like a quick trip out of town, too.