Valvona & Crolla

A guide to the best cheese shops in Edinburgh

The finest purveyors of Strathdon Blue, Dunlop Cheddar and many more Scottish cheeses

16 Feb 2011

In the popular parlour game of ‘if you had to give something up for life, what would it be?’ (Strictly Come Dancing or X Factor, partner or friends, stilettos or trainers), many have foundered over the choice between cheese or orgasms. You think it’s an…

The landmark chefs and restaurants from the last 25 years of Scottish food culture

25 years of The List

23 Sep 2010

If there’s one thing that no city can do without it’s good food. Carine Seitz and Jay Thundercliffe showcase the chefs and restaurants who have made their mark over the last 25 years

Italia ’n’ Caledonia

Unpretentious tales of the family history behind Valvona and Crolla

23 Aug 2010

Two amiable old boys (Mike Maran and Philip Contini) sing and gag their way through the history of the families that formed Edinburgh culinary institution Valvona and Crolla. Along the way we hear of their struggling starts as entrepreneurial emigrants…

Shopping in and around Leith

3 Jun 2010

There’s no better place to begin than legendary Italian food emporium and Edinburgh institution Valvona & Crolla at Elm Row. Open since 1934, this is as close to food shopping in Rome as you’ll get in Scotland. Further down Leith Walk, St…

Taste test: The Scottish Café and Restaurant

10 Nov 2009

Porridge with berries and heather honey Porridge needn’t be grey wallpaper paste served as punishment. Salt should be included judiciously when cooking (as with bread), but John Knox doesn’t birl in his grave if you put sugar on it – though berries…

The Scottish Café and Restaurant opens at the National Gallery of Scotland

4 Nov 2009

When the concession to run the 120-cover café and restaurant in the National Gallery of Scotland on the Mound in Edinburgh came up for renewal this year a predictable array of contract caterers, many based in England, came forward to bid. They were…

Ice cream days: growing up in an old school ice cream parlour

Mary Contini of Valvonna & Crolla describes her enviable upbringing

1 May 2009

It took two men, my father and Tommy Dougal, to lift up each milk churn and tip it into the stainless-steel vat. It could be four or five churns at a time – even more in July and August when the factory was working at full capacity. Once the 20-gallon…

Side Dishes

27 Nov 2008

Glengoyne Distillery by Killearn is hosting a free Christmas Food and Drink event from 10.30am on Saturday 6 December, featuring Edenmill farm shop’s barrel smokers, beer from WEST and Brewdog, cooking demos from Monachyle Mhor’s Tom Lewis and lots of…