Zizzi

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• What are these?

• Average price 2 courses:
   £12 (lunch)
   £12 (evening meal)
• House wine: £11.95 per bottle

• Food served: Mon-Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10.30pm
• Open since: 2006
• Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least 25% of menu), Childrens portions, Childrens high chairs, Wheelchair access, Take away

The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 is now in the shops.

This review is from the 2007 edition.

This slick chain of Italian restaurants is expanding by the minute. Zizzi now boasts three Edinburgh locations: the cavernous food court of Ocean Terminal; the rather lonely Edinburgh Quay and the premiere-sited West End branch. Despite the universal application of a Mediterranean design kit, each has a distinct personality, with consistently enthusiastic service throughout. Salad starters such as prosciutto and rocket with roast onion and balsamic glaze are bushy and generous on the ham. The pizzas are plenty-wide with light, authentic bases, although the Napoletana gets a little overbearing when smoked salmon appears alongside the standard tuna and anchovies. Spaghetti marinere comes capped with a good crop of mussels, but penne parmigiano with chicken and broccoli is a bit heavy on the olive oil. The pudding selection is more modest than the extensive mains, but includes large skillets brimming with soft waffle and caramelised banana, drenched in bubbling chocolate. The wine list is succinct and remains firmly Italian in most places. Choose carefully and Zizzi will consistently hit the mark within a very reasonable price bracket. It is family-accommodating, but by no means over-run, and might even be authentic enough to take Nonna as well.