Divino Enoteca
- Food served: Tue–Thu, Sun 3–11pm; Fri/Sat 3pm–midnight. Closed Mon.
- Bar open: Tue–Thu, Sun noon–midnight; Fri/Sat noon–1am. Closed Mon.
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 42
- Private dining: Up to 14 covers
- No. overnight rooms: 2010
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Outdoor tables, Live music, Free wi-fi
- Music on stereo: Lounge
- Capacity: 60
- Largest group: 45
Tell us more about this place.
- Average price:
£20 (lunch)
£20 (evening meal) - House wine: £19 per bottle
The 2012 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
This review is taken from the current (2012) edition.
Divino is the charming, seductive brother to fun-loving sister restaurant Vittoria upstairs. Pretty well hidden under George IV Bridge, this wine bar and restaurant combines candle-lit romance with cutting-edge wine gadgetry. In its strictest sense, an enoteca is a wine repository – Divino prefers library – aimed at allowing tourists to try a region’s wares and buy their favourites. Divino fulfils both demands with their hundreds-strong Italian wine list, 42 of which come by the glass, and a discount on off-licence purchases. Particularly clever are the Enomatic wine dispensers, keeping tasting bottles at optimum condition under inert gas, and their ‘wine flights’, whereby you travel Italy’s regions via tasting glasses. Food is based on good, DOP Italian ingredients, which can include marinated cheeses and truffled salamis rarely found in Edinburgh. Between four and seven pm is cicchetti time, which means as many little bites of antipasti as you like for £1.
- High point: The best selection of grappa for miles around
- Low point: A place for lingering, not for a cheap, quick dinner
Reviews of Divino Enoteca (5 Merchant Street, Edinburgh)
- 7. Miss M, Edinburgh – 12 March 2012, 4:44pm
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I visited this restaurant as part of a relaxed hen night last weekend.
First impressions were good and the atmosphere seemed nice although the attitude of the waiters seemed to changed towards our group when they were told what the occasion was. I can appreciate that they wanted to have a laugh and a joke but I was put off by how unprofessional they came across.
A round of cocktails arrived at the table and were handed out one by one until the last one arrived to me. The waiter was standing behind me and I’m not too sure what had happened but the next thing I know the whole drink, ice and smashed glass was spilt down my back, hair and all over my dress.
Needless to say this was really embarrassing as the whole restaurant stopped in silence and were staring.
I used my own napkin and two of the girls from the party had rushed over with theirs before any of the nearby staff had approached me. I hurried off to the toilet with one of the girls who had to pick shards of glass from my back!
When I had dried my dress off, I arrived back at the table, where the seat with the smashed glass and ice cubes had just been pushed to the side and no chair to replace it, and no fresh napkin either.
The worst part was that there was no sort of compensation offered, and any time a waiter came over to clear the plates or set food down by me, a joke was made about it!
I can understand that it was a mistake on the waiter’s behalf and he did apologise at once (and only once) but the way it was appallingly handled here at this restaurant makes me never want to return!!
- 6. portygal, edinburgh – 16 July 2011, 11:55pm
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Sorry to say, I agree with the first reviewer here. The service is awful and it is very expensive for what you get both in food and wine. My friend and I booked a table for 2 for 8. At 8.25 after lots of trying to catch someone's attention and just about to walk out, we finally waved down a waiter. On complaining how long we'd sat, even without getting a menu, two of them started loudly asking if we weren't waiting for others, was it just the two of us? etc. We ordered, it took ages for the quite basic starters to come, even longer for the next course, which eventually arrived at 9.45. Mine was a few large round ravioli and a little sauce. The bill was over £70. We complained on the way out, but definitely won't be back.
- 5. listlover, Edinburgh – 12 March 2011, 11:18am
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I have been there last week for the live music and it was amazing.
Great atmosphere, great music and the service was simply excellent!
I didn't know there was this gem hidden in the city centre. Definitely a place to go back.
- 4. Urnapatatosa, Edinburgh – 5 February 2011, 3:12pm
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We were there on Saturday 29th January for my Birthday...and I was so pleased with the staff, the service and the atmosphere...Highly recommended....Well done!!!
- 3. Vhino Lower, Glasgow – 8 November 2010, 11:50pm
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My friends and I have been to Divino numerous times since it opened in August and we simply love it. The cosy ambience, the wide selection of mainly Italian Wine complemented by Friendly and Knowledgeable staff never cease to impress us with the right selection of Wine every time, my favourite is Terre Di Chieti Pecorino Golden Fleece (2008). The uniqueness about Divino is the Enomatic machine which gives one the privilege to taste of several different wines before deciding to get a glass. It a perfect place to have a relaxing evening with your pals while indulging in good wine and interesting selection of complementing nibbles. What’s appealing about this place is that it offers much more than just wines and nibbles. One can become a wine club member which offers several privileges including discounts, needless to say of cause we are members already. For anyone who would like to know more about wine, there are also wine classes and wine tastings. My friends and I are looking forward to our session soon. Without doubt, one can’t expect to get drinks or nibbles here for the prices similar to Tesco but even to compare it with Tesco is a disgrace to Divino. We just love Divino Enoteca, to know what we are talking about one should experience it and let yourselves be the judge.
- 1. Citygirl, Edinburgh – 19 October 2010, 1:44pm
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The hype surrounding the opening of this place should have made me realise why it needed so much publicity. The facade is impressive enough, although the neighbouring Hotel Du Vin is perhaps more to my taste, and as soon as you walk in the false smiles of the barracudas trap you before you know what's hit you. After we were presented with a HUGE selection of wines, we decided to ask the staff for recommendations, carefully explaining the taste notes we were after. We just wanted a little sample, and we ended up trying 5 different absolute disasters before ignoring the recommendations of the staff, clearly & totally untrained, and opt for the safer usual. And wait for this…that very basic (£6 at Tesco) choice was on the menu for £69! When I appeared mildly alarmed at the near financial disaster, I was welcomed by the most patronising and insulting smile. But as I said, after you enter, you are trapped, so took a deep breath, it was Friday night after all, nothing will spoil it, right?! Read on. We opted for a still pricey £29 (2009!) bottle of red. The antipasti platter - a couple of slices of ham and East Lothian (yes!) buffalo mozzarella- came to a very lavish £29, but the total bill was even more impressive. A whopping ~£80 for the privilege of being charged for the very wrong samples at the start. Needless to say, we left no tips. Needless to say we won't be back... needless to say, we warned you.
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