Restaurants and Italian
- SoHo
Friendly pizzeria and cocktail bar. Winner Best New Restaurant - Variety Awards 2010 - La Parmigiana
Opened in 1978 by the Giovanazzi family, Ristorante La Parmigiana is a firm favourite as Glasgow's top Italian Restaurant. - Valvona & Crolla Caffé Bar
Worldwide food products and wines from an Italian family company, established 1934 - Centotre
Centotre serves food made from locally sourced ingredients in a great location
Nonna's Kitchen
45 Morningside Road,
Edinburgh,
EH10 4AZ
With a warm welcome from the Stornaiuolo family, this corner venue in Morningside is everything anyone could want in a neighbourhood restaurant. One thing certain is that you could never get bored of the menu – despite a short à la carte selection, the…
La Favorita
325–331 Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH6 8SA
The hectic craft of kneading and folding pizza dough is the first thing you see on entering this busy Leith Walk eatery. Walk past the front counter, through the lively, three-pronged dining area, and you'll notice most diners are working their way…
Divino Enoteca
5 Merchant Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2QD
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…
Mamma's American Pizza Company
30 Grassmarket,
Edinburgh,
EH1 2JU
This Grassmarket stalwart seems to exert a gravitational pull on small to medium sized groups of both locals and tourists looking for an impromptu food stop. Starters like sweet potato fries and macho nachos are decent enough, but their function is to…
Cruz Bar and Restaurant
14 The Shore,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6QN
A First World War minesweeper boat anchored right at the heart of Leith’s bustling Shore district, Cruz has to be among the most distinctive drinking venues in Edinburgh. A popular watering hole with the area’s young party crowd, Cruz serves up an…
Jolly Ristorante & Pizzeria
9 Elm Row, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
A bright red sign pronouncing the restaurant's whereabouts cheerfully stands out amid Elm Row's other established businesses, beckoning in passers-by from the bustle of the town centre. The interior is dark and slightly worn by contrast, but incoming…
Centotre
103 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 3ES
Centotre manages to pull off a neat trick. Despite the austere, ex-bank interior, from those lost days when financial edifices were akin to cathedrals, it still manages to maintain a feeling of warmth and intimacy in the evenings or bright and breezy…
Asti
73 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
Owned by the same people who run the neighbouring Rapido, Asti is a refined, relaxed eatery in comparison to its neighbour, specialising in decent Italian dishes rather than fast food. Painted a pleasing shade of mocha, this café-cum-restaurant takes…
Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar
19 Elm Row, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4AA
No one who cares about good food in Edinburgh is unaware of the Contini family’s excellent Italy-inspired deli and café, the former being an Aladdin’s Cave of cured meats, fine cheeses and fresh-baked breads. The caffè bar itself is a deserving stop for…
Amarone
13 St Andrew Square,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2BH
This vast contemporary Italian themed restaurant complete with pastoral photographs, high domed roof and colourfully lit ceiling art opened in the summer of 2011 and is already bustling. From the restaurant family that includes DiMaggio’s and Café…
Arcaffe
7 North Claremont Street,
Glasgow,
G3 7NR
Tucked into a side street joining nearby offices to Kelvingrove Park, Arcaffe is an unassuming and friendly little Italian bistro, with tables on the pavement outside and large windows for catching the midday sun. Bustling with a mix of young families…
Guy's Restaurant & Bar
24 Candleriggs, Merchant City,
Glasgow,
G1 1LD
It's almost certainly worth booking at this well-established Merchant City favourite. At the end of the bar, the dining area is bright and buzzy, with some of the tables quite close together – more suited to social rather than intimate dining. Service…
The Partners Italian Bistro
1051 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
G12 0XP
This classy looking bistro tucked away near Anniesland offers an upmarket experience within a highly stylised, spacious interior. A lovely buttery, rich crab fettucine is a great opener, but though the dolcelatte soufflé is in itself satisfying, the…
Vittoria
113 Brunswick Street, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HR
The latest addition to the Vittoria family comes in the shape of a stylish and atmospheric basement wine bar, Divino Enoteca, in the belly of their George IV bridge outlet. Divino is proof positive that the Vittoria formula is a winning one, and the…
Giuliano's
18–19 Union Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NQ
Situated directly across the road from the Playhouse Theatre, Giuliano’s has achieved Edinburgh institution status due to its popularity with theatre-goers, tourists and large parties – including hen and stag dos. Its cavernous interior is resplendent…
Cucina LC
68 Haymarket Terrace,
Edinburgh,
EH12 5LQ
The initials LC come from the owner’s name (Lorena Crolla), but they could just as easily stand for ‘Lotta Choice’ considering the amount of items on the menu here. Including Asian, Italian and Scottish elements, there are almost 40 sandwich…
Jamie's Italian
Assembly Rooms, 54 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 2LR
Edinburgh Council faced criticism for introducing commercial tenants after spending £9 million refurbishing the Assembly Rooms, but no-one could dispute this A-listed edifice was criminally under-used. And given that Edinburgh’s relationship with…
Papoli
244a Morrison Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 8DT
Papoli really is a little gem. Outside, the Haymarket traffic rumbles by, while inside its dinky dining room is a retreat of warm orange and yellow pendant lighting hanging low. Prints of Provence (perhaps?) and Greece hint at the culinary offering but…
Torna Sorrento
148 Woodlands Road,
Glasgow,
G3 6LF
This modest eatery retains a welcome place in Glasgow’s Italian scene. Serving up traditional Italian food in simple, unpretentious ways, fresh ingredients and appealing presentation lift familiar dishes above the ordinary. Seafood crostini and arancini…
University Café
87 Byres Road,
Glasgow,
G11 5HN
Established in 1918, the University Café is a Byres Road institution, serving fish suppers, fry-ups and homemade lasagne for nearly a century. Inside, the décor is practically unchanged since opening, original wood panelled walls, narrow formica tables…
La Vita Spuntini
199–201 Byres Road,
Glasgow,
G12 8TN
Italian tapas is an intriguing concept, with the menu at La Vita Spuntini offering a host of small mix-and-match meat, fish and vegetable dishes, larger bowls of pasta for sharing, and dinky ‘pizzettes’. Duck and black pudding in red currant jus is…
Arta
The Old Cheesemarket, 62 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1PA
In Glasgow’s trendy Merchant City the competition among restaurants to attract discerning diners is high. Artà stands out architecturally. Once the location of a medieval cheese market this listed building was developed Baroque style in 2000 into a…
Bar Milano
2 Mains Avenue, Eastwood Toll,
Glasgow,
G46 6QZ
From its pleasantly neutral décor and friendly service to the suburban location, Bar Milano ticks all the boxes for a comfortable neighbourhood trattoria. It’s housed in a converted bank but where such buildings often possess a cold grandeur, the…
Café Domenico
30 Sandport Street,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6EP
Tucked away behind the Cameo Bar in Leith, it’s easy to pass the small entrance to the Café Domenico by. Don’t make this mistake, though, as, housed in this tiny bistro with its eclectic decorations, scattered wall tiles and red and white check…
Prezzo
25 Pier Place,
Edinburgh,
EH6 4LP
Prezzo in Edinburgh's Newhaven Harbour is one of two sojourns north of the border for an ambitious London-based chain that aims to offer value-for-money Italian food in stylish contemporary surrounds. An aim which has, to some extent, been accomplished…
Amarone
2 Nelson Mandela Place,
Glasgow,
G2 1BT
Enter the plate-glass doors and down the elegant stairway into this basement venue, and it is clear that Amarone is at the classier end of the Di Maggio's chain. There's the slick modern décor, warm chocolate and neutral colours, and mix of open tables…
Battlefield Rest
55 Battlefield Road,
Glasgow,
G42 9JL
Prepare for your senses to go into overdrive when you visit this gem of a restaurant. It's brimming with tables, diners and waiters, and if you could bottle the atmosphere then you’d surely be able to sell it, if only to the people who fill this place…
Bertorelli - Mincing Lane
Unit 7, Plantation Place,
London,
EC3R 7BD
Located just off Fenchurch Street, this glamorous Bertorelli restaurant is the ideal getaway from the City. With dark chocolate coloured walls, stylish seating and grand chandeliers, the restaurant is the perfect space for more formal dining. Here, you…
Dino Ferrari
35–41 Sauchiehall Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3AT
Dino Ferrari is the new look for a much-loved favourite on the Glasgow Italian scene (it was formerly plain old Dino's, but the owners sold the Hope Street branch in 2011 and tweaked the name). The avuncular welcome and charmingly retro décor – both in…
Eatalia's
1 Brunswick Place, Leith Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH7 5HP
Owned by Ida Scarano nee Crolla, of the Leith Walk dining dynasty who run Vittoria’s next door and La Favorita down the road, it almost goes without saying that Eatalia’s is a dependable local takeaway joint. The menu was refreshed in March 2011 and…
Rapido
77–79 Broughton Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3RJ
The usual chip shop favourites are neatly arrayed in sparkling stainless steel counters, but Rapido's vibrant blue and orange frontage promises – and delivers – more than your average chippy. The wide-ranging menu truly does offer something for…
Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè
11 Multrees Walk,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3DQ
Valvona & Crolla’s Vincaffe is only a short distance but several years away from the densely packed cornucopia of the family-run business’s original branch on Elm Row. With a bright, contemporary décor, evenly spaced, white dressed tables and a bank…
Al Fresco
22 Union Place,
Edinburgh,
EH1 3NQ
There’s something of a Giuliano’s theme to this stretch of Union Street, with the original restaurant, the takeaway next door and this incarnation, Al Fresco, just a few doors down. Try and get a table before a show at the Playhouse opposite, however…
Amore
30 Ingram Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1QA
At the quiet end of Ingram Street, Amore sits mezzanine height above pavement level which, along with the smart furnishings, lots of sparkling glass and stone-bake oven, provides a pleasant sense of occasion. It's a warm and welcoming enough space, but…
Café Marina
61 Cockburn Street,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1BS
Forget Ikea: this is where you’ll find the best meatballs in town. They're more of a hearty sausage shape than a ball here: get them cut up in pasta or squeezed into a ciabatta for a chin-dripping panini – but whatever you do, get them. With just a…
Gizzi's
87 Cambridge Street,
Glasgow,
G3 6RU
Previously known as Bistro du Sud but renovated and renamed Gizzi's in 2007, this bistro has a small, unassuming exterior and, inside, may be mistaken for a café with limited seating. There is more space upstairs, and the place would no doubt be full…
Gordon's Trattoria
231 High Street, Royal Mile,
Edinburgh,
EH1 1PE
Gordon Scott is keen to promote his restaurant as a family venue. And there is no risk that he will fall foul of the trade descriptions act, with brother Gary imparting his profound industry knowledge, daughters Daniela and Vanessa now involved in the…
Gusto
135 George Street,
Edinburgh,
EH2 4JH
The bars and restaurant’s of Edinburgh’s George Street are a magnet for youthful business people, footballers (and their wives), and the wealthier section of the city’s student population. A pretty girl in a mini skirt meets diners at Gusto’s door and…
The Italian Caffè
92 Albion Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1NY
The food here more than matches the elegant surroundings dispelling any initial fears over Merchant City style over substance. Serving a tapas-style menu invigorates a scene overladen with the usual pizza and pasta suspects, and the ability to sample a…
La Partenope
96 Dalry Road,
Edinburgh,
EH11 2AX
Named after a mythological maiden who died of heartache on the Bay of Naples, La Partenope offers a taste of Napoli on Dalry Road. This family restaurant is operated by a sibling trio: chef Paolo creates magnificent dishes, brother Renato is the…
Positano
85–87 Newington Road,
Edinburgh,
EH9 1QW
If you are eager to experience some proper Italian hospitality, this is the place to come. The charming service, combined with the cheerful exuberance of the proprietor Guiseppe Votta (who also owns Il Castello on Castle Terrace), gives this relatively…
Qua Italian Restaurant
The Todd Building, 68 Ingram Street,
Glasgow,
G1 1EX
Situated in the fashionable Merchant City area, Qua likes to think of itself as a stylish place to eat quality Italian food, the way they do back home. The décor is minimalist, with red and black furniture dominating the large dining area which is…
Strada - Leeds
6 Greek Street,
Leeds,
LS1 5RW
Expanding the presence of Strada in the North of England, this fantastic restaurant on Greek Street is now serving great Italian cuisine to the people of Leeds as well as visitors to the city.
Strada is a group of contemporary Italian restaurants…
Ti Amo
16 Nicolson Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 9DH
Ti Amo's position opposite the Festival Theatre ensures its enduring success. Amusingly dated décor distracts from perusing menus bearing the brunt of many a thumb and spilled vino: menu-matching, smoke-aged, stencilled walls; pillars, statues, and an…
Zizzi
Building 5A, Edinburgh Quay, Fountainbridge,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9RU
Zizzi's three Edinburgh restaurants are located in busy areas of the city, and seem to have been placed to make the most of passing trade from tired shoppers and hungry cinema-goers. As branches of a UK-wide chain of almost 100 restaurants (and…
