Sixteen Edinburgh Italian restaurants I'd actually book, from a converted-bank dining room on George Street to a 25-seat Neapolitan kitchen on Dalry Road, with exact prices, real hours and one honest catch at each.
If you only have one Italian meal in Edinburgh, book Locanda de Gusti on Dalry Road: a 25-seat room run by a Naples-born chef and his wife, where the menu genuinely changes every night and reviewers keep calling it the best Italian food they've had, in Edinburgh or anywhere. If you want somewhere grander, Contini on George Street occupies a converted former bank and does a Contadino orecchiette (£25) that's been on the menu since it opened. Beyond those two, this is my pick of sixteen genuinely open, currently trading Italian restaurants across the city, each with an exact price where I could get one, real hours, and one honest drawback rather than a vague band and a stock photo.
The scene splits usefully into a few groups. There's polished, special-occasion dining (Contini, Divino Enoteca's wine-led Old Town basement, Amarone on St Andrew Square, Scarpetta on George Street). There's chef-led destination cooking (Locanda de Gusti, Sotto in Stockbridge, Ecco Vino on Cockburn Street). There are long-standing neighbourhood institutions (Vittoria on George IV Bridge, tipo, Mamma Roma near the Playhouse, La Locanda on Cockburn Street). There are two hotel restaurants doing genuinely good Italian food (Amalfino at the Four Points Sheraton, Patatino at The Hoxton). And there's Tempo Perso in Bruntsfield, Gio's on Slateford Road, and Sora Diana, the city's fully vegan Italian kitchen on Causewayside.
A word on what's not here. This is full-menu Italian restaurants: pasta, risotto, secondi, not pizzerias. Civerinos, Locale, Paesano and the rest of Edinburgh's excellent pizza scene have their own guide, the best pizza in Edinburgh, and I've kept the two lists deliberately separate rather than padding this one with places that are really pizza joints in an Italian-sounding wrapper. I also dropped Ragù Pasta on George Street, which has permanently closed despite still showing as open in some directories, and Radicibus in Stockbridge, which is closing for good the same week I'm publishing this after a ten-year run. If you're building a full day around one of these meals, my things to do in Edinburgh guide has the rest of it, and for every cuisine in the city, not just Italian, start with the best restaurants in Edinburgh.
Contini occupies a converted former bank on George Street, which tells you the scale of the room before you've read a word of the menu. The Contadino orecchiette (£25) — Contini's own recipe sausage, cremini mushrooms, dried porcini and 18-month Parmigiano Reggiano — has been on the menu since the restaurant opened, and the burrata-filled ravioli (£24) with Datterini tomatoes is the other one to know about.
It's on the pricier side, and it's a family operation (the Continis also run Cannonball House on the Royal Mile and the Scottish Cafe and Restaurant), so the vibe leans polished rather than rustic. Reviewers single out the spinach gnocchi with Gorgonzola specifically. Breakfast runs to 11:30am, lunch to 5pm, and dinner from 5pm, so it's flexible if you want an early meal.
Housed in a converted former bank, which explains the scale of the room. The Contadino orecchiette has been on the menu since opening and is the one to order first.
Divino Enoteca is an Old Town basement on Merchant Street, and it leads with wine: a genuinely serious Italian list, plus live jazz on most nights. The guancia di manzo al merlot (£34) — Scottish beef cheek braised in Merlot — is the dish reviewers mention again and again, and the ravioli comes up almost as often.
It's a cozy, intimate room, which makes it a strong pick for a date or a special dinner rather than a big group. Staff are named and praised individually in review after review, which is a good sign for consistency. Book ahead, especially for a weekend table.
An Old Town basement with a serious Italian wine list and live jazz most nights. The guancia al merlot and the ravioli are the two dishes reviewers mention most.
Amarone on St Andrew Square is part of a small Scottish group with sister branches in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and the room is glossy and modern rather than old-school trattoria. The set menu runs three courses from £37.95, with dishes like pollo tartufato (chicken with black truffle and wild mushroom sauce) and linguine ai gamberoni (king prawns in a creamy prawn and brandy bisque) on the list.
Being straight with you: the menu is built as much around pizza as pasta, so if you specifically want a pasta-and-secondi meal, order carefully rather than assuming everything on the page is a classic Italian main. The controfiletto steak carries a £10 supplement over the set-menu price.
Part of a small Scottish group with sister sites in Glasgow and Aberdeen. The menu leans as much on pizza as pasta, so if you want a purely pasta-and-secondi meal, order carefully.
Scarpetta is a family-run newcomer on George Street doing hearty, flavour-packed Italian food in a room the owners describe as having 'cozy, retro charm.' The Scarpetta Ragu pasta (£18, slow-cooked beef and pork in a San Marzano tomato sauce) and the carbonara (£17) are the two most-ordered pastas, and the 8oz tagliata sirloin (£29) is the one to get if you want meat.
One genuine point of difference: gluten-free pizza and pasta are available on request, which most of the Italian restaurants on this list don't explicitly offer. It's central, on George Street, and open until 11:30pm on Friday and Saturday, useful if you want a late dinner.
A family-run newcomer on George Street with genuinely good gluten-free pizza and pasta on request, which is rarer than it should be.
Locanda de Gusti is the one I'd send you to first. It's a small, roughly 25-seat room on Dalry Road run by chef Rosario Sartore, who grew up in Naples, and his wife Maria, and the menu genuinely changes every night — the restaurant's own site says so directly: the sample menu online is a sample, not the real thing. No fixed prices are published anywhere, which is honestly the point.
Reviewers consistently call it the best Italian food they've had, in Edinburgh or anywhere, and specific dishes that come up again and again include the seafood platter, linguine with fresh Scottish lobster, and shallow-fried artichoke starter. Because it's so small, book well in advance. It's closed Sundays and only open for lunch on Fridays.
Run by chef Rosario Sartore, who grew up in Naples, and his wife Maria. Only around 25 seats, so book ahead. Reviewers consistently call this the best Italian food they've had, in Edinburgh or anywhere.
Sotto is a Stockbridge trattoria and wine bar doing primi like gramigna e salsiccia (small pasta with sausage and saffron ragu, £22) and secondi like a whole pesce del giorno (£29). There's also a five-course 'Fai Tu' chef's-selection menu at £70pp, available until 9pm.
One catch worth knowing before you book: a £20-per-head fee applies if you fail to show up or cancel with less than 24 hours' notice, which is stricter than most restaurants on this list. It's closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan around that if Stockbridge is on your route.
A Stockbridge trattoria with a £70pp 'Fai Tu' chef's-selection menu. The honest catch: a £20-per-head fee applies if you no-show or cancel inside 24 hours.
Ecco Vino has been trading on Cockburn Street since 2001, a genuine 25-year run in a city where restaurants come and go fast. It's Mediterranean-leaning Italian: penne alla norma (aubergine, tomato, buffalo mozzarella and pesto, £18), spaghetti carbonara (£21), and a seafood linguini (£24) built around fresh local catch.
It's a two-minute walk from the Royal Mile, which makes it a genuinely convenient stop if you're exploring the Old Town and want proper Italian food rather than a tourist-trap menu. The wine list matches the name: this is as much an enoteca as a restaurant.
Trading on Cockburn Street since 2001, a genuine 25-year record, with Mediterranean-leaning Italian food and a proper wine list.
Vittoria on the Bridge is part of the Crolla family's Vittoria group, whose original Leith Walk restaurant has been trading since 1970, so this George IV Bridge branch is carrying real family history even though the site itself opened later. Reviewers consistently single out the gelato and the pasta, and note the kitchen genuinely accommodates gluten-free and lactose-free requests rather than just claiming to.
One practical catch: the official website doesn't load, so there's no reliable published price to quote. Check on the day, or via the Google listing linked below. It's a popular, busy spot, so book ahead if you can.
Part of the Crolla family's Vittoria group, whose original Leith Walk restaurant has traded since 1970. Reviewers consistently praise the gelato and note the kitchen is genuinely careful with gluten-free and lactose-free requests.
tipo on Hanover Street is well reviewed for a fixed lunch menu and for staff who are genuinely good at accommodating dietary restrictions and making personalised recommendations, including for special occasions like birthdays.
The honest catch: tipo's own website never renders its menu content, so there's no published price to quote you an exact price with confidence. Call ahead or check in person before you build a meal around it.
Reviewers describe a fixed lunch menu and staff who are genuinely good at accommodating dietary restrictions and personalising suggestions.
Mamma Roma sits near the Playhouse on Antigua Street, which makes it a natural pre-theatre choice if you're catching a show. Reviewers praise the ravioli and lasagna by name and describe the atmosphere as welcoming, with occasional mentions of slow service on the restaurant's busier nights.
The catch here: the restaurant's own website has a broken security certificate and won't load, so there are no published prices to quote. That's a website problem, not necessarily a sign of anything wrong with the food, but call ahead to check current pricing before you go.
A neighbourhood spot near the Playhouse, useful for a pre-theatre meal. Reviewers praise the ravioli and lasagna specifically, with occasional mentions of slow service on busy nights.
La Locanda is small and intimate, tucked onto Cockburn Street a few doors from Ecco Vino. The Edinburgh Evening News called it a restaurant that 'cannot be missed out on if you are a fan of authentic Italian food,' and reviewers repeatedly single out the homemade pasta and noodles as the best they've had.
It's open daily, roughly midday to 9pm, but closes on Tuesdays specifically during June and July, so check before a summer visit. There are no reliably published menu prices: the a la carte menu sits behind a link that never resolves, so call ahead if price matters to your plan.
Small and intimate on Cockburn Street. The Edinburgh Evening News called it a place that 'cannot be missed out on if you are a fan of authentic Italian food,' and reviewers repeatedly single out the homemade pasta.
Amalfino is inside the Four Points by Sheraton hotel near Haymarket, doing Amalfi Coast cooking with Scottish ingredients: linguine with king prawns (£18), tagliatelle with beef ragu (£17), and pumpkin ravioli (£16) among the pastas.
It's a genuinely solid hotel restaurant rather than a destination worth crossing the city for on its own. If you're staying near Haymarket or catching a train, it's a convenient, reliable option; if you're already committed to a special night out elsewhere in the city, there are more distinctive picks on this list.
Inside the Four Points by Sheraton hotel near Haymarket Station, doing Amalfi Coast cooking with Scottish ingredients. A useful option if you're staying nearby rather than a destination worth crossing the city for.
Patatino, inside The Hoxton hotel in the West End, describes itself as a modern trattoria inspired by Sorrento's lemon groves and long Amalfi Coast lunches. Everything is made in-house: the linguine with monkfish ragu and Scottish mussels (£20), the squash-and-sausage gnocchi (£18), and the sourdough pizza dough alike.
It runs a proper weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday, midday to 4pm) alongside dinner service, which most of the restaurants on this list don't offer. Good for a group, given the hotel setting and relaxed pace.
A modern trattoria inside The Hoxton hotel, Sorrento and Amalfi-inspired, with all its pasta and pizza dough made in-house.
Tempo Perso in Bruntsfield has been trading since 2014, with recipes the menu describes as rooted in Casalvieri, Italy, and a wine list running past 150 Italian labels. It's also the most affordable proper sit-down Italian on this list: pasta aglio, olio e peperoncino from £16, tagliatelle ragu at £19, ravioli carbonara at £19.
One thing worth flagging: alongside the pasta, it also serves Roman-style pinsa (a lighter, longer-fermented flatbread, from £16), so if you were expecting a strictly pasta-only kitchen, it isn't quite that. It's open every day of the week until 9:30pm for last orders.
Trading since 2014, with recipes rooted in Casalvieri, Italy, and over 150 Italian wines on the list. It also does Roman-style pinsa (from £16) alongside the pasta, so it's not a pure no-pizza kitchen.
Gio's is a family-run, family-friendly restaurant on Slateford Road doing what its own site calls 'handcrafted pastas, sizzling pizzas,' well outside the tourist centre in a genuine residential neighbourhood.
The menu is published only as an image rather than text, so there's no dependable price to quote here. Check current pricing via Deliveroo or by calling ahead. It's a solid, unpretentious neighbourhood option if you're staying in the southwest of the city.
A family-run, family-friendly spot doing 'handcrafted pastas, sizzling pizzas' out on Slateford Road, well outside the tourist centre.
Sora Diana on Causewayside is Edinburgh's fully vegan Italian kitchen, and reviewers describe it as one of the newest and most exciting additions to the city's vegan dining scene, with meat-alternative dishes sitting alongside traditional Italian plates and specific praise for the cocktails.
There's no working official website to check prices against, so this one's best confirmed in person or via its Google listing before you go. If you're after Italian food that's genuinely built vegan from the ground up rather than a token dish on someone else's menu, this is the one on this list built specifically for that.
Edinburgh's fully vegan Italian kitchen, and one of the newer additions to the city's Italian scene, with meat-alternative dishes alongside traditional plates and reviewers singling out the cocktails.
Polished and special-occasion: Contini for the room and the history, Divino Enoteca for wine-led dining, Amarone for a glossy modern setting, Scarpetta for hearty George Street cooking with genuine gluten-free options. Book ahead for all four.
Chef-led and destination: Locanda de Gusti is the one I'd send you to first — a 25-seat Neapolitan kitchen with a nightly-changing menu. Sotto in Stockbridge and Ecco Vino on Cockburn Street (trading since 2001) are the other two worth crossing the city for.
Neighbourhood institutions: Vittoria on George IV Bridge (part of a family group trading since 1970), tipo on Hanover Street, Mamma Roma near the Playhouse, and La Locanda on Cockburn Street all have loyal followings, though none of the four publishes verifiable prices, so call ahead.
Hotel restaurants and specialties: Amalfino at the Four Points Sheraton and Patatino at The Hoxton are both genuinely good, not just convenient. Tempo Perso in Bruntsfield is the best value on this list. Sora Diana on Causewayside is the city's dedicated vegan Italian kitchen. Gio's on Slateford Road is the unpretentious neighbourhood pick.
Booking: Contini, Divino Enoteca, Amarone, Scarpetta, Sotto, Amalfino and Patatino all take online reservations. Locanda de Gusti, La Locanda, Mamma Roma and Tempo Perso take bookings by phone. Vittoria, tipo, and Gio's all take bookings but I'd confirm the method directly given the website issues noted above. Sora Diana is best checked in person or via its Google listing.
Budget: Tempo Perso (pasta from £16) and Ecco Vino (Penne alla Norma £18) are the two most affordable proper sit-down options. Divino Enoteca's beef cheek (£34) and Sotto's Fai Tu tasting menu (£70pp) sit at the top end. Most pasta mains across the list fall somewhere between £16 and £22.
One honest note on freshness: this list is current as of August 2026. Ragù Pasta on George Street has permanently closed, despite still appearing as open in some directories — I checked its own site directly and dropped it entirely rather than risk sending you somewhere shut. Radicibus in Stockbridge, a genuinely well-loved ten-year-old Italian restaurant, closes for good the same week this guide publishes, as the owners retire; it isn't on the numbered list above for exactly that reason. And for six of the sixteen restaurants here — Vittoria, tipo, Mamma Roma, La Locanda, Gio's and Sora Diana — there's no exact price to pull from their own websites (broken security certificates, single-page apps, or image-only menus were the culprits), so I've said so plainly rather than guess. Call ahead if price matters to your plan.
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