Considering how much of a foodie-haven Edinburgh has become in recent years, when it comes to upmarket Italian food, there aren’t as many options around as you might expect. Contini, however, is one of the few. Set up in 2004 by Italian couple Victor and Carina Contini, it serves a menu of hard-not-to-like classics in the grand setting of a former banking hall on George Street. And it’s the combination of the crowd-pleasing Italian food on offer and the hugely impressive interiors that make Contini what it is.
An impressively pillared portico immediately instils a sense of occasion upon entry – the ‘Contini’ sign hanging above is the only real clue that it is a restaurant at all. The theme of grandeur continues inside with a chandelier hanging from the centre of the ornate ceiling way above. The bar acts as an island in the middle of the room, with tables all the way around it. We found it hard not to be constantly gazing around at the impressive spectacle of it all.
The food offering isn’t as wow as the setting but that would be a tough job; what it is though is incredibly hearty. The portions are all very generous, everything is packed full of flavour, and there’s the offer of a large nest of parmesan on top of most dishes if you so wish.
Sweet Italian peppers were a fun addition to a huge burrata, with the crumb underneath adding a sprinkling of crunch. The gnocchi cacio e pepe were beautifully made but covered in a slightly too heavy cheese sauce, and a pile of mixed seafood included mussels, perfectly cooked scallop and a large piece of squid. We enjoyed it all greatly but just felt that as a whole it was all slightly too rich.
All washed down with a glass or two of particularly good Prosecco and perhaps a limoncello to finish, and there’s not much to complain about. You just might find you don’t need to eat much else on the day you visit.