Valvona & Crolla

Valvona & Crolla is Edinburgh’s long-running, award-winning Italian delicatessen/casual eatery/wine merchant. To the rear, its simply furnished Caffè Bar – housed in a neatly converted stable block – has been a mainstay of good taste & quality in the city since 1996. The menu covers all bases from breakfast onwards, the coffee is exceptionally good, & you can pick any wine from the deli’s excellent range & have it with your food for retail price (plus £6 corkage). A toasted panatella sandwich – with prosciutto, rocket & parmesan, perhaps – makes for a light lunch, & there are some fine pasta dishes too (pappardelle with smoked salmon, cream & vodka); otherwise try a pizza topped with mozzarella & ventricina salami. Alternatively, you could start with a salad of crayfish, nectarine, fennel & mixed leaves, before sampling witch sole fillet in breadcrumbs with salad & tartare sauce. Extended opening hours in August.