The best Italian restaurants in Edinburgh aren't hard to find if you know where to look.
You see, Edinburgh is a city of many culinary delights - between a host of Michelin-starred restaurants and hidden gems, Edinburgh lays a fair claim to being the best food city in Scotland (though Glaswegians may fairly argue that Glasgow’s best restaurants trump those in the capital in some ways).
Among a remarkable, resurgent dining scene, there are a number of fantastic Italian restaurants in Edinburgh too. Italian food remains wildly popular all over the British Isles. Despite the ebbs and flows of food trends, and exposure to food cultures from all over the world, we never seem to tire of fresh pasta draped in silky sauce, the speckled char of wood-fired pizza, cured meats, cheeses and snowballs of burrata with soft, curdy innards.
If the above sounds like something you’d order, you’ll want to scroll down and take a look at some of our favourite Italian restaurants in Edinburgh. We’ve tried to cover a variety of styles and locations, from the beautiful, light and airy Amarone Edinburgh in the city centre, to popular Napolitan trattoria Locanda de Gusti in Haymarket, or Contini - the ever-popular, much-photographed Italian eatery, housed in a grand old bank building on George Street.
Edinburgh is also a city that knows its way around a pizza and there’s a number of great pizzerias in the capital, from the ultra-authentic Razzo Pizza to local favourite Civerinos, and some cracking vegan pizzas courtesy of Novapizza.
Enough from us - you’re here for pizza, pasta and everything in between. Scroll down for our selection of the best Italian restaurants in Edinburgh.
Best Italian restaurants in Edinburgh
Contini
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What: Set up in 2004 by Victor and Carina Contini (who also run a handful of other restaurants in Edinburgh), Contini is a recognisable landmark on the Edinburgh restaurant map. Many come to Contini for the gorgeous interiors and grand setting of the George Street location, but there’s a very solid menu of Italian crowd-pleasers here, from polpette and gnocchi cacio e pepe to chicken Milanese and tagliata. The historic building Contini is housed in remains the star of the show, though.
Where: 103 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3ES
Book now: Contini
Terra Marique
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What: Lovely Terra Marique is a little more upmarket than your average pizza and pasta trattoria, but no less accessible thanks to friendly staff and down-to-earth cooking that celebrates great Scottish and Italian ingredients in tandem. Owners Ilaria and Fabrizio are from Puglia and Tuscany respectively, whilst head chef Maddalena is Sardinian - as a result the menu is Italian in broad strokes rather than taking a regional specialisation, and it adapts and changes with the passing seasons.
Where: 36 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2EL
Book now: Terra Marique
Polentoni
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What: One of Edinburgh’s best hidden gems, the Polentoni counter is a treasure trove of Italian goodies, from porchetta sandwiches to pizza and focaccia slices, pastries (the nutella swirl is a thing of beauty), and cakes. Yes, there’s tiramisu. Yes, there’s Bolognese calzone. Everytime you return there’s something else delicious to try. Polentoni was also serving a rousing dinner menu at one point - the little counter turned delivery and takeaway only during the pandemic but we hope that the delicious dinners will return soon.
Where: 38 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5RG
Book now: Polentoni
Mono
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What: The words ‘progressive fine dining’ may have lots of Italians gnashing teeth and wailing at the sky, but hold your horses, because Mono’s seasonal tasting menu manages to both honour the roots of Italian food whilst also reinventing it. The tasting experience doesn’t come cheap, but you won’t find food like this anywhere else in Edinburgh. Mono won a prestigious Gambero Rosso award in 2021 for the best emerging Italian restaurant in the world outside of Italy - high praise indeed.
Where: 85 South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1HN
Book now: Mono
Amarone
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What: Another George Street Italian housed in a grand old bank building, Amarone doesn’t boast quite the same jaw-dropping interior design as Contini but it’s still a great one-stop shop for anything from breakfast and coffee to pizzas, pasta and trattoria classics. The central location makes it ideal for a shopping lunch break, and Amarone is pretty expansive so you’ll rarely find yourself waiting for a table. Pizzas are particularly good - slow-proofed for 72 hours then blasted in a raging hot pizza oven for that classic crispy crust.
Where: 12-13 St Andrews Square, Edinburgh, EH2 2BH
Book now: Amarone
Ristorante Isola
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What: There’s no missing Isola’s proud Sardinian heritage, it’s plastered everywhere from the front signage of the restaurant to the ‘Discover Sardinia’ tab on its website. As such, expect typical Sardinian fare, from seafood, antipasti and pane carasau (thin crispbreads) to malloreddus (Sardinian pasta with sausage and tomato) and culurgiones (Sardinian ravioli). If you’re craving seafood pasta, this is the place to go.
Where: 85-87 Newington Road, Edinburgh, EH9 1QW
Book now: Ristorante Isola
Paolozzi
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What: Paolozzi is a collaboration between Edinburgh Beer Factory and local restaurateur Gino Stornaiuolo, and the concept is simple - freshly brewed local beers and freshly cooked Italian Scottish dishes. It’s a great mixture - the menu is pretty compact with a small range of pizza, pasta and assorted secondi piatti, and the tidy space has a brutalist edge with exposed concrete and piping, as well as showcasing artwork by Eduardo Paolozzi himself - the Leith-born originator of the pop art movement.
Where: 59-61 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QP
Book now: Paolozzi
Locanda de Gusti
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What: Head chef Rosario Sartore is a born and bred Napolitani, and he has managed to bring the spirit of that great city to Edinburgh at Locanda de Gusti. The interiors are simple - a comfortable modern bistro vibe - and there’s no room for frills on the menu either, but what you do get is honest Italian cooking. Orecchiette with lamb ragu, ravioli with sage butter and nutmeg, a cracking rabbit cacciatore - we could go on. It’s no coincidence that Locanda de Gusti is always busy.
Where: 102 Dalry Road, Edinburgh, EH11 2DW
Book now: Locanda de Gusti
Best pizza restaurants in Edinburgh
Razzo Pizza
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What: One of the newer arrivals on the Edinburgh pizza scene, Razzo has had rave reviews for its faithful recreations of classic Napolitan pizzas. Authentic ingredients are the order of the day here - San Marzano tomatoes and Italian ‘00’ flour make up the base of the Razzo experience. It’s impossible to ignore the absolutely magnificent pizzas, but if you can save room for a slice of ricotta pistachio torta or a baba al’rum, you won’t be disappointed.
Where: 59 Great Junction Street, Edinburgh, EH6 5HX
Book now: Razzo Pizza
Civerinos Slice
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What: A younger sibling of Civerinos in the city centre, Civerinos Slice is a striking, Instagram-friendly space of bold colours, pop art and geometric prints. Civerinos Slice is loud and vibrant, but retains that New York Italian diner vibe that works so well for the main restaurant, doling out pizzas that are available either by the generously sized slice or in their 20-inch entirety.
Where: 49 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2QP
Book now: Civerinos West Slice
Novapizza
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What: Vegan specialists Novapizza have converted plenty of carnivores over the years with their delicious pizzas. The name is slightly misleading - Novapizza actually mixes things up with a pretty big menu, including a heap of delicious pasta, antipasti and salads, but it’s the awesome pizzas that keep people coming back to this New Town haunt. The team were deservedly named Scotland’s best vegan restaurant at Food Awards Scotland in 2021.
Where: 42 Howe Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6TH
Book now: Novapizza
Pizza Posto
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What: When you just want a proper Napolitan pizza at a reasonable price, Pizza Posto is the way to go. The menu is pretty compact but has a nice range of options, from classic margarita and marinara to salsiccia and friarelli (broccoli tops) and a great calzone too. Grab some crispy rosemary and Parmesan fries and scatter them over the pizza for the true Napolitan pizza experience.
Where: 16 Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DH
Book now: Pizza Posto
Between brunch, afternoon tea and dinner restaurants in Edinburgh, we've covered the capital pretty extensively. Maybe it's time to take yourself over to the west coast to check out Glasgow's best Italian restaurants. Or, start planning a gastronomic tour of the whole country and stop in at all of Scotland's best restaurants!