The story
Contini George Street sits at 103 George Street, one of Edinburgh's most distinguished addresses, and has earned recognition from Gambero Rosso — Italy's most authoritative food and wine guide — with a Fork award. That kind of recognition, coming from the definitive voice on Italian cuisine, speaks to a standard that goes well beyond the ordinary.
Gambero Rosso's Fork distinction is reserved for restaurants that bring genuine Italian culinary values to the table — not an approximation, but the real thing. For a restaurant operating outside Italy to earn that mark is a meaningful credential, placing Contini George Street in select company among the best Italian dining experiences in the United Kingdom.
Whether you are a resident of Edinburgh or visiting the city, Contini George Street represents a reliable choice when Italian cuisine done with care and conviction is what you are after. The George Street address alone signals a certain ambition, and the Gambero Rosso recognition confirms that the kitchen lives up to it.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Quite the ace to have up your sleeve when you’re looking for somewhere casual, this dramatic double-height space, a former banking hall, houses a true urban eatery, an all-day Italian caffè . While busy and buzzy, the room feels classy: soaring pillars, ornate ceiling, grey walls, striking bright-pink dangling lampshades, massive central chandelier, and a lively baroque fresco covering part of one wall. It ‘feels special’ and feeds the mainly Edinburgh crowd from breakfast to dinner, whether snacking, just having a drink, enjoying one dish or more. Any time and any dish will do, whether it’s a plate of trofiette pasta with sausage, cremini mushrooms, dried porcini, fresh cream, rocket and Parmesan, or rump of Highland lamb with cannellini purée, pan-fried puntarella and salsa verde. If you’re into the sweet side of things, Contini’s tiramisu is the ultimate soothing treat, although other equally indulgent temptations beckon – from panettone al forno to gelati and sorbetti. Liquid refreshment covers all bases too, with the good-value all-Italian wine list opening at £25.
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