It is surely one of the best-loved cuisines in the world. Head to the most remote corners of Scotland and you will still be able to find an Italian restaurant, with their combination of pizza, pasta and ice cream proving seemingly irresistible. It’s all a matter of taste, of course, but here are 15 of our favourite Italians in the country.
1. Piccolo Mondo, Renfrew/Glasgow
63 Hairst Street, Renfrew, (also 344 Argyle Street, Glasgow)
0141 885 1011. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 12pm-2.15pm and 5.30pm-10pm
The original Piccolo Mondo was set up by a Tuscan couple, Tony & Giuliana Pierotti, back in 1974. After selling the business in 1989 they decided to reopen it in 2005, with the help of their son Emilio and their head chef Iain Monaghan. Family and tradition prevail in the modern Piccolo Mondo, with indulgent dishes and big portions a given. The décor in both the Renfrew and Glasgow restaurants might be a little tired, but the old-school hospitality more than makes up for it.
www.piccolomondo.co.uk
2. Little Italy, St Andrews
2 Logies Lane, St Andrews, Fife
Open Monday-Sunday, 12pm–10.30pm
01334 479299
In a busy tourist town like St Andrews, Little Italy has to compete with major chains like Zizzi and Pizza Express. But if you want the taste of a true Italian, then shun the safety net of a big brand and try out this family-run gem. It is almost always busy – even midweek – so there is a real buzz about the place, with knowledgeable diners booking well in advance to secure one of the limited tables. The menu, and the portions, are generous, but make sure to order at least one bottle of their excellent house red wine.
www.littleitaly.cc
3. Poldinos, Aberdeen
7 Little Belmont Street, Aberdeen
Open Monday to Saturday, 12 -2.30pm and 5.30pm-10.15pm
01224 647777
This cosy, welcoming restaurant screams ‘authentic Italian’. The staff are attentive without being overbearing, the portions are hearty without being overwhelming, and the background chatter is busy without being deafening. The pizzas, calamari and zuppa di pesce are all great, but if you are looking for a real treat then make sure to order the lasagne. It might be an unadventurous choice, but the Poldinos version is a knockout.
www.poldinos.co.uk
4. Delivino, Auchterader
22 High Street, Auchterarder, Perth and Kinross
01764 660033 Open Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm and Friday and Saturday, 9am- 9pm
Auchterarder: home to the Ochill Hills, Gleneagles Hotel, and one of the best Italian restaurants in Scotland. Delivino, with its relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, offers startlingly good food: think homemade meatballs, seafood linguine and truffled mac and cheese. But locals love it best for its famous grazing platters, which showcase the best of the in-house Italian deli food alongside delightful antipasti bread and oil.
www.delivino.co.uk
5. The Italian Caffe, Glasgow
92 Albion Street, Glasgow
Open Monday-Thursday, 12pm- 10.30pm, Friday-Saturday, 12pm – 11.30pm and Sunday, 12pm- 10.30pm
0141 552 3186
An institution among Glaswegians, the Italian Caffe has been enthusing Merchant City diners for years. Set apart from the more traditional Italians in Glasgow, the Italian Caffe provides contemporary tapas dining in stylish surroundings. It bases itself around the Roman concept of an ‘enoteca’ – a place where people congregate to sample wines – and it certainly lives up to its name. With a collection of more than 34 to choose from, each wine is outstanding and fairly priced too.
www.theitaliancaffe.co.uk
6. L’Angolino Doune
47 Main Street, Doune, Stirling
Open Wednesday-Friday, 5pm-9.15pm and Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-2pm and 5pm-9.15pm
01786 841850
Meaning ‘the little corner’ in Italian, this intimate restaurant is found in a quiet corner of the Stirlingshire countryside. Owner and head chef Craig Small was charmed by the venue when he decided to take it over two years ago, and has since focused the menu around locally-sourced produce. Everything is made fresh to order, and with only seven tables in the restaurant, Craig and his wife Sarah-Jane can offer diners a genuinely special experience.
www.langolino.co.uk
7. Cheese & Tomatin, Inverness
10 Stephens Brae, Inverness
Open Tuesday- Sunday, 12pm-9pm (10pm on Friday and Saturday)
01463 223752
Italian food is almost universally popular – and that includes the desserts. At Cheese & Tomatin in Inverness, they pride themselves on their homemade tiramisu, which pairs perfectly with the range of local craft beers. For your main there are seven Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas to choose from, all made with homemade sourdough. We recommend the Spanish Tapas: chorizo, Manchego cheese and peppers.
8. Michaelangelo's, Clarkston
9 Helena Place, Busby Road, Clarkston, East Renfrewshire
Open Wednesday- Thursday, 12pm-3pm and 5pm-10pm, Friday- Saturday, 12pm- 12am and Sunday, 12pm- 9pm
0141 638 7772
This restaurant is tiny – with only a handful of tables – but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in flavour. Specialities include the seafood risotto or the Panciotti Michealangelo: filled pasta with scallops and king prawns, cooked in a garlic oil sauce and topped with Parma ham. It might not be the best-known restaurant outside of its local neighbourhood, but being under the radar has ensured that the quality of Michaelangelo’s never wavers.
www.michaelangelosglasgow.co.uk
9. Giuliano’s Edinburgh
18-19 Union Place, Edinburgh
Open every day, 12pm-1am
0131 556 6590
It might be popular with patrons of the nearby Playhouse Theatre, but the food at Giuliano’s is the real star of the show. As you might expect the pre-theatre menu is their speciality: fungi al aglio (fresh mushrooms sautéed with white wine garlic) and pollo Giuliano’s (chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mozzarella) proving to be the standout dishes.
www.giulianos.co.uk
10. Visocchi’s Café, Broughty Ferry
40 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee
01382 779 297
Open Tuesday 9.30am-5pm, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 9.30am-8pm and Friday and Saturday, 9.30am-10pm
Don’t be fooled into thinking Vissochi’s is just an ice cream parlour. It is one of the last surviving traditional Scottish Italian restaurants, where you can get a sweet treat by day and great pizza and wine by night. Expect thin crusts (as is traditional) and rich pastas, with gluten free alternatives available.
11. Borsalino, Aberdeen
337 North Deeside Road, Peterculter, Aberdeen
01224 732902
Open every day from 5pm and also 12pm-2pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Italian hospitality is well and truly alive in the suburbs of Aberdeen. The team at Borsalino prides themselves on their extensive menu, but amidst the linguine and veal escalope the eponymous Borsalino pizza is a real draw. It features Parma ham, rocket and parmesan shavings on top of their signature Fior Di Latte mozzarella.
www.borsalinorestaurant.com
12. Jolly, Edinburgh
9 Elm Row, Edinburgh
0131 556 1588
Open Monday-Friday, 12pm-2.30pm, and 5pm-11pm, Saturday, 12pm-11pm and Sunday 12.30pm-10pm
This 47-year-old restaurant boasts that its pizzas are cooked in the oldest wood-fired oven in Edinburgh, giving them their famous smoky flavour. Owner Vito Alongi insists on using the same oven that his parents built when they moved to the city from the Italian island of Ischia, and it has been impressing Edinburghers ever since.
www.jollyrestaurant.co.uk
13. Adesso, Irvine
6 Glasgow Vennel, Irvine, Ayrshire
01294 273535
Open Tuesday-Friday, 12pm-3pm and 5pm-9pm, Saturday 12pm-9pm and Sunday, 5pm-9pm
The surroundings aren’t glamorous and the décor isn’t stylish – but who cares when the food is this good? The unpretentious Adesso offers hearty dishes where the flavours pack a punch, with a mammoth gluten-free menu that’s a coeliac’s dream come true.
www.adesso-irvine.co.uk
14. Mira Mare, Helensburgh
82 West Clyde Street, Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute
01436 673766
Open Tuesday-Thursday, 12pm-9pm and Friday and Saturday, 12pm- 10pm
Being located on the waterfront in Helensburgh, not to mention having ‘sea’ in its name, you can expect decent seafood at Mira Mare. New owners have recently taken over the restaurant, but its warm hospitality prevails.
15. Battlefield Rest, Glasgow
55 Battlefield Road, Glasgow
0141 6366955
Open Monday-Saturday, 10am-10pm
This family-owned favourite is situated in one of the most unusual buildings in the south side of Glasgow. As a former tram waiting shelter it doesn’t make for the most spacious restaurant, but its intimate charm compliments the indulgent dishes on offer. Owner Marco Giannasi has been running the Battlefield Rest for 25 years, and it doesn’t look like it will be going anywhere soon.
www.battlefieldrest.co.uk
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