20 of Scotland's best Italian restaurants

235 Dumbarton Road, Partick, Glasgow

(A second branch is in Alexandra Parade in the east end)

0141 341 0311

Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-10pm and Sunday, 10am-10pm

If you were ever in doubt about the quality of food on offer at Celino’s, you need only take one look inside its Partick restaurant. Despite having a substantial number of tables – as well as outside seating – it is almost always full, with its deli counter and ice cream parlour equally as bustling. The reason for its popularity? It’s partly down to the sheer choice that’s on offer, with a menu that runs from 9am right through until 10pm every day of the week. Early birds can enjoy the breakfast menu: ranging from Scottish ‘Hebridean’ poached eggs through to Italian favourites like Cannoli and Bombolone. But a particular standout is the deceivingly named ‘Scoobie Snack’. Featuring a huge ciabatta roll filled with two Lorne sausages, two slices of bacon, two potato scones, Stornoway black pudding and a fried egg on top, finishing it will prove challenging to even those with the biggest appetites.

www.celinos.com

Eusebi Restaurant & Delicastessen, 
152 Park Road, Woodlands, Glasgow
0141 648 9999
Open Tuesday-Sunday, 8.30am-9pm
There’s no risk of being short on choice at Eusebi’s Deli. As well as their restaurant menu (served from noon); they have a mammoth breakfast menu which offers an extensive range of Italian pastries and vits, alongside traditional Scottish favourites like potato scone and steak sausage. But it is with their eggs that the Eusebi’s breakfast really elevates above the rest. Try the Cacio Pepe, with soft scrambled eggs, served Roman style with pecorino and black pepper, on a delightful toasted sourdough. You won’t regret it. Joanna Blythman says: “Eusebi’s never rest on their laurels and keep notching up the quality, always drawing on their traditional roots, yet never allowing their creativity to be choked by them.”

eusebideli.com

Cheese & Tomatin, Inverness

10 Stephens Brae, Inverness

01463 223752

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 12pm-10pm

Glasgow might have traditionally been the epicentre of Scotland's Italian culture, but you can get just as good a pizza in the Highlands as what's on offer in the central belt. At Cheese & Tomatin in Inverness, they keep things simple, with a choice of just nine pizzas making up their main menu, but each are Neapolitan wood-fired made with artisan homemade sourdough. We recommend the Spanish Tapas, with chorizo, Manchego cheese and peppers; or the Mediterranean medley

with olives, sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and red onions. You can even have pizza for dessert: a 'Nutella calzone' made with marshmallows and fresh cream. Pizza aside, there is a fresh pasta special created by the team of expert chefs each day, as well as some delightful cheesy garlic bread as a side dish. What’s not to like?

www.cheeseandtomatin.com

Claudios, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway

The Old Police Station, Burnside Road, Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway

01683 220958

Open Tuesday-Sunday, 5pm-9pm

One of the best-loved restaurants in Moffat, Claudios specialises in proper Italian comfort food. Think creamy, rich pastas, fried Panzanella doughballs, garlic mushrooms, hearty pizzas… you get the idea. They also offer a highly-regarded a la carte menu, with dishes like seared scallops and king prawns served with a butternut squash puree, a Cacciuccio seafood stew or a pan-seared breast of duck. But if you want to take the less sophisticated option, you could opt for a ‘Munchie Box’ to takeaway and enjoy on your sofa. It consists of pasta (choose from Imperiale, Napoli, Pomodorro, Bolognese or Alfredo); a nine-inch pizza (choose from Margarita, Ham, Pepperoni, Funghi and Veneziana); chips or mixed salad and two slices of garlic bread. The whole lot only costs £13.50, but it will probably fill you up for several days at least.

www.claudiosmoffat.co.uk

Errol’s Hot Pizza, Govanhill

379 Victoria Rd, Govanhill, Glasgow

0141 423 0559

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 4pm-9pm

Forget some of Glasgow’s better-known Italians, this is where all the cool kids are getting their pizzas. Errol’s Hot Pizza is situated in a tiny shop in trendy Govanhill where you will almost certainly have to hang about outside before you get your pizza- but the wait is more than worth it. The team behind Errol’s include two former chefs from the Alchemilla in Finnieston, and their experience shows in their cooking. They boast more than 10,000 followers on Instagram -which is the only place you will find their menu- creating a real buzz about their food before you’ve even eaten it. Demand is so high, in fact, that you have to pre-order your pizzas on a Tuesday when their waiting list opens, then collect at an arranged time slot on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.

www.calendy.com/errolshotpizza

Piccolo, Dundee

210 Perth Road, Dundee

01382201419

Open every day, 6pm-12am

This classy restaurant isn’t the cheapest, but it offers some of the best Italian food in Tayside. There are plenty of great dishes to choose from -the individually made tiramisu is not to be missed- but it is their seafood that really sets Piccolo apart. The king prawn ravioli, with wine, butter, garlic and chilli is nothing short of a knockout, while the seabass limone is delightfully light and fresh. And for any diners concerned about social distancing, there are temperature checks on arrival as well as tasteful transparent screens separating each table to maintain social distancing. A winner all round.

www.piccolodundee.co.uk

Devitas Pizzeria and Café, Wick

97 High Street, Wick, Caithness

01955602803

Open Wednesday-Sunday, 12pm-8pm

Situated just 16 miles south of John o’Groats, DeVitas in Wick is one of the most northerly Italian restaurants in mainland Britain. But location isn’t the only notable thing about this restaurant, with their handmade pizzas and fresh pasta proving hugely popular with both locals and tourists from the North Coast 500 alike. It looks reasonably innocuous from the outside, but thanks to some very satisfied customers DeVitas has managed to attain a coveted TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award for 2020. By far the most popular dish is the homemade meatballs, but diners also comment on the minestrone soup and the homely atmosphere. It has recently been renovated to allow for better social distancing in post-Covid times, but takeaway is also available for those who prefer it.

Mamma’s Edinburgh

28 Grassmarket, Edinburgh

0131 225 6464

Open Sunday, Thursday, 12pm-10.30pm and until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays

Family run and independent since 1985, Mamma's is a bit of an institution among Edinburgh diners. Yet despite being around for 35 years, Mamma's has not been slow to adapt to new trends, becoming the first pizzeria in the UK to serve gluten-free pizza. They also offer vegan cheese, as well as an array of vegetarian-friendly toppings (particularly good is the addition of red onion marmalade). For the carnivores among us, you can expect spicy beef, pepperoni, king prawns, haggis and chorizo. Best of all is the outside seating area -which can accommodate up to 100 diners- situated in an enviable location underneath Edinburgh Castle. Ideal for those with dogs, provided you can bear the chill of Scottish autumnal weather.

www.mammas.co.uk

L’Angolino, Doune

47 Main Street, Doune, Stirling

01786 841850

Open Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, 5pm-9pm and Saturday 5pm-10pm

With foreign holidays all but cancelled for most of us, many Scots have been heading out to the countryside to discover the beautiful scenery that’s on offer closer to home. For those who decide to explore the Trossachs, they may discover that they require some hearty food at the end of a hard day of hiking. And if you do want to refuel, you couldn’t do much better than a meal from L’Angolino. Meaning ‘the little corner’ in Italian, this intimate restaurant is found in the quiet village of Doune, near the popular tourist town of Callander. 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. With only seven tables in the restaurant they are currently only able to offer takeaway, but the quality of the food is just as high- plus it gives you the chance to enjoy a scenic picnic alfresco in the beautiful surrounding area.

www.langolino.co.uk

Padrone Pizza, Helensburgh

41 West Clyde Street, Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute

01436 674 252

Open Monday-Thursday, 12pm-9pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12pm-10pm

Some people like to create their own pizza, others like to trust their chef's wisdom and order one straight from the menu. Whichever camp you fall into, there is something on offer for you in Padrone. Diners can pick from one of the ten wood fired pizzas on the menu, with our pick being the number eight (spiced chicken, BBQ pulled pork, mozzarella and tomato sugo), with the option to pay a small supplement to get any of them made into a calzone. But if you want to really put your stamp on your pizza, you can also swap to vegan mozzarella, a gluten or dairy-free base, or switch the Fior di Latte Mozzarella to Mozzarella di Bufala. Extra toppings, like anchovies, Parma ham or fresh chilli, can be added too- for a small charge per topping. Even the fussiest of eaters should be able to find something they like.

https://www.padronepizza.co.uk

Café Biagiotti, Beauly

11 High Street, Beauly, Inverness

01463 782036

Open Wednesday-Saturday, 10am-2pm

When it comes to Italian food, pasta and pizza tend to get all the fuss. But there is, of course, a wealth of other kinds of Italian cuisine that are well worth our attention- and that’s exactly what the team at Café Biagiotti aim to showcase. They specialise in luxury Italian breads (think artisan focaccia and ciabatta) as well as decadent cakes and scones, all served in a cosy converted cottage in the village of Beauly. If you fancy something more substantial, Café Biagiotti also offers a soup of the day, filled focaccia or arancini: a popular Sicilian snack that consists of rice balls rice coated with breadcrumbs and then deep fried. And if all that wasn’t enough, you can also buy one of their homemade frozen ready meals – think lasagne and aubergine parmigiana – to enjoy a taste of Italy in your own home.

www.cafebiagiotti.com

Basta, Partick

561 Dumbarton Road, Partick

0141 339 8698

Open Wednesday-Friday, 3pm until late and Saturday and Sunday, 12pm until late

The decision to decorate their window with lots of large plants mean that it is easy to either miss this small pizza shop, or mistake it for a florist. But when you do eventually make it in, the feeling that you have stumbled across one of Glasgow’s best-kept secrets only adds to its charm. The owners have created a fusion that shows off the best of their two cultures; Polselli flour, Strianese tomatoes and olive oil imported from Italy; with fresh produce that’s sourced from local Partick allotments and the Sandy Road Community Garden. And it works: the pizzas are flavoursome, fresh and totally filling. Basta isn’t always as busy as some of the other pizza places in town, but the brilliant soundtrack provides plenty of atmosphere- with the playlist available on their website so you can keep the party going when you get home.

www.bastapizza.com

Piccolo Mondo, Renfrew

63 Hairst Street, Renfrew, Renfrewshire (a second branch is on 344 Argyle Street, Glasgow)

0141 885 1011

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 12pm-2.15pm and 5.30pm-10pm

A family favourite among local diners, Piccolo Mondo was first 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 guaranteed, alongside genuinely friendly service. They set up a popular delivery service during lockdown which they have since kept going, meaning that you can enjoy some of their most popular dishes -including even a Lobster Thermidor- from the comfort of your sofa.

www.piccolomondo.co.uk

Civerinos Edinburgh

5 Hunter Square, Edinburgh

0131 220 0851

Open Sunday-Thursday, 12pm-11pm and until 12am on Fridays and Saturdays

Civerinos pizzas certainly aren’t the cheapest, but they are undoubtedly among some of the best in the country. The dough, which is made in house and then proven for 72 hours to give it the perfect rise and crisp, is pretty good. But it is the toppings which really elevate their pizza above the rest: smoked mozzarella, Tuscan chilli sausage, garlic marinated mushrooms, slow cooked ham hock… we could go on. One of the standout options is the ‘Philly Cheesesteak’, a pizza topped with rare seared sirloin, sugo, mozzarella, caramelised onions, roasted peppers, rocket and jalapeno cream cheese. Delightful.

www.civerinos.com

Via Roma, Inverurie

55 Market Place, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire

Open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, 5pm-11pm and Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11.30am-11pm

01467621378

You are guaranteed a warm welcome at this traditional restaurant, where the menu includes a wealth of tasty Italian dishes- and a particularly extensive range of authentic Italian deserts. But being traditional has not stopped Via Roma from adapting seamlessly to the ‘new normal’ of coronavirus dining. In fact, they have gone out of their way to make guests feel safe and comfortable: with tables spaced suitably apart, temperature checks on arrival, plenty of hand sanitiser and special air-cleaning equipment placed throughout the restaurant. You can even download the menu to your phone via a QR code to minimise any potential contamination. Perfect for those who are a little nervous about eating out in the current circumstances.

Oven, Stewarton

8 Vennel Street, Stewarton, Ayrshire

01560337560

Open Sundays and Thursdays, 12pm-8.30pm and Fridays and Saturdays, 12pm-10.30pm

This exciting venue has been shaking up Stewarton's restaurant scene since it opened last year. Their homemade pizza dough is proofed for 48 hours before being cooked in a 700°F oven and topped with a range of gourmet ingredients. Vegan cheese is available on all of their pizzas, as well as plenty of vegetarian toppings, and there is mercifully transparent allergen information for anyone who needs it. Kids are also well catered to: there is a non-processed, dedicated kids menu and where availability permits they let children make up their own pizza. Great for all the family.

www.theovenpizza.co.uk

Oro, Glasgow

85 Kilmarnock Road, Shawlands, Glasgow

01416324222

Open every day, 9am-10.30pm

While many venues in Shawlands have changed hands in recent years, Oro has remained steadfastly popular with southside diners. Its menu is huge, so there should be something for everyone, with very clear allergen information for anyone who needs it. A particular highlight is the ‘design your own pizza’ offer, where you can choose your base (gluten-free option available), cheese and toppings- even adding gold leaf for a fee of £9.50. As well as their food they also offer an extensive list of cocktails, including the classically Italian Aperol Spritz.

www.oro.restaurant

Poldinos, Aberdeen

7 Little Belmont Street, Aberdeen

01224 647777

Open Monday-Saturday, 12pm-2.30pm and 5.30pm-10.15pm

If you close your eyes and visualise traditional Italian food, the chances are you are pretty close to what is on offer at Poldinos. This cosy, welcoming restaurant offers hearty portions, attentive staff and a consistently busy backdrop, as well as a range of excellent dishes. But their pizza is where Podinos comes alive: with the dough made in-house with quality olive oil, and a sauce that's crafted from Fior di Latte cheese and Italian tomatoes. Our pick is the 'Picante', made with spicy sausage, red onion, fresh chilli and Gorgonzola cheese.

www.poldinos.co.uk

One 20 Wine Café, Edinburgh

120 Dundas Street, Edinburgh

0131 556 1911

Open every day, 10am-late

One of the best-reviewed Edinburgh restaurants on TripAdvisor, One 20 Wine Café has built its reputation by offering simple Italian food made to the highest quality. Its menu is small, offering a handful of main meals and three types of sharing platter. Our pick is the charcuterie platter: 30-month age Parma ham, Mortadella with pistachio, Speck by ‘Carni’, Sopressa ‘Vino Torcolato’, pickled vegetables, marinated artichokes and semi-dried tomatoes.

www.one-20.co.uk

Pizza Punks, Glasgow

90 St Vincent Street, Glasgow

0141 237 8020

Open Sunday-Wednesday, 12pm-10pm and Thursday-Saturday, 12pm-11pm

If you are the type of diner who likes to go off-piste with your menu choices, this is the perfect place for you. Pizza Punks lets you create your own pizza, using as many of their unlimited toppings as you want, for one flat fee. That includes picking your own sauce (red, white or BBQ); your own cheese (mozzarella, applewood, goats’ cheese or vegan mozzarella) and then one of 41 individual toppings. Plenty of them are vegetarian and six are special plant-based alternatives, with gluten-free bases also available. With this much choice on offer -including some unconventional toppings like Irn Bru pulled pork, black pudding and even garlic and rosemary potatoes- it can be tempting to follow their advice and ‘knock yourself out’. But sometimes, less really is more. Trust us.

www.pizzapunks.co.uk

Tomorrow 11-1