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Contini - The Italian Real Deal
As Edinburgh's West End enjoys a fresh burst of energy from new openings, one restaurant continues to prove that quality, provenance and authenticity never go out of fashion. We return to Contini to discover why it remains one of the city's most enduring dining destinations.
Sometimes you forget what's on your doorstep.
With much recent attention focused on the east end of Princes Street, Edinburgh's West End can feel as though it has lost a little energy. Yet a series of new openings, including Ottolenghi and The Lyon Public House alongside fashion retailers such as Free People, may well breathe fresh life into the area.
Standing proudly among them is Contini, La Signora of George Street. Housed in a former banking hall, it remains one of Edinburgh's most striking dining rooms, with soaring columns, ornate detailing and a romantic Italian aesthetic.
A friend and I were reminded of its charms while stopping for Aperitivo, that most tempting of foodie rituals, ahead of Ottolenghi's opening. The building looked as magnificent as ever and the drinks were faultless, from a perfectly balanced Negroni to an excellent Apricot Margarita.
As it happens, Contini was on the verge of launching their new autumn menu, making a return visit feel apt.
What strikes Mr Bite and me when we return for dinner is the restaurant's unwavering commitment to sourcing both Scottish and Italian ingredients and its dedication to seasonality. Trends come and go, but Contini remains steadfast in its belief that great food is rooted in exceptional produce.
I am also delighted that we are seated at the corner table below the John Bellany painting "The Cockenzie Cafe", which has a direct connection to the Contini family. It depicts the café run by Carina Contini's family in Cockenzie, East Lothian, reflecting the Italian-Scottish café culture that shaped generations of immigrant families.
We could happily disappear down a rabbit hole discussing the differing olive oils, carefully aged balsamics and vincotto (cooked grape must) but that would require a much longer essay, so for now, you'll have to infer the extraordinary attention to detail from what follows.
I begin with the best way to enjoy an Italian meal in October, with New Season Figs with hazelnuts, Capezzana extra virgin olive oil, fresh ricotta and eight-year-old vincotto. The refreshing fruit, creamy cheese and crunchy nuts combine to create autumn on a plate. Meanwhile, Mr Bite devours 18 Months aged San Daniele DOP Prosciutto served with cantaloupe melon and La Marina extra virgin olive oil. The complex flavour of the cured ham is perfectly balanced by the palate-cleansing freshness of the fruit.
Main courses see us going somewhat overboard. I cannot resist the opportunity to enjoy proper Creamy Polenta with 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP and garlic-sautéed king oyster mushrooms. This is Italian comfort food at its finest, with thick slices of mushroom cooked with thyme and salt until they develop an almost meaty depth and texture. Mr Bite can only sigh with pleasure as he tucks into Porchetta e Fagioli stuffed with that revered Italian vegetable, fennel, and finished with crispy sage. These dishes draw on the peasant traditions of cucina povera, delivering classic seasonal comfort food.
There is also Homemade Ravioli stuffed with burrata and 24-month-aged Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, served in a butter sauce with porcini soil and shaved black truffle. It is pasta heaven on a plate. I silently promise myself a small treat in the near future: a return visit to enjoy this dish alone with a glass of Italian red. Bliss.
By dessert, we are stuffed to the gills, so we share Torta Cioccolato, a 70% cocoa chocolate torta served with Katy Rodger's crème fraîche and sour cherry compote. The result is a beautifully balanced combination of richness and fruit, the sour cherries complementing the deep notes of dark chocolate, while the crème fraîche is quite simply the most voluptuous, luxurious cream imaginable.
Uncompromising sourcing and seasonality remain the bedrock of everything Contini does. For me, the restaurant sits comfortably within Edinburgh's top tier of establishments that hold firm to such principles. Like Rosario Sartore at Locanda de Gusti and Fred Berkmiller at L'Escargot Bleu, the Contini team cooks according to their roots. They have a clear philosophy and refuse to compromise and, in a dining scene increasingly driven by novelty, there is something hugely reassuring about that.
Forget the young pretenders. Contini is the real deal.
Contini George Street - 103 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES - 0330 164 9385 -
Opening hours: Mon to Thu 9am to 11pm, Fri 9am to 11.30pm, Sat 10am to 11.30pm, Sun 10am to 11pm.
