6/4/2010 1 photo

I love this cafe. Its located right next to Harvey Nicks and Louis Vuitton so it attracts the "ladies who lunch" and business men types. But it is oh so good.

It is part of Valvona and Crolla which is an Edinburgh institution. They have so many locations popping up around the city that you are bound to bump into one. The quality offered is fantastic. The coffee is delicious and my Granny always insists I bring her a back when I go to visit. The cakes. Oh the cakes! This place has the potential to make me very fat based purely on the desserts. The rest of the food is delicious also. Simple, but fresh and tasty. I had some sort of deep fried ball of rice and mozzarella, I couldn't even begin to tell you the name because it was in Italian. But it was so yummy. As are the pizzas.

If your in the city centre and need some lunch, then this is the place to go.

• Add owner comment
• Bookmark  
• Send to a Friend
• Link to This Review

28/6/2009

I came here for lunch three times in a week -- I'm definitely a fan... Although the space always seems to be overly crowded, the friendly waitstaff and the terrific food kept me coming back for more.

On my first visit I had the special of two appetizers and a glass of wine for 9.99, a terrific bargain. I got the mushrooms stuffed with capers and tomatoes and mozzarella, the grilled Queen Scallops, and a glass of white wine... I was still hungry and thirsty so I asked my waitress if I could get a second of the special, and I was given the okay -- so I got the salumi assortment, the trio of crostini, and a glass of red wine.

On my second visit I got the calf's liver (cooked medium-rare) with mashed potatoes and sauteed onions, and a side of sauteed cabbage and pancetta, and a side of marinated fennel.

On my third visit I got the grilled Aberdeen Angus Ribeye Steak (cooked rare) with a salad of rocket and parmigiano reggiano, and for dessert I got the bread and butter pudding.

The food is simple and very well prepared -- I really like this place, even though it's proximity to Harvey Nichols makes it perhaps a bit too "posh" for some.

Listed in: yon Empress of the North

• Add owner comment
• Bookmark  
• Send to a Friend
• Link to This Review

8/1/2009

The swanky restaurant part of the Valvolla and Crolla franchise- Vin Caffe is a great Italian eatery and one of my favourite restaurants in Edinburgh. Unfortunately, it's very popular with the Edinburgh elites and has turned into the kind of place you'll find mothers clutching babies wearing Harvey Nicks onesie's and force feeding them a carpaccio starter. Don't let this description put you off though, the food is well worth bypassing the yah's for.

Get a bruschetta selection to start with- it's an order! The mozzarella tastes so creamy and the crab pate sweet and zesty. It's easily enough to allow three people to grab a tasty nibble without filling yourself up too much before mains. The pasta dishes here are always wonderful although be warned, anything that states 'garlic' as one of the main ingredients will have your mouth humming for days! Pizza's are also great- huge portions and ultra fresh ingredients.

Vin Caffe might be a favourite of the yummy mummies but that doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't get a look in too. Make sure you try it out!

• Add owner comment
• Bookmark  
• Send to a Friend
• Link to This Review