Contini George Street is a italian restaurant in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Rated 4.4 stars from 1700 Google reviews. Known for service that remembers your name and the room itself — 19th-century banking hall with real presence. Best for date night and birthday celebration. Ranked #9 of 17 in Stockbridge. Price range: €€.
Rankings updated April 2026
Contini George Street
Zone Ranking
Ranked weekly from live Google review data
in Stockbridge
↓ Down 4 this week
Quick Verdict
Locals return for the setting, the consistent food quality, and service that makes you feel looked after rather than rushed through. It's not a secret — it's an institution — but it earns the repeat visits.
You want a pre-theatre meal, a birthday celebration, or a Friday night out where the room fills with energy but the service stays sharp.
About Contini George Street
Contini George Street is an Italian restaurant housed in a 19th-century banking hall on Edinburgh's George Street in Stockbridge. The space itself is the draw — 26-foot ceilings, Corinthian columns, a historic setting that feels both refined and comfortable. The kitchen runs a seasonal Italian menu with Scottish influences that don't overpower the core cooking. Reviewers consistently praise the quality of ingredients (one noted "their produce is of high quality"), the freshness of the food, and the service — staff like Orlando, Mary, and Avelina appear repeatedly in reviews as attentive and genuinely welcoming. The menu moves between brunch, lunch, and dinner service. Dishes mentioned in reviews include fried olives, bresaola, mushroom orecchiette, Milanese chicken, nduja pasta, arancini, meatballs, and homemade chocolate sorbet and tiramisu for dessert. It's full by 8pm on Fridays and accepts reservations, though walk-ins are accommodated. The wine list and cocktails are flagged as strengths in the venue attributes.
What Stands Out
Service that remembers your name
Mary, Orlando, Avelina, and Enrique appear by name in five separate recent reviews, each praised for attentiveness and warmth. One reviewer noted Orlando "ensured our table had a wonderful experience" and is "a credit to the Contini family." Another wrote: "We walked in last night without a reservation and still had a really lovely experience... Enrique was super friendly and helpful."
The room itself — 19th-century banking hall with real presence
One reviewer specifically noted the "19th century banking hall with 26ft high ceilings and Corinthian columns." Multiple reviews describe the surroundings as "stunning" and "beautiful," with one noting it's "cosy but good sized" for private dining. The atmosphere is described as "historic" and "romantic" in venue attributes.
Fresh, quality Italian ingredients without compromise
A brunch reviewer wrote: "Everything was fresh and you can tell their produce is of high quality." Another noted the kitchen accommodated a request to swap pecorino for parmigiano reggiano without fuss. Italian reviewers specifically praised "Ingredienti italiani ottima qualità e non artefatti, che non sempre si trovano all'estero" (high-quality Italian ingredients not altered, which aren't always found abroad).
What Customers Say
We had 3 courses, which were all very good, except that I had the nduja pasta dish, but found it rather too salty.
Fantastic food and our server Mary did a great job.
Everything was fresh and you can tell their produce is of high quality.
Real quotes from Google Reviews
Practical Information
Contact
Frequently Asked Questions about Contini George Street
Reservations are recommended for brunch, lunch, and dinner — the restaurant fills by 8pm on Fridays. But walk-ins are accommodated; one recent reviewer arrived without a reservation on a Friday evening and had "a really lovely experience."
Reviewers consistently praise the fried olives, bresaola, mushroom orecchiette, Milanese chicken, arancini, and meatballs. The homemade chocolate sorbet and tiramisu are flagged as "fabulous" and "delicious" in multiple reviews. The nduja pasta was mentioned as excellent but one reviewer found it too salty, so taste varies.
Yes, outdoor seating is available. The venue also has a bar on site, Wi-Fi, and a private dining room.
Marked as €€ (moderate). One reviewer took advantage of an Itison deal offering 55% discount on a set menu. The full menu is more extensive than promotional pricing reflects.
Yes — the venue attributes list it as "good for kids" with a kids' menu and high chairs available. Reviews mention families dining there, including one where a daughter's "favourite was the meatballs."
Also in Stockbridge
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Rankings are recalculated weekly from live Google Business Profile data. Our Hot Score weighs review velocity (new text reviews in 90 days), recency (how fresh), baseline rating, and Google Business Profile completeness. No editorial picks, no paid placements — just what the data says this week.
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