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In Edinburgh for a long weekend... we were staying in an apartment pretty central and found Al Dente just down the road. We thoroughly enjoyed our foo…
Aarti Rawat
Al Dente
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Sir Grazziano is one of the BEST host in the world. Very friendly and cultural. Loved all the dishes from entry to desert. The prices are very reasona…
Le Vitor Tavares
Al Dente
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Would rate a 10/5 if I could!! This place is amazing! I went while on vacation with a few friends! Gives a very homey feel, and you can tell it's very…
Marti Rector
Al Dente
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Al Dente is open for Casual Dining. Al Dente serves Italian dishes. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
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7 Reviews on “Al Dente”
In Edinburgh for a long weekend… we were staying in an apartment pretty central and found Al Dente just down the road. We thoroughly enjoyed our food and wine. Great value for money too.
Sir Grazziano is one of the BEST host in the world. Very friendly and cultural. Loved all the dishes from entry to desert. The prices are very reasonable due to the quality. Left the place with a full stomach plus and a happy mind. Nothing can go wrong with al dente 10/5 stars
Would rate a 10/5 if I could!! This place is amazing! I went while on vacation with a few friends! Gives a very homey feel, and you can tell it’s very authentic! The couple running the place were the only ones there besides us when we went, yet they didn’t rush us or hover over our table waiting for us to order or finish! I have yet to mention how AMAZING the food was! We ordered the roasted red pepper and goat cheese bruschetta to start, and all gobbled it down in 5 minutes! It was incredible! For dinner we ordered a bottle of Chianti, with the risotto with prawns, and orichette with broccoli and bacon! We all cleared our plates! The best risotto I’ve ever had! At the end, they gave us complimentary chocolate salami! Which was something I’ve never had before! It was incredible! The prices are veryyyy reasonable, service was impeccable, and the food was to die for! Will definitely be coming back when I go back to Edinburg!
Al Dente serves up unpretentious, honest cooking at excellent prices. The staff clearly put a great deal of pride into their work and that shines through in the food and the service. It wont be long before we visit again. Bellisimo! philsfoodworld.co.uk
In the centre of Edinburgh youll find Italian restaurants all over the place. Theyll serve you what youd expect: pizza, pasta and cheesy delights. Im not a fan of this type of restaurant. Firstly, a lot of the food is lazy and uninteresting, and secondly, I can make a lot of it at home. Luckily, there are Italian restaurants that stand out. Al Dente, on Easter Road, is one such restaurant.Al Dente has been hit listed by the Lists Eating and Drinking Guide several years, recently won a Best Italian Restaurant Award and has a dedicated following both locally and further afield. Id heard a lot of good about it before I visited for the first time and am delighted to say that it was just as good as I had been lead to believe.I visited Al Dente on a relatively quiet mid-week evening. Three couples and one gentleman on his own were contentedly tucking in to their first courses when we sat down. A few more diners came in while we were there and service was unhurried but attentive. The restaurant is intimate and relaxing. The room is small and unpretentious, with the feel of a traditional trattoria, but the food is ambitious and delicious. The menu changes with the season and showcases dishes from different areas of Italy. You wont find pizza here, nor a long list of standard pastas. Instead youll find interesting and seasonal dishes. Youll also find a warm welcome and great service. Graziano Spano, the owner, was very attentive to all his guests and knew when to have a chat and when to leave a table alone. Al Dente is my favourite type of neighbourhood restaurant: welcoming and friendly with an interesting and frequently changed menu.We settled in with olives and bread, sipping a light and hearty Valpolicella and discreetly checking out what everyone else was eating while perusing the menu. It helped me chose my starter: faggotini, a pork and mushroom dumpling wrapped in bright green and crispy cabbage. It was miles away from the cabbage dolmi that I grew up on grey, stodgy creations wrapped in tired, often slightly burned, white cabbage leaves and served with a cream-based gravy and lingonberry jam*. The faggotini was crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The flavours were well balanced and the pork went really well with the delicate chickpea pure it was served with. C. had the scamorza pie with fennel au gratin. It was lovely and C. was particularly impressed with the mixture of cooked and fresh vegetables that gave the dish an interesting texture as well as a great flavour.For the main, I had a roulade of grilled sword fish stuffed with pine nuts, breadcrumbs, lemon and raisins. It was served with a timbale of barley cooked with peppers, capers and anchovies. The barley side turned out to be cooked just like a risotto and is called orzotto in the region of Italy where it is traditionally made. It had good flavour and great chew. The fish tasted of the sea and had great texture. C. had the sformato di radicchio e funghi, layers of pasta and grilled radicchio and mushrooms with bechamel and mozzarella. It was a fabulous dish: rich, creamy and flavourful.When it came to desert, both C. and I departed from our normal habits. We considered cheese, and the poached pear, but were both seduced by the comforting gorgeousness of cream and chocolate. My chocolate profiteroles were smothered in chocolate sauce and bursting with cream. Cs tiramisu was a cloud of mascarpone cream surrounding delicate coffee-flavoured ladys fingers.After finishing with a refreshingly acidic espresso, balanced by a sweet amaretto, we wondered out into the chill evening with warm hearts and full bellies. Were already planning when to return. Graziano runs themed evenings every now and again, with a regional menu, each dish paired with a wine, as well as regional music and information. It sounds like great fun and a tasty way to learn more about Italy and her regions.* Everything was served with lingonberry jam when I grew up. edinburghfoody.com
Awsome Italian. The top of Leith Walk is blessed with 3 very good Italian Restaurants, but Al Dente has the most Italian feel, friendly staff who get to know and remember you and amazing food! Monthly regional feasts inspire a constantly changing menu designed by the waiter/manager, always proud of new dishes and ideas, and the chef who is an old friend of his. The partnership obviously works and this has become our most regular haunt!
We’ve been three times to Al Dente, our local Italian, and have enjoyed each visit. The food has been really tasty each time, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend the orechietti pasta dish, the risotto and the White chocolate profiteroles. Graziano the owner is really friendly and is always keen to get feedback on the dishes-ours has always been positive! There are also monthly themed nights, when the menu comprises of dishes from different Italian region each time. We’ve not been to a themed night yet but are looking forward to trying one.