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Our restaurant consists of a spacious main dining area and bar, with two smaller rooms available for private functions, accommodating over one hundred diners at full capacity. We serve Italian food ranging from simple to sophisticated, but always remain true to the idea that quality ingredients are the key to our success. All the bread used at VinCaffè is made in our own bakery using organic flour, and we use our own brand Fior' Fiore olive oil throughout our cooking. The bar stocks an extensive list of wine from Valvona & Crolla's own award-winning wine range and, using our Cruvinet wine system, almost all of the range is available by the glass.
Sample menu from the VinCaffè Restaurant
Below are some typical dishes served at VinCaffè. The full menu has further choices in each range. To see full restaurant menu click here
Antipasto
- Vincaffè Tagliere di Manzo- £10.95
Wafer thin sliced of Aberdeen Angus fillet of beef, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, garlic and chilli served on a piping hot plate with caper berries (accompanying with a side of Patate Arrosto for a main course)
- V&C Antipasto - £10.95
Platter of Italian cured meats, Fonteluna sausage, mozzarella di bufala, marinated cherry tomatoes, roasted vegetables and crispy bruschetta.
- Vitello Tonnato - £8.95
Classic Italian dish of wafer thin slices of poached veal served wtih a homemade tuna and caper mayonnaise.
- Capponata - £6.25
Selection of roasted seasonal vegetables marinated with fresh tomatoes, capers, black olives, garlic and extra virgin olive oil, served with V&C handmade sourdough bread.
- Sarde alla griglia - £7.85
Fresh fillets of Sardine lightly grilled served on toasted V&C rustic bread with a fresh leaf salad dressed with a light extra virgin olive oil and basil pesto dressing.
Pasta
- Linguine con granchio - £12.95
Pasta tossed with Crab meat lightly cooked in olive oil, garlic, chilli and parsley (may contain shell).
Pizza
- Pizza con fonteluna e scarola - £9.95
Pizza with our family recipe pork and fennel seed Fonteluna sausage and Italian bitter greens sautéed with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and a little chilli.
Piatto Principale
- Pesce sale e salsa - £13.50
Fish with salt n' sauce: Fresh catch of the day dipped in flour and lightly deep fried, served with cubed potato chips, seasoned with Maldon sea salt and homemade tartar sauce on the side.
- Maiale sal timbocca - £14.50
Medallion of Scottish Pork loin pan fried in extra virgin olive oil with Prosciutto di Parma, fresh sage, white wine and garlic, served with roast diced potatoes and greens sautéed with extra virgin olive oil and garlic.
- Stufatato d'agnello - £16.50
Sicilian stew made with Borders Lamb, preserved lemon, apricots and Vitale tomatoes served with crushed baby potatoes.
Menu items and prices shown above may vary and are for information only
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Restaurant reviews
The List
Eating & Drinking Guide 2008-09
(Special mention in the Italian Hitlist section)
"Centrally located in the swanky shopping precinct of Multrees Walk, Valvona & Crolla VinCaffè exudes a simple sophistication that keeps it at the top of Edinburgh's A-list of Italian eateries. It's sleek chrome and wood-panelled interior, live jazz and black-and-white films projected on to one wall provides a stylish setting, and discreet service permits you to take your time ordering, and enjoying, your selections.
A succinct, weekly-changing menu showcases the stellar seasonal Italian procuce that devotees of the V&C brand expect, and the marriage of strong flavours that don't overpower shines through in every well thought out dish. Antipasti include marinated beef fillet slices topped with juicy caperberries and the delicately deep-fried calamari special with chunky home-made pasta with Italian cured bacon and wild mushrooms to ricotta, spinach and nutmeg pancakes dressed with a deliciously light tomato sugo.
The dolci menu doesn't disappoint-cinnamon pears poached in red wine or a classic lemon tart cap off a pricey but brilliant meal-and a fabulous wine list featuring some 50 wines by the glass allows you to mix and match without worrying about blowing the budget.
Downstairs in the cafè, a delightful selection of sweet and savoury treats, coffees and wines awaits."
www.RampantScotland.com
Best Places to Eat in Scotland
"Simple, fresh ingredients - quality tomatoes, cheese, oils, salami - classic Italian food with taste and texture which creates a superb fine eating and drinking experience. Now in the heart of Edinburgh, you can imagine yourself sitting in a Milan café. An excellent flexible menu from superb home-made Spaghettini and glass of wine or take time out from shopping with a good strong coffee and slice of torta di pistachio."
(Read the full review)
The List
Eating & Drinking Guide 2006-07
"Located just a Manolo's throw from Edinburgh's fashion mecca, Harvey Nichols, with its black wooden continental tables and chairs, mosaic pillars and mirrored walls, VinCaffè's contemporary first floor dining space oozes more style than a Milanese catwalk. That said, there's nothing prima donna-esque about the latest venture from Valvona & Crolla, the darlings of the Scottish deli scene, and the mellow vibe appeals both to greying gourmets and well-heeled young trendy-somethings.
Although images of film stars adorn one wall (via a projector screening subtitled 1950s classics) it's the unfussy, authentic antipasti, pizzas, pastas, secondo piattos and puds that steal the limelight. A simple starter of roasted mixed vegetables, crisp bruschetta, juicy chilli and oregano-marinated olives and soft buffalo mozzarella (not to mention a light and silky panacotta made with Madagascan vanilla pods) acts as a particularly good ambassador for the super-fresh, quality Italian fare now synonymous with the family name. In addition, a model wine list utilises award-winning Cruvinet technology to enable 24 wines to be offered by the glass, making sampling that '94 sassicaia you've always fancied an affordable reality. The downstairs deli and bar holds further treats for those whose budget is lamentably limited by time."
Scotsman
12 May 2006
Owned by the Italian family behind Valvona and Crolla, Vincaffè is the latest addition - a sleek cafe in Multrees Walk. "This is the nearest thing you'll get to an Italian cafe," says Richard, as he settles down with an espresso. "The smell of the fresh coffee, the surroundings and the ambience are perfect."
"Perfect [espresso]. It is the right flavour and made with superior coffee beans. It's a classical Italian espresso made very well. The temperature is also right - all too often coffee houses make the mistake of making the espresso too hot. At £1.50 this is very good value for money."
(Read the full story)
Richard Demarco compares Edinburgh coffee shops
Metro
27 April 2005
"For dessert, we split a zuccotto (£5.50), which I think is Italian for heart attack. Like a tiramisu on steroids, this packed two sorts of sponge, various creams, rum and strega liqueur into one slab of death-defying gorgeousness. From the Antipasto to the deep, dark coffee, this was a lip-smacking meal [and] with a £21 bottle of Barbaresco weighed in at a surprisingly reasonable £73.40. If only everything round these parts was as good value."
Jonathan Trew
The Evening Herald
19 February 2005
"After a few minutes soaking up the atmosphere, our treats arrived. The dish of melon and parma ham was capacious, fresh with chilled melon covered in oodles of wafer-thin, soft parma ham - delicious. The succulent meatballs, packed with pork and beef mince were cooked to perfection and served with a rich tomato sugo and crusty bread.
"Our starters would have easily made for lunch or a light dinner themselves, but the main event seemed too good to miss. And we were glad when it arrived. The pizza brimming with parma ham, mozarella di bufala, tomato and peppery rocket spilled over the outsized plate and looked as good as those I so regularly devoured in Florence. It tasted almost as good - the parma ham still soft and flavourful, the pizza dough light and crispy.
"After two hearty courses of culinary bliss, our appetites were more than satisfied. But we soldiered on when the waitress tempted us with the dessert menu. The array of dolce sins is enough to ruin any healthy eating regime, but we settled on the torta di cioccolato, with two spoons. The chocolate truffle cake made with 70 per cent Valrhona chocolate was heaven - moist and light. It was difficult not to order another one."
(Read the full review by Sarah Howden)
The Sunday Times
5 December 2004
"Edinburgh's food lovers are in raptures over the deli dynasty Valvona & Crolla's new project - and rightly so. The prices are not shy but this is high-end stuff, prepared with a puritan respect for tradition, as simply as possible but with expertise oozing from every bite.
"The menu is broad and detailed, following the proper antipasto/secondo piatto template, with salads, pizzas and pastas also thrown in. The tagliere di manzo al forno (wafer-thin slices of Aberdeen Angus marinated in olive oil then flash-roasted) [was] laughably delicious, all the more so for its rarity on Scottish menus. For mains, the standard was matched by the spaghettini with chilli and anchovy, an essay in how something simple can be truly exemplary, and a superb pork-sausage pizza. Everything, in fact, was first class.
"The queue for a table snaked down the stairs, quite unsurprisingly, for this is a bright, vital, profoundly engaging establishment with impressively high ambitions and cooking that exceeds all cafe standards; and even, I'd imagine, the expectations of V&C veterans. The minute they move it to Glasgow I'll be there every afternoon."
Alan Brown
The Scotsman
4 December 2004
"We tried a glass [of Sassicaia '94], and a Tignanello ’99 - both of them corruptingly delicious. And a perfect complement to Tagliere di Manzo al Forno (£9) wafer thin, butter soft slices of Aberdeen Angus fillet which is marinated in olive oil, chilli and garlic, then flash-roasted to release its full savour. Food for a Medici. The verdura alla piastre (also £9) would have made a lunch in itself: roasted courgettes, aubergine and peppers, lightly dressed with olive oil and lemon, buffalo mozzarella, a small herbal hedgerow, sweet cherry tomatoes and chunks of crunchy bruschetta. Simple, but ridiculously good. ...the best lunch I’ve eaten in years."
(Full review by Gillian Glover)
Sunday Herald
21 November 2004
"In Italy, it's perfectly fine to order antipasti and primi, then decide what more you feel like, if anything, once you have eaten those. And this is what I love about Valvona & Crolla's new VinCaffè. It lends itself to proper Italian eating. A dish is what it says it is and no messing. It stands or falls on its basic integrity. And when these focussed dishes are as delicious as ours were, this is all you need to be perfectly satisfied.
"...we split a portion of taglierini with courgette and cream. That may sound boring until I tell you that the home-made pasta was consummately slippery and freshly eggy, the courgette just a minute or so past raw, the whole thing bound by reduced cream and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. In fact, it was another lick-the-plate job. And so on to a secondo of truly memorable squid, delicate violet-coloured tentacles and bouncy white rings tender under their ever-so-light, rustling batter.
"I cannot think of a more captivating pudding than torta di pistacchio, a moist buttery cake dense with green pistachios. However, I think it is positively irresponsible to sell it to take away, downstairs in the café, where people like me have to walk by and try to resist its magnetic lure. This place is also heaven on earth for Italophile wine buffs, too. Stunning wines by the bottle, marked up a restrained £5 on shop prices, plus legendary wines such as Sassicaia and Gaja's Barbaresco by the glass."
Joanna Blythman
Customer Comments
I was down from Glasgow today visiting an old friend when i was recommended to you by a man who worked
at the bus station at St Andrews Square.
I Just thought you deserved a special thank you as my visit to the Valvona & Crolla in Multress Walk, was the
highlight of my day, the service and coffee i received was excellent, the staff were fantastic especially the charming young Italian man who served us made our visit very enjoyable, just wish there was one in Glasgow
Keep up the good work and will be down to see you soon
- Jan 11
We enjoyed a very well presented 4 course lunch - a long and lazy one which was just what we were after. Between the four of us we sampled a fair selection of the menu. Everything was well presented. Food was almost perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. Service was first class unlike the experience of several other reviewers. Over all a very good experience. - Nov 11
Thank you for a wonderful evening on Sunday. The atmosphere and the staff were lovely and we really enjoyed the meal and the singing; hope to see you again soon!!
- Aug 10
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. Full Review & more- www.yelp.co.uk- May 10
The Valvona and Crolla Vin Caffe is a stylish shop/cafe/restaurant on Edinburgh's exclusive Multrees Walk.The Vin Caffe is split over two levels with the shop/cafe on the ground floor and the restaurant above. They also have a number of tables and chairs outside on Multrees Walk, which are perfect for enjoying an afternoon coffee when the Scottish weather permits - it's a pretty continental set-up. Full review- www.yelp.co.uk- Apr 10
Just a little note to thank you for the great meal we had with you last Friday. We all had a lovely time, the venison was fantastic and I would thoroughly recommend Vin Caffe to any one looking for a good night out. - Dec 09
Many thanks for hosting the wine tasting dinner on saturday night for my hen night - it was fantastic and everyone had such a good night - fabulous food and wine. Loved the number 7 wine - the Amarone - beautiful !!. I'll be in to buy a few bottles in the next week or so. - Sept 09
I would just like to thank you so much for looking after our guests at the Wine Tasting and Dinner last night.
Everyone has commented on how good the wine and dinner was and how much they really enjoyed the evening.
Thank you again, I hope to be able to arrange something similar again soon at Vin Caffe. - Oct 08
Thank you for a splendid evening meal on Friday. We all enjoyed our time with you and everything went well - Oct 08
Just wanted to say thank you for last night, we had a fabulous meal and listened to some wonderful music. It was a real treat and thoroughly enjoyed. - Oct 08
just a quick note with a HUGE thanks for the fantastic dinner on Monday night in Edinburgh. It was the perfect venue, and you looked after us beautifully. The food was outstanding and the staff were great. I know I said it to you when we met, but Naomi and I have so enjoyed working with you on this event – it has been such a pleasure, and so different to the complacent or often cynical treatment you get from so many other venues and restaurants. You are a breath of fresh air, and delivered a really elegant and enjoyable end to our day. Thanks so much – please pass on our thanks to the team on duty on Monday night. - Mar 09
Just a quick line to thank you and all of the staff at Vin Caffé for a wonderful evening last night. You and the staff were extremely helpful, efficient and professional which helped the event run really smoothly. The University and the event sponsor were delighted with the evening and we have had fantastic feedback about the food. Thanks for all of your help in the run up to the event. - Mar 09
I just wanted to thank you and your staff for a wonderful dinner on Saturday night. Everyone in the party enjoyed their meal and the service was really excellent. - Apr 09
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