Phone: +441316521932
Address: 139 Easter Road Edinburgh, EH7 5QA, United Kingdom
City: Edinburgh
Menu Dishes: 35
Reviews: 1770
"In the centre of Edinburgh you’ll find Italian restaurants all over the place. They’ll serve you what you’d expect: pizza, pasta and cheesy delights. I’m 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 List’s Eating and Drinking Guide several years, recently won a Best Italian Restaurant Award and has a dedicated following both locally and further afield. I’d 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 won’t find pizza here, nor a long list of standard pastas. Instead you’ll find interesting and seasonal dishes. You’ll 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 purée 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. C’s tiramisu was a cloud of mascarpone cream surrounding delicate coffee-flavoured lady’s 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. We’re 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."
Full menu - 35 options
All prices are estimates on menu.
Pasta
Ravioli
Pasta pockets filled with ricotta and spinach, served in a rich tomato sauce.
Cannelloni
Tube-shaped pasta filled with cheese and spinach, baked with tomato sauce and topped with melted mozzarella.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Classic Italian pasta dish with creamy eggs, crispy pancetta, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
Dessert
Tiramisu
A classic Italian dessert featuring layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, rich mascarpone cream, and a dusting of cocoa powder.
Seafood
Calamari
Tender calamari rings lightly breaded and fried to golden perfection, served with tangy marinara sauce for a delightful appetizer.
Fried Calamari
Crispy fried calamari served with a tangy marinara sauce for dipping.
Rice
Risotto
Creamy Arborio rice cooked to perfection, with a rich blend of Parmesan and fresh seasonal vegetables.
Gnocchi
Gnocchi
Soft potato dumplings served with a creamy pesto sauce and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Meat & Fish
Dolce
Contorni
Wrap
The Italian Wrap
The Italian Wrap is a combination of savory meats, fresh greens, and rich cheeses wrapped in a soft tortilla.
Classic Pasta $13
Baked
Penne
Paninis
Salads
Main Course
Desserts
Lunch Platters
Rosã© Wein
Rotweine
Vini Bianchi In Bottiglia - Weißweine In Flaschen (0,75 L)
Secondi
Dolci
Mains
First Course
Mylene
On the food front, Al Dente is a solid 4, maybe 4 and a half.
Address
Reviews
Olumide
Amazing place. Cozy, friendly staff. Food is unbelievable. Please try. 10/10
Brittany
Lovely, authentic Italian. Reasonably priced, balanced dishes and a nice selection of wine.
Dylan
Al Dente has been on my 'to do' list for a while based on a friend's recommendation but one of the biggest put-offs for me is where it's situated - it's View menu
Hagen
Best italian restaurant in Edinburgh friendly and knowledgable waiting staff, clean and intimate dining experience. Fantastic food, definitely going back.
Hal
This is a cosy Italian restaurant with a lovely waiter who introduced us to some Italian off the beaten track specialities - an incredible red wine from the
Karl
We were a little hesitant because it does not look like much in the outside, but the food is absolutely delicious. We ordered the veal ravioli (special at the time), ricotta and spinach ravioli, and gnocchi in a pesto sauce. The staff were also very friendly and did not rush us. Best Italian food we had in Scotland. Great eats for a reasonably priced menu!! View menu
Celestine
would rate a 10/5 if I could! this place is amazing! I went with a few friends on holiday! there is a very domestic feeling, and they can say it is very authentic! the couple that ran the place were the only ones that were next to us when we went, but they did not encourage us or about our table waiting to order or finish us! I have to mention how amazing it was to eat! we ordered to start the roasted red pfeffer and goat cheese bruschetta, and all gobbed it down in 5 minutes! it was incredible! for dinner we ordered a bottle chianti, with the risotto with garnelen, and orichette with broccoli and speck! we have cleaned all our tellers! the best risotto I ever had! at the end they gave us fr...
Amy
It was a quiet Monday night as we rolled up to Al Dente on Easter Road, a tiny Italian restaurant that sits unassumingly half-way down Easter Road. You’re instantly drawn to the Ospitalia Italiana gold award proudly stamped into its façade; in my experience, these less glamourous eateries always turn out to be a winner. There’s an open kitchen, and chef/owner Graziano is gabbing away in his native tongue to a friend. On entering, he is swiftly out to greet us, alongside our waitress for the evening. The Italian excitedly takes us through today’s specials and retreats back behind the stove. My starter tonight is warm-baked Apulian potato tart with cured meat and mozzarella £5.30), with Sarah...
Werner
In the centre of Edinburgh you’ll find Italian restaurants all over the place. They’ll serve you what you’d expect: pizza, pasta and cheesy delights. I’m 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 List’s Eating and Drinking Guide several years, recently won a Best Italian Restaurant Award and has a dedicated following both locally and further afield. I’d heard a lot of good about it before I visited for the first time and am delighted to say that it was just a... View menu
Categories
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Pasta Delight in our selection of classic and contemporary pasta dishes, each crafted with fresh, quality ingredients and flavorful sauces that capture the essence of Italian cuisine in every bite.
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Italian Savor the rich and diverse flavors of Italy with our menu, offering classic pasta, savory risottos, and traditional meat and seafood dishes, all crafted with authentic ingredients and passion. Buon appetito! View menu
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Mediterranean Savor the vibrant essence of the Mediterranean with dishes inspired by the sun-drenched coasts. Enjoy fresh olives, vibrant herbs, rich olive oils, and a variety of seafood and grilled meats.
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Traditional Italian
Amenities
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Wine
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Full Bar
- menu
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Visa Card
- menu
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Cash Only
