Scotsman

Best romantic restaurant [in Edinburgh]

1 DOMENICO'S, Sandport Street, Leith, Edinburgh. 0131-467 7266 With only a handful of tables, this off-the-beaten track Italian gem feels like something you'd dream of stumbling upon in Rome or Florence. The food is authentic, the portions huge, the wine reasonably priced and the service always friendly and infallible. And if the truffle bruschetta or antipasti platter doesn't get your heart racing, nothing will.

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The List

Domenico's

Tucked halfway down a small side street off Leith's Commercial Street, Domenico's has the distinctive feel of a local neighborhood restaurant that has kept its own pace as the world changes around it. With only a handful of tables, Domenico's can feel pleasantly buzzing on what, in larger restaurants, would be considered a quiet night. The menu, handwritten and photocopied, isn't changed as frequently as its format might suggest, but provides a wide (but not overwhelming) choice of dishes that are both hearty and satisfying. Starters such as truffle pesto, proscuitto and wild mushroom bruschetta are rustic and earthy. The pasta dishes are refreshingly simple. Fish dishes, such as lemon sole stuffed with smoked salmon, are competently executed and served with a tasty, if heavy-handed, herby sauce and roasted vegetables. Coffees and sweets are served up by the friendly barista stationed in the centre of the room, and are, like almost everything at Domenico's, very generously portioned.