Locanda de Gusti

A few weeks before our trip to Scotland, I started researching the best seafood spots in Edinburgh, and Locanda Di Gusti kept popping up as a top recommendation. I’m so glad I followed the reviews and made a reservation—it was hands down one of the best dining experiences we’ve ever had. Located about a mile and a half from our hotel on the Royal Mile, the walk itself was charming, offering peaceful views of the less touristy side of Edinburgh and even the backside of the castle. But let’s talk about the real star: the food. We arrived hungry and started with a pasta dish to share, followed by the seafood bowl for two. This platter was a dream—octopus, clams, prawns, langoustines, calamari, and mussels—each bite incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. Truly the finest seafood we’ve ever tasted, and not even a hint of that overly “fishy” taste you sometimes get elsewhere. We finished with a couple of desserts and two lattes, which capped the meal beautifully. While the bill was on the higher side, every penny felt well spent for the quality, flavor, and experience we received. No regrets whatsoever—Locanda Di Gusti is a gem and absolutely worth the visit. Don’t miss it!

a lovely authentic italian restaurant. i’m so glad we found this hidden gem. amazing food with a changing menu, amazing service, lovely wine and drinks. incredible affagato to top it off. make sure you book! we will be back!!!!

This is an excellent Italian restaurant. Unlike other posh Italian places, it gives me the warm feeling of visiting a friend’s home whenever I walk in. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the staff—both waiters and waitresses—are exceptionally friendly. As soon as we sat down, they kindly offered to hang our jackets, which made us feel well taken care of from the start. Before we even ordered, I noticed a small but impressive detail—the hand-drying machine in the bathroom. Though the bathroom itself is not large, I was genuinely surprised by the machine that automatically dispenses paper towels. It’s a thoughtful touch that reflects the restaurant’s attention to detail. As for the food—it was fantastic. The staff gave us helpful recommendations, and we started with an octopus dish and some fresh bread. For the mains, we ordered “Seafood on the Plate” and a beef pasta. Both were outstanding. The pasta with beef was truly legendary—rich, juicy, and cooked to perfection. The seafood platter was generous, with an impressive variety of fresh seafood. We finished everything, even the bread. We also had two vanilla desserts, which were excellent. I ordered a glass of rosé wine, which was smooth and paired perfectly with our meal. Additionally, we were given two small portions of tomato sauce, which tasted incredibly fresh. To top it all off, the staff brought us two complimentary shots of lemon vodka—an excellent way to end the meal. While the price is slightly on the expensive side, it is fair considering the quality of the food and service. Unlike many fine-dining restaurants, they don’t automatically add a service charge to the bill. I chose to leave a 15% tip, along with a little extra, as the experience truly deserved it. Having lived in Edinburgh for four years, I can confidently say this is a restaurant I will return to often. If you’re looking for an exceptional Italian dining experience, or a special place to celebrate an anniversary, I highly recommend this one.

Delicious Italian food, excellent Fish and Seafood, authentic napolitan dishes. Everything was very well made, the pasta dishes with lobster and with a seafood medley were outstanding. You'll feel like in the dining kitchen of a very friendly family, warm hearted service and great atmosphere. Excellent value for money.

What an amazing place. You can see that the whole team enjoys what they do and have passion about the product they serve. We decided to change up a bit and have Italian food in Edinburgh. We did not make a mistake. Food was amazing. Surprising was Torta salata was especially interesting and delicious. Although bit out of the center this is a place I wouldn’t miss. We loved it and will be back in future. Thank you! 🙏

Best pasta experience I can remember. Staff was great, food was amazing, extremely reasonable prices. Thank you guys!

We had a wonderful meal at locanda de gusti, the quality of the food and service were impressive. We tried a bit of everything, seafood and meat dishes and desserts as well! Everything was delicious! The atmosphere was also amazing, we felt right at home.

Locanda de Gusti in Edinburgh serves up authentic dishes straight out of a kitchen in Naples, Italy! The staff are mostly from Italy and Giovanni and his team were wonderful and made my birthday meal special. You need to book a reservation as it is a small restaurant. You are treated like family!! Upon the recommendations of Giovanni, we got the Crostata to start (baked cheese pie- shortcrust pastry tartlet filled with asparagus, peppery ricotta, smoked mozzarella) followed by the Genovese pasta dish (Paccheri pasta tossed with braised white onion and shin of beef sugo, basil, white wine and Parmigiano). Then if that wasn’t enough, our table of 2 shared the Grigliata di Pesce, a house special (charcoal grilled assorted Scottish fish and crustacean medley- sea bass, tuna steak and swordfish, and trout along with langoustine, scallop, and king prawn). We had to get a desserts of which I forgot the name of one. Look at the pics though, simply incredible!! Go with the filo pastry with hazelnut cream. Baba is the name of the other- a rum cake. Again, make a reservation and get over to Locanda de Gusti!!

I don't like to take pictures of food because it doesn't do the restaurant justice. We had an amazing meal here for an incredibly reasonable price. Their seafood is fresh, delicious well prepared we had the buratta appetizer, which was delightful and finished with the pistachio dessert made with mascarpone cheese, I can't wait to go back not only was the food. Amazing the staff were incredibly welcoming, and did an amazing job of balancing being attentive Without being annoying definitely try and get reservations if you can.

We checked Locanda de Gusti out after seeing reviews and being in the mood for pasta dishes. It was a short walk from our hotel. We were able to be seated without a reservation because it was before the dinner rush/reservations. So I would recommend reservations because we got lucky. The food was spectacular, everyone at our table loved their dish. The inside is cozy and friendly. Such a great place. If we come back to Edinburgh, we will definitely eat here again.

Amazing food! Great atmosphere. Friendly & informative staff. Stopped in dinner & felt like we were transported to Italy!!

In August we stepped away from the crowds in Old Town and found this jewel! We walked in for lunch and treated like old friends. The food was amazing! Fresh pasta, fish, sauces, bread and of course, the wine. Our stories of visiting Edinburgh include this wonderful meal. When I get back to Edinburgh, I will make dinner plans here.

Amazing Italian food, great ambiance with wonderful servers. A jewel in Edinburgh. Would come back every night! The house wine is delicious. The pastas are incredible. And the main dishes were excellent as well.

A truly fantastic dinner! We had a group of 10 and shared several amazing pasta dishes and the seafood and fish platters. Everything was delicious. The service was great too and the meal was very reasonably priced for all of the food and wine we enjoyed. Authentic and tasty Italian food. Highly recommend!

The vibe in this small Italian joint is so uplifting. The staff is constantly moving, singing out, laughing and checking on everyone. For a small space with boisterous activity, the sound level is excellent (and I'm bothered by noisy restaurants) We had the seafood grill and the lamb chops. Both were very good but not spectacular. Good food and fantastic atmosphere make this an excellent choice in Edinburgh it's a short walk from the rail line so it's easy to get to.

A cozy restaurant with attentive staff. Free extras like the panzanella salad to start and limoncello to end were a nice surprise. We shared the grilled seafood platter and it just needed a little more...something for me to give this 5 stars. Many other dishes to try. We were happy we went!

Very attentive staff. Delicious food. Seafood platter was amazing - very large and so delicious. Cozy space - need a resy.

This is a really lovely, intimate little restaurant in Haymarket. Decorated perfectly and the staff really bring it to life, the waiter was walking around singing in Italian which was really nice! All the staff talk to one another in Italian which gives it an authentic feel too. I ordered the Frittata bake with onions and potatoes, with a vege salsa and smoked buffalo mozzarella to start and my pal went for the octopus. Unfortunately the starters didn't go down well, my friend wasn't expecting the octopus to be cold and it didn't really taste too great but I think that's more so a poor choice on his part as it didn't suit his palate, or mine. My frittata was delicious but after crunching on a few egg shells I was really put off and couldn't enjoy it. The waiter came over to ask how it was and caught me spitting out some shell, he apologised and they did offer to get me a new one but I was put off. These things happen, the staff dealt with it the right way and they didn't charge me for this starter which helped them keep a star! The mains were gorgeous, I got the gnocchi with ricotta and tomatoes and he went for the meat pasta. Lovely, fresh pasta. No room for desserts! I also had a couple of prosecco's which accompanied the meal nicely. You get two shots of complimentary Amaretto with the bill, presented in a cute little bottle. I've never experienced this anywhere before and it's such a nice touch. It wasn't just us, everyone got them with their bill. A few of the customers were Italian, which is insightful. I'd go back.

I'm visiting Edinburgh and we picked this restaurant based on reviews. One of the best Italian seafood meals I had in my life. We tried 3 seafood main courses and they were formidable. The service was amazing. The whole team was very hospitable and made sure we enjoyed everything during dinner. Their burrata cheese is literally the best I've tried in my life.

What a great meal! You are made to feel part of the family at this authentic Italian restaurant true to its' Naples roots. From starters, through pastas and mains, to the deserts and limoncello to cap it off - this is a fun and satisfying culinary journey!

We did some research and couldn't find one bad review for Locanda de Gusti so I quickly booked a table for dinner. And I'm following the trend...this place is one of the best Italian restaurants I've ever been to (and even beats a couple that I've visited in Italy!). On arrival, we were directed to our really sweet table by the window immediately. It's not a large restaurant. but a cute, intimate setting that honestly feels like you are visiting an Italian family and Mamma is busy preparing dinner. Even before I had glanced at the menu, I had a feeling this was going to be good. The menu changes daily (not every item but fish dishes etc) and it was so hard to choose which dish to have! All of their pasta dishes can also be made gluten free is required. We decided not to order starters and for my main, I ordered pasta with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and basil (£12.95). It was DELICIOUS. I'm not one for ordering what I class as 'plain' dishes but I'm so glad I did! You could tell immediately that the pasta was freshly made and I don't have a single complaint. My friend ordered a pizza and it looked so tasty. For dessert, I had the dark chocolate mousse (£4.95) and it was intense, rich and oh so yummy. I love dark chocolate and I was in heaven. We ordered a bottle of prosecco (£21.95) which went down a treat. They did have an extensive wine list. What makes Locanda de Gusti is the staff though. They were attentive (without being over attentive) and could not have been nicer. They were teaching guests Italian phrases (I'm sure one of the waiters is Italian himself) and I just loved it! I'll definitely be back and would recommend Locanda de Gusti to EVERYONE. The staff definitely made it a memorable experience and as for the food? Well I'm still dreaming about my dessert..

Locanda de Gusti was without a doubt one of the best Italian meals I have ever had - and I live in New York City! We stumbled upon this place while exploring the main street, and had the best time. You can tell as soon as you walk in that everyone loves their job and takes pride in their food. This is the kind of place that will make you something that's not on the menu, so long as they have the ingredients. We were told we could wait for a table (at around 8:30pm on a Monday?) because it was full - and there is no question as to why. The food is unbelievable, and the wine is delicious, too. Order the chilled octopus. Just trust me - do it. SO good. The bread with olive oil might spoil your dinner, but it is well worth it. All seafood options are great choices, and the pastas are fresh and delicious. I can't say enough positive things about this place. Go and try it for yourself!

This place is amazing!! The fresh seafood, homemade pasta, delicious wine, and hilarious staff make this place the best little Italian restaurant we've ever stumbled upon. We walked in and didn't realize they were strictly a reservation only spot. They graciously took us immediately and rearranged their dining room to accommodate us. The experience was so great we made reservations for the next night and they again squeezed us in. Great food, great staff, overall a very enjoyable restaurant!

This was our first time here but it will not be our last - an excellent experience. We had a variety of starters incl. soup, liver and fish cakes, all of which were excellent. Our main courses included the lamb and the seafood, again they were all great. My seafood platter was a huge helping of mussels, clams, langoustine, shrimp etc. - well worth the money. We had a bottle of great white and red wine - good value. I have no hesitation in recommending this restaurant.

This is probably my Favorite Italian restaurant in town. I ordered octopus for starter, lobster linguine as main, a sea food platter and stewed beef Spezzatino di manzo for sharing. The food were fabulous but what was exceptional with the good food were the very friendly staff which makes the dining experience so wonderful. In fact, the experience reminded me of my time in the small towns in Italy.

I come from a big Italian family and because of this I've always been a bit sceptical of new Italian restaurants popping up in Edinburgh. My parents (especially my mum) have their favourites and we normally just go to our locals. This little southern Italian restaurant just off haymarket is pretty perfect. The setting is small and intimate, just as any good restaurant should be. The staff are all really friendly and welcoming. My friends and I all had an opportunity to practice out Italian, and I didn't make a utter tit if myself. The interior reminds me of being in Tuscany and stumbling across a hidden little gem of a pizzeria or trattoria in the middle of nowhere. The walls are lined with cook books, holy water, great selections of wine and balsamic vinegars. They use old cans of chopped tomatoes for candles and cutely on the table. Nothing really matches, but it just kind of makes the place even better. As for the food, the menu is very Neapolitan. It's don't a big menu, but everything looked really tasty. I ordered sea food for starter and a olive oil and broccoli pasta dish for my main... Along with a bottle of read wine naturally. And to top of the evening we all shared some limoncello! Perfect night out! X

Locanda de Gusti can be found only a 5 min walk from Haymarket station, up Dalry Road. Its easily accessible for everybody, even by using the tram. The restaurant itself is quite small, but its the right size if you are looking for a more intimate atmosphere, be it for couples or larger groups. Most of the time it is advisable to book a table far in advance. We tried a walk in a few times and it never worked out. The food is more on the pricy side, but what they serve has a quality and freshness stamp attached to it. The chef comes from Naples and the food on the menu is supposed to be authentic Naples cuisine. If you expect a typical Italian restaurant with pasta and pizza you will be disappointed. Normally an Italian menu consists of a starter, a pasta, a main and a dessert. I ordered a starter called Boretta (i think). It came with Parma ham and mozzarella cheese with a creamy filling inside. As a main I ordered a Orkney Rib Eye steak served with black pepper butter, a lemon, potatoes and other roasted vegetables. Somebody ordered a Tiramisu, which tasted deliciously. The lovely waitress recommended a full body, fruity Merlot with the meat and the red wine was indeed a very good recommendation. The atmosphere in the restaurant was warm and welcoming and the staff very friendly and attentive. Would I go back? Yes definitely, especially when their lunch deal is on: 3 courses for £13!

Had dinner here last night with a big group and I think that may be the best way! Everything was served 'Italian family style' with lots of different dishes that you pass up and down the table serving yourself. We had two gluten free diners and I think there was only one or two dishes they couldn't eat, so that was a great bonus. Starters were plentiful, highlight was the cheese with honey & the octopus and pomegranate salad. Pasta came next, then mains... And when no one thought they could eat anymore, dessert arrived!! There wasn't much protest and plates were quite quickly cleaned. Service is always a bit difficult at a large long table but we weren't often left for wanting anything. Apart from it being across town from me, I'd visit quite often I think!

Wow! Absolutely loved this place and I still dream about it a month later. A buddy and I were were traveling through the UK and were in Edinburgh for a couple days. Another review site that is not as detailed or as awesome as yelp! had this place listed as the best restaurant in town. Now, I do not know if that is true or not or just an anomoly of their weird rating system, but what I do know is that this was BY FAR the best restaurant we went to on our 3 dinner, 4 lunch stay in town. Also ate at Kyloe and Witchery...in hindsight, we should have just ate at Locanda de Gusti all 3 nights...only slightly kidding. So we walk in...it was like being transported to another place. It was cold and kind of dreary outside and we walked into a warm coastal restaurant in Italy. It was amazing. The place was on the small, intimate side. The woman server/owner? instantly gave us a little Italian sass and it brought a smile to our faces as thats how friends and family I know treat each other. Our waiter/owner? (a little older guy, not that old, but a little older than a normal 20 yr old server) was very warm and friendly. So the crowd make-up was awesome. A couple tables of people on dates and several tables of girls on what appeared to be girls night out. I wish we had been closer to one of the several tables with groups of girls. Anyway... We skipped the normal app and opted for a pizza (Margherita) as an appetizer, I mean, the pizza is from the Naples area afterall, so when in Rome, err, Naples....So my buddy is from an intalian family near Chicago. As we were eating the piza he said it was probably the best pizza hes had since being at his grandmas house, which is, drumroll please, near Naples. And this dude really isnt a food person and he loved the pizza. So did I, just backing up my opinion. Oh, and the bread was wonderful...a little chew, yumm.... Many italian restaurants Ive been to will have you get a pasta as a second course with yet a main course later. I asked the beautiful woman server (part owner?) and she didnt recommend it, but said order one and if your still hungry to order the other. Glad she was honest and didnt upsell as I got the fresh made pasta with rabbit ragu (forget the actual name). Not only was it plenty, it was absolutely delicious! I asked them to pair a wine for me as I dont know my Italian wines very well (what can I say, Im from California). They brought me a medium bodied, slightly dry red wine that paired wonderfully and wasnt too expensive. My buddy had a lobster with pasta that was on special I believe. He rather enjoyed it. Finished off with a panna cotta. It was ok. It was nothing special, but it wasnt bad. Oh, and how could I forget...at the end of the meal, they brought us a nice shot of limoncello! Wasnt the best Ive ever had, but the gesture was awesome and it was a perfect finish to a great meal. We made or Thursday night reservation just a few days in advance, but the restaurant was full the entire time, so I would definitely suggest making a reservation.

I met a few friends on a Saturday night for a lovely meal here. I had the grilled vegetables with mozzarella for the starter, which were plentiful, healthy, nicely presented and also very tasty. For the main I progressed on to the monkfish in a bean broth, which was excellent. The fish was perfectly cooked and the beans were flavourful and not too heavy. The red wine that was recommended was really excellent, and I had a good white wine with my main. I ended the meal with a rich chocolate mousse. It was more of a chocolate pot than a mousse, but it was lovely. It was also very kind that the servers brought us cute mini bottles of amaretto for an excellent finish to the meal. The food is excellent and the servers are extremely friendly and helpful. It is a lovely, family type of restaurant with homely decorations. It's not cheap but it's worth it.

Visited Locanda de Gusti on a Saturday night with a group of friends. I had previously been at their old premises near Broughton Street so was looking forward to a return visit. For starter I had the burrata: mozzarella with a soft center served with parma ham and dates. The combination of the three was lovely, the sweet dates went well with the salty parma ham. Main course was duck with marsala sauce and grapes. It was served with potatoes and vegetables. Sadly the duck was a bit over cooked, but it still tasted good. I shared a dessert of chocolate mousse. It came in a cute little jar. Again, nothing wrong with the taste but the consistency of the mousse wasn't what I expected - it should have been airy and light but was more like a chocolate ganache. When we were paying the bill, the waiter brought 2 mini bottles of amaretto to the table for a complimentary shot which I thought was a nice touch. Locanda de Gusti is a nice little restaurant with a homely decor and obviously good cooking. The atmosphere on a Saturday evening was good. I appreciate the fact that the menu isn't the usual pizza / pasta options you have in your standard italian restaurants in Edinbugh.

This was such a nice surprise to find this restaurant in Edinburgh. The service and meal were exceptional! I do recommend making a reservation.

Fantastic little place. Stunning food and great service. Loved it. 20 minute walk from Princes Street, good to work up appetite and equally good to walk it off! Will defiantly be going back.

Real deal. Owned/operated by warm/hospitable Italians. Small, intimate restaurant with super fresh, homemade fare with huge emphasis on fish/seafood. About 10 minutes out of the center of town - and away from flood of tourists. Well worth the trip. Would go back on my next trip. Loved it!!!

Wonderful wonderful wonderful!! Wow! INSANE positive energy and simply delightful food (huge portions as well). It's like being transported to a small shop in a small town in Italy. Not kidding! From the moment you walk in, it is clear everyone there is family, love their jobs, and experience happiness nonstop from happy customers having VERY good food. Do not miss this place.

Amazing night at Locanda. I felt like I entered into my long lost italian family's home. Service was excellent, the staff was great. The Aubergine dish was wonderful and the complimentary bread, cucumber, tomato mixture will leave you wanting more.

I visited Locanda de Gusti yesterday evening for the first time and was excited to see what all the fuss was about! It's regarded on trip adviser as Edinburgh's no 1 restaurant and difficult to get a reservation. We were warmly welcomed into what felt like a cosy, atmospheric Italian family kitchen. Friendly and knowledgeable waiting staff were able to give recommendations on food, wine and specials and had good banter with us also! Everything here is homemade, authentic and delicious. We both had pasta starters one with Scottish beef and pork in a rich, lip smackingly good tomato sauce- one of the best I've ever tasted! The other fresh pasta was with fresh clams, mussels and a hint of chilli also full of flavour and cooked perfectly. The main courses of mixed fish platter again perfectly cooked but simple and their aubergine shoes looked and tasted brilliant. Tiramisu for desert and a complimentary amaretto topped off a lovely meal and both were quirkily presented. For me there was just a tiny something missing but I will definitely be visiting again to try more of their authentic menu.

Fabulous experience all the way! Took group of 9 people and chef brought out his own choices. A huge hit with all ages. Chef and staff were incredible! Felt just like being in Italy and all food was truly Italian at its best.

The regional food from Naples was divine. One thing I ordered says it all: Imagine an eggplant cut in half and roasted to perfection, stuffed with mozarella and tomatoes, everything melted together and oozing juices. Everything was that good. Even the wine was good, something we rarely experienced in Britain. They know what's good with Italian wines. Besides the great food, the atmosphere was really fun, with singing waiters and lots of laughs. We didn't want to leave. There was a Rolling Stones concert going on a few minutes away, so we just sang Rolling Stones songs for awhile. The waiter joined in. What a great experience!

My fiancée and I were in Edinburgh for 36 hours and eager to find some great neighborhood spots when we weren't seeing the sights. Locanda de Gusti was exactly what we were looking for! An amazing local gem. We read the reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor but boy did they undersell. This quiet spot is a must for the unaware residents of Edinburgh or for tourists looking for a delicious meal outside of the tourist zones. I started off with the Panzarotti - a delicious serving of two potato croquettes. For entrees, I throughly enjoyed the Guanciale with handmade rough-cut pasta. Mmmmm. My fiancee ate the orecchiette and raved about it the entire way home. The local flavor of Naples definitely shone through all the way to this great spot in Edinburgh. The waitstaff, local personas from Italy, definitely helped provide an ambiance that felt as though we had been transported back to Italy. If you are in Edinburgh, I HIGHLY recommend you go here. It's worth the adventure.