This excellent Italian wine bar and restaurant is hidden in plain sight, down a side street a few minutes walk from the east end of the Grassmarket. It has an excellent selection of (not just Italian) wines, not only by the glass, but in smaller tasting sizes thanks to an Enomatic machine, and also an extensive range of cocktails, beers, grappa (and, if you must!) non – alcoholic drinks.
My husband, Graham, and I have dined several times in the restaurant, and the food is excellent, using top – quality Italian and Scottish ingredients and expertly prepared. For us, the thing that makes Divino really unique is the ambience, and, above all, the truly delightful staff. Another special feature is the lovely courtyard with a glass roof.
The main loos are up rather a lot of stairs, but if I remember rightly there are accessible facilities on the ground floor. It is probably not a place to take small and noisy children, but when Graham and I went there with my mother (who was 78 at the time), she was treated like everyone’s favourite nonna!
Divino is certainly not the cheapest restaurant in town, but, in our experience, worth every penny. It is part of a small Edinburgh chain, the Vittoria Group, run by a distinguished Scots – Italian dynasty, the Crolla family. It is worth noting that there is a loyalty scheme offering generous rewards to members (currently a £15 e – voucher when you spend a total of £100).
