Positano

Three of us ate here yesterday. There was one curious thing, though my sea bass and grilled vegetables were perfectly cooked, my wife enjoyed her mussels and her sister liked her shrimp and pasta. The Tiramisu was generous and tasty. The only problem was with the house Cabernet, not the taste but the pricing. It was £5.30 for 250ml. yet the 750 ml bottle was £17.50. I expect a discount per glass not a premium when you buy bottle. I tried to explain and the owner just said, «That’s the way it’s done everywhere,» and walked off. Which was very strange since otherwise he was very pleasant and attentive.

Nice authentic restaurant. Tasty pasta combinations and a few daily specials to choose from. I didn’t see any fresh pasta on the menu, but really enjoyed the spicy linguine dish that I had.
Good service when it wasn’t busy, slightly less so when they filled all the tables later. Great quality house wine for the price, about £15/​bottle. Regular wines in the printed menu seemed a bit pricey, £22/​24+.

The food was good and decently priced. You could smell the delicious aroma coming out of the restaurant before you even walk in. The service was SLOW though. Coming in to grab a quick dinner by myself, one of the waiters acted like it wasn’t his problem to find a seat for me & didn’t know what to do with most tables being full. Even after the crowd cleared and I got a table, the service was slow so that was not an excuse. I would come back though to try it again!

What a great find! The service is for sure the best I have had in Edinburgh. The owner/​chef was very hospitable and chatty. Lovely Italian man who we ended up having some really interesting conversations with. The food was also very good! We had a special; chicken wrapped in Parma ham smothered in a white wine sauce. They even made a special small pizza for the wee one!
The people working here really fussed over our daughter which was a breath of fresh air. Most places don’t really interact with children in this way. It really sets a positive good dinner atmosphere for a family. The owner even surprised wee one with a free ice cream dessert! Which was the icing on the cake!
Very lovely people and top notch food. Can’t sing higher praises for this place.

Are we in Napoli or Edinburgh?
Who knows? Who cares!
I curse myself for not finding this little gem sooner. All this time of eating subpar Italian in Edinburgh, when I could have just been going to Positano. Nevermind, now that I have found my go-​to spot I never have to suffer bad Italian again. Although it doesnt look like much on the outside, step inside and you soon find yourself at home in your adopted Italian family’s house, with rapid-​fire Italian conversations all around you, the most delicious smells, and a decidedly friendly waitstaff.
The great joy of Positano is that they havent bastardized their menu for the non-​Italian palette and the level of care, detail and attention to their food is obvious in every bite. Listen as the energetic and super-​friendly owner (?) tells you how he made the bread (spiced with cumin and delicious), panne cotta and tiramisu himself. Marvel at the taste of fresh, homemade pasta and realize that THAT is how pasta is supposed to taste.
We started with appetizers that were simply great. The calamari fritti is fresh squid which is cut and handbattered as you order. No frozen mix here. The cozze marinara (mussel) starter was a huge portion full of fresh ingredients. The gnocchi with lamb ragout had the taste you can only get with fresh, homemade pasta — warm, comforting, amazing and the linguine with clams was equally superb.
If I sound overly effusive about this place, it is because I am. As an Italian girl, the Italian food options in the UK can be disheartening and, honestly, abysmal. One night in Positano and I feel like I just stepped into my Italian grandmothers house for a satisfying meal and warm hospitality. This place deserves your business.

This place is great! Been here with a small group (three people) and a huge group (eighteen people) and they’ve been very accommodating. The staff — particularly the man I think is the owner — are fun and talkative. The owner told us how everything is made fresh and you can tell that it’s high quality food. Their house wines aren’t bad either. One of the best places I ate in Edinburgh.

love the risotto and lobster lasagne! We stayed in Edinburgh only for 10 days, but we came here for three times. Every time I went, i love it better! Definitely a 5 star!!!

I happened on Positano the last time my parents were here because my mom was in the mood for Italian food. Mid-​week, the four of us were the first diners and while we were there no more than two or three other tables appeared. Fortunately, between the four of us and our hilarious waiter, we never had the feeling you often get in an empty restaurant, and indeed were made to feel so welcome we stayed for quite a while.
Our meal was excellent — we felt properly Italian in ordering and sharing loads of different dishes, eating a few bites here and there as everything arrived and not having typical «main» meals if that makes sense.
While the food really was wonderful and wholesome and comforting, what made Positano really shine was our waiter. He laughed at my dad’s ridiculous jokes, bantered with my husband, and was charming to my mom. He even brought us extra tiramisu (on the house) when my dad raved about how good it was.
I would absolutely recommend Positano, and think that while it would be fine for a couple, it’s best for groups so you can eat properly family style.
At the end of it, having consumed two bottles of wine and several different dishes, the bill was so low (around £70 I think) that my parents had to read the bill twice to be sure we had actually been charged for everything we ate. We had.
Positano has a lot of competition in Newington but does offer a special and affordable dining experience that can’t be matched.

I’ll keep this short and brief, Positano is quite simply one of the most authentic Italian restaurants in Scotland, full stop.
They pride themselves on cooking «fresh to order» pasta, meaning you get a nice ‘al dente’ pasta dish. So what that means is that there is no precooked pasta sitting around in large plastic vats waiting to be heated before serving. It’s just out the pack and straight into boiling water for 10 – 12 minutes. Therefore there isn’t a soggy rigatoni or penne quill in sight, hurray!!!
The seafood dishes are a treat, cooked very simply with just good olive oil, garlic, cheery tomatoes etc. The pizza’s are also fantastic, big, thinly stretch with tasty toppings.
I’ve visited Positano on numerous occasions and I’ve never been disappointed. The kitchen staff are all Italian and know their stuff. You can always hear them chatting away in the background, I find it creates a good atmosphere. The owner is incredibly enthusiastic, welcoming, slightly zany but a treat to chat to.
Positano’s prices are very reasonable which makes this one of my Edinburgh favourites. I just can’t quite believe I’m the first to review it!

I love Positano. Great food and great service. Every visit feels like we’ve gone on holiday. If you want great Italian food check this place out.

Positano is restorante Italliano, with its typical charm and vivid atmosphere, it turns every visit into an occasion of celebration. I didn’t spot any unusual meals on the menu but the staff themselves are enough to make your night memorable. From pasta dishes to tiramisu desert, all is Italian, which means fast service, delicious food and a wide range of good wines.