ASK Italian - Edinburgh in Edinburgh, City of

Bullies is all I can start with - My wife and her family visited your restaurant for a meal, and regrettably, their experience was far from satisfactory. They were seated after a 20-minute wait, despite the restaurant not being particularly busy at that time. Unfortunately, the service they received from your staff was not only subpar, but one staff member was notably rude. After placing their order for a starter and some wine, they found the food to be unsatisfactory and uneatable. When they sought to settle the bill, your staff allegedly claimed it was “against the law” to order only a starter with wine. I am perplexed by this assertion and would appreciate clarification on the legality of such a claim. I am deeply concerned about the treatment my wife and her family received. As they are Brazilian, I find it particularly troubling that they would be subjected to what could be perceived as bullying or intimidation in your establishment. My wife and I are regular patrons of Ask Italian in Worthing, as we hold your restaurant in high regard. However, this experience has left us reconsidering our loyalty.

Fantastic food for a family celebration. Having called ahead and indicated one party in the group had severe nut allergies, delighted on arrival to be informed the kitchen was nut free. Would definitely suggest making more of this in advertising the restaurant as it made such a difference to my daughters experience of eating out. The place was pretty busy. Everyone loved their food and knowing it was a nut free environment made it more relaxed. Will definitely visit other ASK Italian restaurants after this experience.

Stakk innom litt sent for en ekstra matbit før kvelden. Min partner bestilte pasta bolognese og jeg bestilte lemon tart og en drink med cotton candy på toppen, veldig rosa og nusselig. Desserten var god på smak, og den hvite sjokoladen ble servert formet som en sitron. Bestilte også bringebærlemonade. Pastaen var kokt bra med fyldig god smak og bra porsjon. Alt i alt et godt måltid og hyggelig servitør.

Food mediocre with the rudest ignorant waiter ever. Enough said

We had a family meal here last Friday night. Starters arrived inside 10mins. Main course arrived 1hr 25mins after Starters! Absolute nightmare! Got few half hearted apologies from staff & discount on bill only to realise when home we got charged for disserts that we said we didn't want because it too late! Two kids with us, one actually fell asleep. A manager needs to address this problem. This is unacceptable!

Had a fantastic lunch! Craig's cocktail was absolutely divine and the service from Valentina and Veronika was outstanding. Really quick service and delicious food, loved the arancini trio ❤️ the Christmas decorations and vibe are fab! molto molto grazie 🙌🏻

This is not an Italian restaurant. Food very but very rabish

Excellent food, really enjoyed it, very welcoming service, friendly staff and atmosphere, definitely come back xx

Fijne bediening en heerlijk eten. Goeie ligging in het winkelgebied en goed bereikbaar. De lasagne ie een echte aanrader

**Avoid!!!!** First impressions weren’t the best, tables very close together. Service was incredibly slow, I gave up waiting and had to go up and ask if we could order. We sat for ages waiting for our drinks, at which point we could see our food was cooked and ready sat at the side of the kitchen. 10/15 minutes had past, still no drinks or food, the food was still sat getting cold. The staff didn’t seem to know what to do, they were spending their time wondering around. Eventually the food was brought round to us, pizza was stone cold, calamari was freezing cold, seafood gratin was warm but swimming in water and flavourless. Other people were having similar problems, one lady waited at least 25 minutes for a dessert and the table behind were also complaining. We then had to wait ages to receive the bill, at which point we gave up as we had been in there far too long and had to get up to pay. There are so many incredible restaurants nearby, I can’t stress this enough.. go elsewhere.

Natasha was lovely, food was yummy and filling. Recommend the garlic flatbread and seafood gratin, good portions :)

Don't ask Coz you don't get 30 minutes waiting for a drink nevermind the food First time last time Asta la pasta baby

Very nice and hot food, was very busy but staff were excellent. The meeter and greeter had a wonderful friendly manner. Our waiter was Austin, very friendly, and attentive. All staff smiled which was nice to see. Well done! Have been here a few times now and will come again.

Lovely meal with first class service

Just want to thank Austin who served us this evening, he was fantastic and we loved the Christmas Menu. Thank you !

Without doubt the best pizza I have ever eaten… and I was there at the start when James, brother of Prue Leith opened an early Pizza Express in Walton, Surrey… Tonight’s iteration was truly memorable - classic, crispy base topped with tomato, mozzarella, obviously, but with creative additions: njuda, goat cheese… just could not be bettered… Loved it. Callum who looked after me in the midst of a buzzing vibe, still found time for attentive personal service… Highly recommended. Ps pizza doesn’t appear on your list of recommendations apart from calzone!

Fantastic service would come again

Food is amazing😍 Service of Austin is really good.

Austin was very polite, checked in on us and was respectful to our group having a catch up and not rushing us along. Tasty food and glad there were great vegan options.

Lovely Italian with a great choice of menu! Food was amazing and very lovely staff! Veronica on the door was particularly welcoming and helped to create a great atmosphere from arrival! Would definitely recommend here for a lovely meal

Had a lovely evening out for a meal here this weekend! Food was brilliant and the staff were very attentive and helpful. Veronica went above and beyond for us! Would recommend to others in the Edinburgh city centre for a cosy night out!

Food was lovely, our server Austin was very friendly, hardworking and such a pleasant guy. Great service.

We were served by Austin today (22/11/2024) and he went above and beyond not only for us but for every table he served apologing for any kind of wait or delay making sure everyone has what they wanted and making sue our food was alright all with a big smile couldn't ask for better service

Callum welcomed me very well and I felt comfortable since I entered the Restaurant. My Pizza was quickly ready and tasted good. I also got additional Parmesan cheese for free. All in all my experience was very good. I thank Callum for his kindness and professionality. Taste the housemade Limonade it’s very good!

Everything was really good, specially de service, Collum and the all team was kind and helpful.

The food was nice. The restaurant wasn't busy so lacked atmosphere even although it was a Friday evening. The service was really slow as well. Like many places now, they do just eat orders which slows down the service for those in the restaurant. I had doubled up my tesco vouchers to go. The main I had was the vegetarian carbonar which was delicious. My daughter loved her melting chocolate bomb for dessert.

The food was lovely and our server Callum was so accommodating and really helpful.

We went twice on our trip from Dublin to Edinburgh and Austin served us with a smile both times.He was a lovely waiter,so friendly and helpful.

We had really good food, the aubergine Ravioli, also some garlic bread with mozzarella. It’s vegetarian and vegan friendly, I missed nothing! Thanks for the good food and also for the really great service from Austin.

Callum was an attentive waiter.great food lovely meal

Our waiter Callum was very polite and attentive

Very nice waiter Austin, took care of us and was very attentive

Christmas decorations up in November tut tut

Nuestra reserva fue para 6 . 30 y esperamos casi una hora antes de que apareciera comida. A esta hora de la noche ya no quedaba lasaña, extraño para un restaurante italiano. Estaba muy ocupado, pero no parecía haber suficiente personal. Pedí en el menú sin gluten, pero no podía tener papas fritas o pan de ajo. La comida sabía muy bien, pero toda la experiencia de esperar y sin lados que quería es suficiente para garantizar que no volveré.

Always love this chain and food here was amazing as ever

Visited here for the first time today & the food was amazing but the service let it down. We found the manager to be extremely rude & she came across racist as she acted completely different towards us (POC) than she did with the white customers. Unfortunately wouldn’t be back..

Had an amazing meal at Ask Italian! I tried the prawn & crayfish egg pasta, and it was absolutely delicious—perfectly cooked with fresh, flavorful seafood. We also shared the Salami Misti pizza, which had the ideal balance of toppings and a beautifully crisp crust. The food was fantastic, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. I’d highly recommend Ask Italian for anyone craving authentic Italian dishes with a modern twist!

Walked in off the street to give it a try. Was pleasantly surprised at how fast our food was but more importantly the food was amazing.

The food is great and the service is great it really doesn't matter what you order I can safely say you will enjoy it

Declaring a salad as the main course and then serving it with a handful of spinach leaves and a few pine nuts on top is just cheeky and not worth the £14.50 (equivalent to €17)!

An incredible experience! The food was incredible but what really stood out was the hospitality!

Very beautiful decoration of the restaurant, friendly staff, the dishes and dessert: Delicious 😋 A little noisy but everything was great, I recommend 👌🏻

Super good from start to finish, I recommend it 🏆

Went in spontaneously at lunchtime because it smelled so delicious outside and we weren't disappointed. Our pizzas were incredibly tasty, the service was super friendly and attentive and the restaurant was beautifully tidy, clear and modern and yet cozy. We also thought the open kitchen was great. What struck us particularly positively was how carefully allergies and intolerances are dealt with. Unfortunately I know it differently, but it was great here! Big recommendation!

Excellent service and delicious food served in a refreshing setting. We didn't have a table booked but they were able to get us in.

Worst restaurant experience of my life. Started off by a 30-minute waiting time for main course, which is fine. After 5-10 minutes the food got cold because of a ventilation. We asked the waiter (where all of them didn’t seem interested) and told the food got cold and he went over to the manager. Afterwards we got asked if we wanted something more, which we answered two desserts. Waited another 25-30 minutes for that too. Payment came where we didn’t even get to see how much we should pay (50 pounds) and then we got baffled to see that we paid full price for both main course and desserts when my payment popped up afterwards on my phone. Manager came over but continued to tell us that we could see the payment on the payment machine and he didn’t get told the food was cold (apparently the waiter should have shown us the price we should pay but of course didn’t… seemed like the manager told him that afterwards). We couldn’t get money back, so at least we got a cocktail and mocktail for free… didn’t get a straw to mix my mocktail too… 35 pounds for cold food is a lot, but 50 pounds for a terrible experience is even worse. Worst thing is we didn’t even get a sorry from the waiter, or the manager. At least the food tasted good before getting cold, but the service was absolutely terrible. Never going back. Ask Italian, Edinburgh

Ellie was an excellent host. Friendly, professional and customer focussed. We fully appreciate the experience

Great dinner, excellent service provided by Ola. Thank you for having us!

Maybe I'm used to something else, but the pizza is poor and the pasta is not correct. It ends up being expensive on top of that. The service is excellent, the waitresses are very friendly. I think you have to try others for Italian food.

We got pizza, it was really delicious, one of the best pizzas I've had.

This was the first Italian place I tried in Edinburgh. Apparently it is a chain. The pizza was below average. Arancini were good but small in size. The tipping feels forced.

Slightly overpriced, service ok, but on the slower side. Food wasn't too tasty. The chicken was overcooked/dry. The vibe of the place wasn't that friendly, the waiters and cooks seemed stressed. Overall not worth the price.

45 minute wait to take our order...

Great food, nice atmosphere and friendly staff. Definitely come back 😁

Very poor service. We waited for 1 hour to be served on half empty restaurant. I will not recommend, unfortunately!

The food was delicious and very good service. Fast and kind employees

Took us without reservation, service quick and food good and hot

Very nice place and very good service.

Greg is an amazing service staff! He show and helped us with the allergicans (onions). The food, especially the pizza and calzone was super nice and soft - yummy Also the dessert was a pleasure - absolutely lovely

The pancetta carbonara and bolognese were exceptional. Some of the best food we have ever had. Traveling from the USA (ME) we had no idea it was a chain.

Have no idea about the food. We never got to eat. Walked in and was rudely told since we didn’t have a reservation there was nothing available even though the restaurant was mostly empty. Thats Ok, went to their site and booked a table for an hour later. Showed up at the proper time with the confirmation email on my phone only to be told rudely again by same hostess that she didn’t see a reservation in her system and didn’t seem to care that I had an email from their site, not a 3rd party booking system and we were again turned away. At this point I don’t care how the food is, never going to eat there and going to discourage anyone I talk to as well

First time in Edinburgh. Delicious meal and the service was amazing. Our server Ellie was friendly and so accommodating. Veronica the hostess welcomed us and made us feel at home! Definitely recommend!

Absolutely delicious meal. Good value for money. Excellent service.

We walked into ‘Ask Italian’ on a Saturday night in September with no reservation, after visiting the National Gallery of Modern Art Two in the west end of Edinburgh. Nice and bright ambiance. Open kitchen which I always like to see. We lucked out and had a great server. Observing the other servers, they all were very attentive. The staff appear to be Italiano’s and it was refreshing to interact with our guy, trying to speak a little of their language. Italian wines tend to be dry, so we stayed with glasses of Merlot and Malbec. The Rosemary infused bread with dipping sauce was fresh and tasty. The Carbonara Linguini was truly enjoyed as was the Lasagna Grande w/ optional meatballs. It was a great experience for us and shall return once again. Gracie!

Ellie was very attentive to our needs. Good service.

Over all not bad The pizza was average The rossito so salty and does not has flavor I think the restaurant overpriced according to the dish they served

Excellent lunch with the family!

Went to Ask Italian for a meal, it was not busy so i was greeted and sat right away. Not the friendliest welcome or the warmest hello. Got given a free small sample of their lemonade which was nice. I proceeded to order my food, i had the Manzo Piccante. Very average and tasteless for the name and description given in the menu. I did not enjoy this meal much but I appreciated the effort put into it by the chefs. Waitresses looked uninterested and not very friendly either. When finally the lady brought the bill, she told me it was up to me to pay service charge while showing me the card machine just as to say “you’ve got to pay it” (which i did out of kindness) but she didn’t seem convincing with her gratitude. She turned her back to me straight after the transaction had completed and only i managed to find someone else to ask where the toilets were.

Love love love this Ask Italian! Such a handy setting - very central, just a short walk from Haymarket, the Usher Hall, etc. Really delightful, helpful staff, and the food is incredible. The fresh pasta and mini panna cotta are to die for. Absolutely love this place - we’ll definitely be back, and soon! One of the best chains ever

Great service great foood😍😍😍😍 order the prawn shrimp and the ganochi pasta

Food great as always, come here pretty often. Only thing is this time the service was very strange. Initially rushed to order multiple times as ‘we best get our order in because the kitchen was super busy’. Got our order wrong after repeating it back to us somehow. When we asked about this later we got told we definitely didn’t ask for that. This was ‘proven’ by showing us what he had ordered for us on the mobile. Seemed very incompetent with mobile. Eventually, after he was rather argumentative, offered to get it remade quite reluctantly but made it out that we were being very awkward, so we just left it. It’s a shame because I’ve been there 4/5 times this year as it’s conveniently located but will probably go elsewhere after this strange experience. Never been argued with by a server before. Especially if the average meal price is near enough £20. The guy was American which may go some way in explaining the ‘different style’ of service. Wasn’t just our table that had issues, the tables next to us had drinks forget etc, maybe the guy was just having an off day.

Good food, very friendly service

Thank you Saif, the service was perfect

Good choice of food and friendly staff.

the food was tasty (I tried vegetarian carbonara), the prices were quite high, but the atmosphere of the place was not to my liking. very cold in the bathroom and the constant noise of the exit door closing, definitely detract from the charm of this place

Really nice atmosphere, very friendly staff, brilliant that they let our wine breathe before serving. The service time between the food being ready from the kitchen and arriving at the table was the reason for changing to 4 stars, there are no heat lamps so the food coming out piping hot was then cooling for minutes before serving which meant my starter and my pizza were cooler than I would have preferred. I'm not even sure how they communicated that the food was ready for service. Conversely the dessert was also passed out at the same place so my gelato was slightly melty before it reached me too.

It's an ideal place if you want to order and sit idle. Since the order did not arrive, I recommend you go somewhere else.

We waited for 1 hour in Ask Italian Edinburgh branch and our orders didnt come. When we asked to staff,they said it is not 1 hour, it is just 45 minutes that we ordered but it is also still very long time. When we asked about the status also, they didnt give update and when we wanted to cancel, they directly cancelled our order instead of apologising. I guess they don’t need customers to survive. So, their pizza may be delicious but we couldn’t have chance to eat, well done to the ones who were able to receive their orders.

They forgot my main dish and I didn't eat it.

Duri and rest of the crew were amazing. Food was quick and amazing. Highly recommended

The restaurant is lovely and our server was very polite, professional and friendly. Our food arrived promptly and was hot and tasty. I had planned to have a salad but there were none on the menu. We felt that the food was slightly overpriced but guess that's because the restaurant is in the centre of Edinburgh. A daily specials board with some offers might be a good addition to the menu. This was our first visit and we would go back despite the inflated prices.

Amazing! Ausra was a pleasure and the food was delicious! Definitely suggest this place for anyone craving Italian and great service!

Carla was very attentive and great personality

I came to Ask this evening for my birthday dinner with my family - and our usual great expectations were surpassed! All of the members of staff were welcoming, helpful and attentive; but a special mention must be made for Dumi. Dumi is so sweet and made my birthday celebration extra special from her humour, to the surprise limoncello and cheesecake to round off the meal. Thank you so much for taking the time to make our meal so fantastic 💗

The gluten free menu was clear and had quite a few options, however you are limited to fusilli pasta. The meals were delicious and I would really recommend the honey glazed sausages with the smoked chilli sauce for a starter. 20% off for students as well

I came for dinner with my family for a celebration, the food and service has been absolutely fantastic! The staff went above and beyond - especially Dumi - for a fantastic experience

This is our local Ask and we came here for a birthday treat, it was excellent - Dumi was a fantastic server

Welcome drinks was lovely. Service and food was excellent. Restaurant was clean and well. Waiter Dumi was very nice and she offer for dessert. Highly recommend:)

We had lunch this place now quite few time but have to say I enjoyed my lunch and will return! lovely staff definitely worth trying!! U have to go!!

The white waitress needs to chill as not everywhere in the world there is a tradition to wait at the gate till you are called out. She was utmost rude when we walked out and asked rudely to wait at the gate. It could have been told politely as well.

The staff were very friendly and the food was tasty.

Employee Saif was very professional. Well done

Thank you, Saif! Very good food and very good service!

Great service from Carla. Nice place with good Italian food.

It was a lovely place with a very calming atmosphere. Our server Saif was very lovely and helpful. He explained the menu to us and was very attentive to us. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for wonderful dinner experience!! ( The cheesy garlic bread was my personal favourite 😉)

Our server Saif was amazing, kind and helpful we really enjoyed our dinner! Thank you

Always love our visits to Ask Italian. A great menu with extensive choice. Pleasant staff and good food.

Absolutely wonderful experience. We were seated very quickly, and were very warmly welcomed with a shot of raspberry lemonade which was lovely. Our server DT was very efficient and very lovely despite a very busy section he seemed to be managing. We even received excellent service from Dumi who made us feel very welcome and was very lovely. The food was brilliant. We started with the Folded Garlic Bread with Mozzarella which was amazing!!! The portion sizes were a bit bigger than expected, but we had no complaints. The pizzas and the lasagne were all delicious. We had such a great experience that I returned the following afternoon.

First class service and very helpful staff

Had a lovely evening out with family having had a busy day in Edinburgh. There was plenty to choose from to suit all of our tastes. Our table server Ellie was very lovely and we were grateful for all attention she showed to us. A great night topped off with an awesome pudding and blue light discount! Thank you!