ISOLA Sardinian Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

ANSWER for GIANLUCA CASU. The music is present in the place, it is kept in the background, as we are a restaurant and not a PUB, furthermore, being full, it was perhaps covered by the voices of the customers. We have been serving the Sardinian appetizer like this for 8 years, and if you can't eat 4 types of cured meats, you could have a plate of mixed cheeses. I understand that you have a boundless ego, you make cheese (CASU) as a surname, and therefore you claim to be the main product of MY dishes, even if it seems you don't understand much about cheese, to say nothing, change your surname, I remain humble so I avoid advice. The biggest fool you wrote, is about SEADAS, I don't know what your grandmother used, but the peretta is made of generally medium matured cow's milk, I don't think she used any peretta, maybe you're confusing it with some other peretta. It's clear that you're not in the profession, there was no need to point it out, you seem like one of those people who don't know things, but claim to explain them to others. We don't make Seadas with mature cheese, as it wouldn't stretch or melt. Seadas is made with primo sale cheese. Primo Sale is a Pecorino that has not been left to ripen, therefore a fresh cheese almost like a dairy product. This is the cheese we use, and we flavor it with orange and lemon zest. Having said that, the peculiarity of Seadas is this, the first salt is a cheese that remains "acid" and contrasts with the sweetness of the honey, this is the peculiarity of this dessert. Of three seadas, only you left, tell the truth, the Sardinians were the other two and you were a Provolone infiltrator!!! The biggest flaw is that you are Sardinian, they should ban you from entering Sardinia, just because of what you wrote on Seadas. Fresari

I had dinner at Isola on New Year's Eve last year, where we had a good time and ate well overall. This time I came with a couple of friends plus me and my girlfriend. Being Sardinian I wanted him to try the restaurant. Honestly, I would make some changes. First of all, put on some music, it's sad to eat in silence, put some more cheese on the cold cuts platter, I can't have 3/4 types of sausage and one of cheese. The maloreddus were as good as last time. The biggest flaw is the seadas, it has never happened to me that I didn't finish a seadas, I'm not a cook or even that expert in Sardinian food, but the cheese used had a bad taste, too matured, and I don't think that the seadas should have that taste there. My grandmother always used the peretta, so my personal advice would be to use a different cheese, not so matured. Oh and the last thing, the Scottish waitress, no offense but in my opinion grumpy and not very attentive.

Very good place, the food is excellent, the service perfect.

We went on a very quiet afternoon as we did not want to dine in a cafe. This place has amazing food. The seafood linguine was amazing! The antipasto starter was good but lacking (splitting 1 balsamic pickled onion between 2 wasn't the best) but the quality of ingredients was definitely there. The service was good but that of what you would expect for a dead afternoon. The place could maybe use a little tidy up but I think on a busy dinner service, with the amazing food, you wouldn't really notice these things.

Maybe we went on a bad day but there was only one person in the kitchen despite there being about 14 tables with customers, so not capable of serving food to more than one table at a time and we had to wait for a long time for our dishes to arrive. Food was ok but only okay. I think the chef (the Owner I believe) forgot to put salt in some of the dishes as he was working on his own and pressed too hard. If you read the Owner’s rather condescending responses to bad reviews, it gives you a good idea of what sort of place it is. It is reflective of the experience you will have. I will never return- and the Owner will probably say he doesn’t want us back! Try Locanda de Gusti instead - the experience was night and day.

not open at 1pm on sunday for some reason, there's someone inside but they waved us out without giving explanation

Nice place with good food, not very cheap. It was a bit cold in the restaurant

You can't come to Edinburgh and not spend an evening having dinner at the Isola restaurant; excellent linguine with seafood, culurgiones, fantastic ravioli prepared by hand by chef Pietro with potatoes, mint and shallots, or pizza with cardoons, dried tomatoes and onion and then finishing with tiramisu, fresh daily. A piece of Italy and Sardinia in Scotland.

Amazing food with superb service.

Great food great service simple very taste

We picked this restaurant based upon TripAdvisor reviews, and we're happy to leave downtown Edinburgh to head out to Newington. Our server Fiona was amazing and all the staff were great. Love the food and all the different choices and had a great night out. Would recommend this to anybody looking for great Mediterranean!

Italian at its best. Family restaurant. Favourite for Italian locals. Perfect food. Charcoal grill. Busy! Book ahead

Finally a REAL Italian restaurant abroad that is not a tourist trap, go there and you will feel at home. Very kind and friendly staff who speak Italian, nice atmosphere, absolutely delicious seafood dishes like at home and honest prices! Service perhaps a bit slow but because (I think) there is only one chef in the kitchen. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Our favourite restaurant in Edinburgh, super friendly attentive staff and amazing chef, highly recommend!

We enjoyed our dishes so much, portions are very generous and ingredients are top notch fresh. Service was friendly and attentive. This is a must try Sardinian cuisine in Edinburgh!

the best restaurant ever, Best chef and service. We will back soon.

The chefs attitude proves that be should be on Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen nightmares to bring his ego down a notch. It doesn’t matter if he is the only chef and is stressed - many service people work stressful jobs and maintain a sense of kindness. The fact there are multiple reviews complaining about the attitude of both him and staff is proof enough. The waitresses are extremely rude and stressed under the thumb of the chef. The response from the owner in reviews is shockingly rude. The food is not the worst (unlike their attitude) but it leaves a sour taste in your mouth when the attitude of everyone in this establishment is disgusting.

This latest review of Isola Restaurant by the reviewer called “YW” is appalling, and regular customers to Isola know this to be untrue. We have been so many times we have lost count, and we see a lot of regular customers, and we find the chef, who works very hard on his own in the kitchen, to be calm and focussed on delivering the finest Sardinian cuisine, even when the restaurant is fully booked, and it is ful, or very busy on a regular basis. This reviewer also has no idea as to the relationship between the chef and the staff, and that is obvious from the review they posted. It is interesting how many 5 star reviews Isola has, and it is also interesting that out of the 32 reviews this person named “YW” has posted, 14 have also been given 1 star, and personally attacked in a similar manner. I also find it very unfair that a review, that has no mention of the actual food, can be posted on Google making a personal attack on the Chef and mentioning other members in the restaurant, Google state themselves in their list when you click “Report Review”, such topics as “Bullying or Harassment”. Customers who have been to this restaurant, I am sure will agree with me, and people are not stupid, with so many wonderful reviews, this restaurant, the quality of the food, and the friendliness of the staff, speaks volumes in the reviews. The wording of this review shows this is meant as an attack, and to grab attention, and the only true disgusting fact of this review was that it was allowed to be posted, but any sensible person reading it I am sure will form the same opinion given the venomous way it was written.

Excellent restaurant, food and service are wonderful. Something different. Will definitely be back soon.

Excellent Sardinian restaurant. I had the pear and tallegio raviolis which was quite creamy but tasty. Tiramisu is excellent and advertised as the best in Edinburgh. Prices are reasonable and service is fast. I really recommend it if you’re looking for good Italian traditional dishes while in Edinburgh.

Absolutely fantastic meal and experience! The food was authentic, and they were really enthusiastic to explain their traditional dishes and drinks they had to offer. There was even a wine accident that they went over and above to make sure everything was OK and that it didn't impact our evening. Would recommend to anyone and given the quality of the food and drinks the overall price was incredibly fair. Just make sure to book ahead as they did have a full house on a Saturday night.

Authentic and delicious Sardinian cuisine with a friendly vibe.

Food was amazing, chef not so good as he moaned about the food I left, when you're full your full! Quite expensive too but you pay for the quality of the ingredients.

Be SURE to call ahead. They require reservations

Delicious food, nice atmosphere in busy restaurant, relaxed and unhurried service. An abrupt initial service but would not put us off returning! Enjoyed our family dinner 🙂

An authentic, traditional family restaurant with distinctive Sardinian flavours and friendly, unpretentious service. HIGHLY recommended.

Had to laugh reading some negative reviews here , it really annoys me as a chef that some folk put this restaurant as fairly authentic when ( THEY )can't even fry an egg at home . this restaurant is authentic, the food IS fresh , just had the best grilled seabass ever and if you not happy just get out of that " can't cook won't cook attitude" and feed yourself at home !!!! Big up Isola , you are the best in the area, hands down ! And that chef running the show in that kitchen on his OWN !!!!! WOW !!! MIND BLOWING!! I'm lost for words

- good Italian food, but not the best in town. - The restaurant is a little expensive - open until 9 pm - place to come with family and friends. - I would come with a partner. Suitable for a first date

Very good food, super friendly and funny service. Super Service.

Fairly authentic food, but the restaurant lacks the authentic Italian hospitality, in fact, there was this elder British waitress who was condescendingly RACIST. Firstly, I had dinner there and had to wait for one hour before my food was served whilst all of the other customers were served, when the restaurant was half empty. Secondly, said waitress attempted to correct my English, whilst I don’t have an accent as I was brought up with it. Overall, my dining experience was utterly negated by the said waitress, and I am disappointed beyond words.

Delicious Italian restaurant on the edge of Edinburgh city center. The service was very friendly and we felt very comfortable!!!

Top cuisine with a great Italian atmosphere!

Fantastico, autentico, Italy 🇮🇹 Mangiare (Food). 😋 Unfortunately, I only discovered this wonderful Sicilian restaurant the evening before my departure.

Very nice restaurant. The food was very good and freshly prepared. The 5 stars are deserved. A recommendation for every lover of Italian cuisine.

Incredible food! Lovely cosy atmosphere and great service from a really friendly team! Some of the best seafood I've ever had (the prawn pasta was exceptional!) And the Seadas (one of the strangest sounding things) was incredible, so glad I tried it!!!

Been here a few times and enjoy the food and the friendly staff. Will be back!

From the minute we stepped in the restaurant we were greeted by a warm welcome by the owner and waitress. The waitress was very nice and professional and was able to advise us on our food and wine choices . The food was just delicious .

Dropped into this bustling cosy restaurant on a Sunday night and felt lucky to secure a table without a booking. We were made very welcome and thoroughly enjoyed a very authentic Italian evening. There were Italian voices around us - felt like we could have been on holiday in Sardinia. Get so fed up with the flashy city centre restaurants which rarely live up to their reputations - full of diners who prefer to photograph their food (and themselves) rather than enjoy it! Here you’ll find great service and delicious, freshly cooked, well sourced food. We enjoyed stuffed artichokes, smoked port loin and mozzarella, linguine with fresh crab and tuna steak with potatoes and peppers, and a lovely homemade tiramisu to finish, all washed down with a good Sardinian red wine. Even the basket of fresh bread was super tasty! We will definitely return soon. Thanks for a great evening!

We ate at Isola last night, celebrating a birthday. The food was delicious and it was great to try some Sardinian dishes and wine. There were plenty of options for various dietary requirements, and staff were really helpful with this. The service was lovely and attentive. We will without a doubt be back!

Delicious food , I’m from Sardinian so I know the real taste. Fresh ingredients, typical Sardinian taste, good choice of wine, and dessert. I will back soon !

We were hugely impressed with both the delicious food and the friendly service. There is a great choice and the chef was flexible in catering for particular tastes. Each course was a delight and the tiramisu was right up there with the best! We shall definitely visit often.

We have been coming here for years. Fabulous food and great value too. The owners are lovely.

Very good place, we arrived late from the trip and in this place they treated us very well, the food was super delicious and a very pleasant and close atmosphere.

We would move to Edinburgh only for this restaurant. Best food , best beer ( bill) 😁, best everything, lovely staff ! +10 stars . Will be back tomorrow for tiramisu 😍😍

Great italian in heard of Edinburgh suburbs

A lovely meal with great friendly service, a really tasty Sardinian beer, & delicious home made polpette & culurgiones. And the best pannacotta I've eaten. Wish we lived closer to visit more frequently!

The food was amazingly delicious. Our starters were bruschetta and aubergine, mains were sea bass and seafood linguine. Just heavenly. I just wish I lived closer! We will have to return when next in Edinburgh. Service was fast and the waitress was helpful and funny. Do go try it!

Friendly local restaurant with excellent Sardinian cuisine. Can be noisy when full. Super waitresses and chef.

Very early dinner before a gin tour. Very lovely interesting food. Hubby had smoked pork starter, spicy sausage pasta main and a Panna cotta with orange and dark chocolate dessert with a cappuccino. We shared a Sardinian wine. I had bruchetta then a pear and tagelio ravioli and tirimisu and coffee to finish. Loved every morsel and great service.

Real Italian food (and I’m Italian!), fresh and tasty. Warm and friendly owners and staff who make your dinner a very pleasant experience. It’s absolutely worth a visit…it will make you feel on vacation in the beautiful Sardinia island for a night!

Posto che merita senza dubbio, non è il classico posto di cucina pseudo italiana , ma garantisce è conserva il valore della tradizione gastrica italiana e soprattutto sarda. Il cuoco è SUPER, Federica e le ragazze moooolto simpatiche e cordiali , sono veramente il top

Polecam to miejsce wszystko smaczne obsługa SUPER

Legitimately one of the best meals of my life, every course was incredible

Sono stato in questo ristorante tre girni fa,e che dire semplicemente fantastico.Sono stato accolto da Federica,la propietaria una gentilezza e attenzione al cliente che non vedevo da tempo. La cucina e ottima,io ci sono tornato per 3 sere,e sono sempre uscito molto soddisfatto. Buonissime le pizze,i primi ottimi,e che dire della carne e del pesce ,eccezzionali. Insomma andate non rimarrete delusi.Top. Un saluto Speciale a Federica,dai Giovanotti di Milano.

Sono andato in questo ristorante con la mia famiglia, posto piccolo, ma carino, camerieri italiani, quindi in caso di poco dimestichezza con l'inglese si può tranquillamente parlare italiano. Cucina sarda di buon livello per l'estero. Certamente consigliato a chi vuole riassaggiare (o provare se non italiano) i sapori italici. Prezzi nella media della città.

Flavorless dishes. Chef should use salt at the very least. Ordered potato ravioli which tasted like unseasoned potato with mint (??). The other entree we ordered was equally tasteless

Ambiente veramente familiare e accogliente, con del cibo genuino, fresco e veramente buono, come da buona tradizione sarda. Il tutto servito da personale accogliente che sa mettere a proprio agio chiunque.

5 stars all round for this fantastic find on my first visit to the city. The staff were friendly and attentive, which was only surpassed by the food. Definitely recommend to others 👌

We were intoxicated with the mussels.

We went as two couples for an evening dinner to celebrate our joint wedding anniversaries. We went on a recommendation and were not disappointed. The Sardinian red wine was excellent and we had various delicious starters, the mussels drawing especial praise. Generous quantities of pasta followed, the king prawn and tomato spaghetti being very popular but the ravioli was enjoyed too. We had no room for desserts. For a Sunday evening, the restaurant had a lively vibe and Federica and her waitress looked after us very well. Highly recommended. We shall definitely return.

Ogni volta che vado a Edimburgo una capatina dai miei amici sardi di Edimburgo non manca mai. Fregola con cozze e vongole eccellente come sempre I colleghi che avevano dubbi sui ristoranti italiani all’estero si sono ricreduti.

Op zondag spontaan binnengelopen. We waren vroeg, 17.00 uur, en hadden geluk, ze hebben ons er nog tussen kunnen zetten. Reserveren is zeer wenselijk. We hebben genoten van het eten, de sfeer en correcte bediening. Kan dit restaurant echt aanbevelen. Compliment voor de mooi gedekte tafel. (Tafellinnen en stoffen servetten). Kwaliteit en prijs zijn prima.

The buffala very tasty but lettuce was bitter and not enough tomato for me. And there was something wrong with bread - like not fresh. Ravioli with pear very sweet,, but ravioli itself and sauce very very tasty. Pizza ok. Service very nice.

Accueil très agréable. Nous avons pris des pastas seafood vraiment excellentes ! Et avons terminé par un très bon tiramisu. La serveuse était très sympathique et nous a parlé un peu en français ! Très bonne adresse.

Incredible dining experience! One of our favorites on our 5-week European vacation! The food as delicious and the service… spectacular!

Went to Ristorante Isola for the first time to celebrate a birthday with 12 friends and family. Main reason for going was the Sardinian cooking. Federica prepared a three course menu with a few choices for each course. Food was excellent and service just perfect. No rush to free up the table and plenty of time to talk between courses and enjoy the copious quality wine. Overall tremendous value for money. All my guests raved about the Ristorante Isola and I am sure a few will be returning. The Sardinian menu was definitely different from usual Italian fare. Well worth a visit.

Very nice restaurant with very good menu. Service very friendly and professional. Food is good quality ingredients and cooked with skill. Authentic Italian in a relaxed environment. The restaurant might not be located in the main city centre but this is reflected in the price and we prefer a quieter environment and better service without feeling 'crowded' or rushed in anyway. We would return.

Great restaurant out of the main tourist area. We took a quick £10 taxi from old town and had a delicious meal with excellent Sardinian wine selections. We had the shared mixed seafood grill which was delicious!

1st class food, service, hospitality. We all had a really great evening. You always get a very warm welcome from all the staff at this restaurant. Will be back very soon.

What a fantastic night we had here. The food was 1st class, service, hospitality amazing. Would highly recommend others to try this restaurant. Will be back very soon.

Tutti bravissimi e super professionnali , il servizio in sala perfetto…. Il cibo, che è la cosa principale, era buonissimo

Absolutely brilliant Sardinian restaurant. The food is superb. Our favourite is the seafood platter - just amazing!! Highly recommend. Our kids love the pizzas too.

Siamo rimasta piacevolmente colpita da questo ristorante. Il servizio è stato molto gentile, e nei piatti sono riuscita a rivivere...

ci e stato consigliato questo ristorante da un ragazzo e abbiamo seguito il consiglio che dire: ovviamente essendo un ristorante...

Excellent food and service. Very attentive. Would highly recommend. They could do with a better extractor fan in the kitchen because everything they cook travels through the restaurant too strongly

Ate here following a recommendation and we really enjoyed our meal. Large choice of dishes. Opted for a couple of Sardinian specialities - a starter with meltingly soft aubergines in a tomato based sauce, and a main of ravioli filled with a potato mixture. Both...

My wife and I booked this Sardinian and Mediterranean cuisine family restaurant on Friday night for 7pm as a change from eating more locally and were so glad we did! As it turned out it was there first day opening after being on holiday and...

What a delight, from bruschetta to fresh seafood pasta and lovely dessert. Family atmosphere, we will be back!

We stopped by here after a day out in Edinburgh. We hadn't booked but were promptly shown to a table. We ordered the prawn spaghetti and another pasta dish - both were really tasty! Would highly recommend this small family run restaurant!

Fantastic Sardinian restaurant. Beautiful decor, friendly and professional staff, fantastic and fresh food, excellent wine . Everything one needs for a great meal out. Highly recommended. Antonio & Martin

The staff are amazing and very nice and the food is just to die for would 100% recommend to all my friends and family

We booked a table for seven at short notice and the staff were very welcoming and very happy to accommodate us. The food was absolutely delicious. My boys had lovely crispy pizzas, the ladies’ aubergine was wonderfully cooked, and my spaghetti with prawns was cooked...

The atmosphere in this authentic Sardinian restaurant is unlike other trattoria in Edinburgh, more austere and traditional than other cool and trendy pizzeria of the capital. No loud music or bright lights, no buzz, no design but a classical, nostalgic old fashioned feel with simple...

Dopo diversi giorni di cene scozzesi, abbiamo deciso di provare questo ristorante, anche per le ottime recensioni . Finalmente abbiamo...

Really enjoyed the great food and also the good atmosphere! Federica and the staff are doing an excellent job here My compliments to the chef who - even in this busy period - made me an EXCELLENT zabaglione ! Happy to return any moment Thank...

Family of 4 dined here as was 5 min walk from Air BnB. So glad we did, wish we were local as would definitely be returning. We all chose different styles of food on menu- Carbonara, Ribeye steak, pizza and Duck with potatoes. Each dish...

2 very different meals. Both Fantastic. I have Ceoliac Diease so must eat Gluten Free. Whilst they were very cautious when I asked if it was safe for me, They asked ALL the right questions. I never expect bread with a meal, so the Sardinian...

We went here a couple of times during our visit to Edinburgh. We especially enjoyed the seafood - and also the friendly service.

Ruim restaurant. Druk bezocht. Dus ofwel reserveren of tijdig aanwezig zijn. Wij hadden plaats zonder reservatie om 17u30. Vriendelijke bediening....

Un locale che frequento spesso quando vado a Edimburgo. Stavolta vado con i colleghi un po’ titubanti di andare in...

Un po' periferico rispetto alle mete classiche edimburghesi, ma facilmente raggiungibile in bus, ristorante super consigliato se cercate un po'...

A nice little gem of a restaurant with some of the best Italian food I've ever tried outside of Italy - from start to finish, everything was absolutely delicious (the culurgiones are an absolute must!). Also enjoyed the lovely, friendly service from the two Italian...

Great Sardinian food from starter main & dessert. The staff are friendly & efficient . It’s best to book at the weekend as gets busy & if you walk in you may be disappointed. The prickly pear liqueur was divine & just rounded the meal...

Ottimo ristorante che con la sua ottima cucina giganteggia sui mediocri ristoranti locali che chiaramente, data la cultura del posto,...

Lovely little restaurant - was pleasantly surprised to see so many people eating in here on a mid week night which shows how popular this place is. We chose the house special of lasagne, Garlic bread and a mixed salad. All very tasty, and all...

Little gem of a restaurant. Service was great, the waitress was very helpful and friendly. Food was amazing..great portions and so tasty. Would totally recommend it.

We had chosen to go somewhere else but found it closed down. So glad it had because I doubt it would have been as good as Isola. One busy lady taking the orders and advising on what was offered on the menu. We had between...

We are Edinburgh locals, living in Newington. And have been eating here since they opened quite a few years ago. We have enjoyed every meal we have ever eaten here, and enjoyed the lovely wines and the excellent service provided. A Sardinian husband (chef) and...

This place is great! The staff are friendly & the food is amazing !!

Really bad experience. 1st of all, it took them 45 minutes to bring the starter, for just two bruschetas and a antipasto table. One of the waiters never made us feel comfortable. We went with children and that seemed to bother her all the time. Avoiding eye contact very notoriously. Food was ok but expensive for what it is. Main courses also took ages to arrive (more than 30 minutes) and in the end this same waiter came from the other side of the restaurant saying thank you in a way that was obviously looking to argue and she was extremely aggressive to us when we told her why we were dissapointed. She didn't care that we were with children and she start shouting to us. We stayed calm but she kept shouting even though we pointed to her that her behaviour was unnaceptable. We strongly do not recommend this place.