Sambuca Italian Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

One of our regular haunts & one of our favourites. Good food, nice staff & a warm welcoming atmosphere. What more do you want.

Food was ok. Just very small portion sizes. Not sure if there was standard to have no bread with the mussels. Sirloin steak might have been a rump steak. Sauce was very nice. Pizza was really crispy, but just incredibly small vs other places Atmosphere was good, seems like a well liked local place. Always been quite curious about this restaurant, so decided to check it out.

Good food, ordered too much - starter and main! Service functional!

Lovely service and delicious food. Really friendly servers and made us feel at home

Really good food, the spag bol and profiteroles were so yum!

No está mal. No son las mejores pizzas que he probado pero tampoco las peores. Perdimos calzone y tenía mucho gusto a ajo, cosa que a nosotros no nos desagradó pero hay que tenerlo en cuenta.

Nice enough food, but very rude staff and even though they had three American Express stickers on the door they refused to accept American Express.

Very nice spot, friendly hosts, food was fantastic. Lots of options at a range of prices

Tried it as reviews said ‘hidden jewel’. It isn’t We ordered, garlic bread, prawns, pasta, cannelloni & pizza. The garlic bread OK, the rest was extremely poor. The prawns were from farm foods or Iceland, absolutely bottom dollar. The cannelloni inedible. The pizza and pasta were not much better If you are after good Italian food, go elsewhere.

First time visiting here with my pal. I had a lovely spaghetti Napoletana and pal enjoyed his margherita pizza. Garlic bread with cheese also good. We had lovely Flat White cuppa afterwards. Quick service, friendly staff and lovely place.

First time visiting there with my pal. I had a lovely spaghetti Napoletana and my pal enjoyed his cheese and tomato pizza. We had a lovely Flat White cuppa afterwards. Nice place, quick service and friendly staff.

First time ordering and my god this was delicious, Thank You 🙏 definitely be eating there again

This is a lovely little place with great food at a good price. There's always a nice atmosphere as well as service with a smile.

We have always enjoyed eating here and have been many times. We decided to book for Hogmanay to support a local business. When we arrived there seemed to be a weird atmosphere. Staff who are normally very friendly looked very unhappy. We sat down and were presented with a set menu which hadn't been advertised and we hadn't expected. I think it caught a few customers out. People who arrived after us saw the set menu and left. The restaurant wasn't full. Despite being a bit disappointed with the menu we decided to make the best of it and ordered starters & mains. The atmosphere by staff still seemed really strained throughout. The only dessert on the set menu was profiteroles. When we were ready to order we were told they'd run out. My husband had previously enjoyed their tiramisu but was told that had run out too. We were told we could have a scoop of ice-cream, which we really didn't want. We finished our bottle of wine & asked for the bill. They charged us for 3 courses. Given what we had, we felt it wasn't right to charge for a menu they hadn't been able to provide. We were told in no uncertain terms that it was Hogmanay and we'd refused ice-cream so the fixed price stood. We paid and left. Very sad. This is not a business we will support again. Hogmanay is only once a year..but it clearly means more to the owner than having repeat customers supporting his business many times throughout the year.

Traditional Italian diner, the food is fresh, delicious and enough; the food is so good and amazing tiramisu!

It's a quiet place, the food is delicious and fresh and the attention is amazing. is amazing.... thank you very much 😊

Fantastic place. Food is excellent and staff very friendly and welcoming. Very cosy and reasonably priced. So glad our friends introduced us to this gem. Can't wait to go back again.

Delicious pastas and pizzas. We had great time here !

Great food, very reasonably priced considering the quality. A hidden gem which was a hit with the kids.

Came for dinner late at night after work and enjoyed it. Loved my garlic breed starter and we both had a nice spicy chicken main with potatoes and salad. The service was nice and friendly and a nice clean restaurant. Slight language barrier when trying to ask about things on the menu and no draft beer but other than that a pleasurable experience.

A delightful little Italian Restaurant. Delicious authentic Italian cuisine, generous portions, reasonably priced. Friendly, efficient service. Highly recommended.

Service and food was excellent! Strongly recommended!

Best Italian restaurant in Edinburgh

Daughter ordered the spaghetti Bolognese, husband had fungi pizza and I had the chicken with cream and mushrooms. Everything was amazing! With exception of the potatoes which came with the chicken. They needed to be a bit softer for me.... But that's personal preference. We hadn't booked but still got a place. Our waitress was kind and swift and patient while we decided what to eat.

Delicious food & lovely, friendly service. Thank you

the service was not friendly but the food was nice

Loved this compact and comfortable Italian restaurant. We were assured that the food was authentic and it really was delicious. Super helpful staff, just a lovely place. One slight criticism, I wish there were bigger bottles of beer.

Amazing vongole, loved it. Great family atmosphere

Well done Pizza 🍕Kind Service

Sehr freundliches Personal, sehr leckere Pasta, authentisch italienisch :) angenehme Hintergrund Musik Oh und die Bruschetta waren auch richtig gut

Authentic Italian food & nice people.

Ok, so it doesnt look much from the outside, and the inside is quite basic. Almost like a real italian osteria. But, the welcome was friendly and the food was delicious

A very cosy, intimate restaurant with absolutely amazing food. Lovely staff, and generally a good atmosphere!

Sambuca is proof that the best things can be found off the beaten track. Very unassuming from the outside, but inside it is cosy, comfortable and inviting. Visited here with my boyfriend, who had seafood pasta- delicious and plentiful! I had the chicken and mushroom pizza; clearly handmade, with delicious authentic thin crust and very generously topped. Profiteroles for dessert, which again were gorgeous, both in presentation and taste. Polite, friendly service also. We are sad that we are not local- we would be regulars! Highly recommended.

For reasons beyond my control, I've had to eat a lot of takeaway meals, and I needed something simple tonight. I'd never heard of Sambuca, but was pleased to see that they had a number of fairly unadorned veg., which is exactly what I wanted. I ordered most of them, plus bruschetta. I found the food a bit under-seasoned, but all the veg were cooked perfectly and had lovely textures. The bruschetta were lovely: the bread nice and crunchy, with nicely chopped juicy tomato and garlic. Both mushroom sides were delicious. The potatoes, broccoli and spinach needed a pinch of salt and pepper and/or a squeeze of lemon, but that was easily remedied. I will definitely be ordering again.

THE BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER EATEN. My family and I are super fussy but Sambuca is unbelievable, and we were not disappointed. We ordered the Calzone, Risotto and a Pasta. So so so good. I would travel an hour to get the food, it's that good.

Authentic Italian food. From the soup, pizza, pasta to dessert. All amazing

Really lovely child friendly local Italian with great service and tasty food. Spaghetti meatballs and spaghetti bolognese and the garlic bread with tomatoes were all delicious, and Alina makes us all feel very welcome. We love coming here!

A sudden change of plans caused me to need to find somewhere local in Newington, Edinburgh, for an evening meal. I chose Spaghetti with meatballs, which was ok.

Great local italian restaurant with authentic dishes

My wife and I had a lovely dinner at this unpretentious little Italian restaurant. The seafood risotto was as good as any I’ve ever had, and my wife really enjoyed her scallopini. Service was efficient and friendly, prices very reasonable. Highly recommended.

Really good Italian food. The service was very nice and the food arrived very quickly.

An OK place but for the price I felt a little let down on flavour and quality. Meatballs were OK but lacked a bit more flavour like garlic or maybe chilli. Lasagna had some egg in it. Yes I know it supposed to but never seen cooked egg whites.

Nice place, good food, good service, very friendly staff and customers

We just arrived to Edinburg and we decided to go for Italian. After trying ISOLA restaurant with no luck due to no reservations we came across this not too fancy but very cozy restaurant. We loved the food. The pizza sauce is delicious. It taste like homemade sauce. The staff is very friendly and they make you feel at home. Highly recommend to try their deserts. We will come back for sure.

Wonderful! Alina is amazing. Efficient, personable and very knowledgeable of menu. we enjoyed the bruchetta, gnocchi (A MUST HAVE), trout limon and caneloni. Fantastic.

First class restaurant good service and good food

Lovely evening with fabulous food, amazing choice and great flavours. Friendly service very relaxing atmosphere

The restaurant is very clean, the food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and helpful

lovely welcome and scrumptious food ! Beautifully presented in a homely way and piping hot. Dessert wonderfully prepared. Even the coffee was well brewed. What not to like. Must come back very soon.

I tried the chicken and mushroom pizza. This was 10.4£ but didn’t get the 20% discount as that’s was online. Overall 3/5 for taste and value. The whole pizza is good for one person only. 10 inch approx, thin crust . Place has a good ambience.

Friendly atmosphere with lovely food. The staff are so attentive.

Small but perfectly formed! Great food and service, well worth a visit

Lovely food and lovely staff. Popped into here last minute on a Saturday evening, I think the decor could be nicer and more inviting but it doesn't affect the food :)

Very homey and lovely Italian place with the most amazing house wine! Definitely would recommend ♥️

This used to be a very pleasant restaurant to visit. Although the food is still enjoyable, the change of front of house staff, has completely ruined the atmosphere, to the point where I would not bother to visit again.

Good friendly service. Relaxed atmosphere.

Beautiful meal+very pleasant staff

We spent a week in Edinburgh and ate out at several restaurants. This one was the worst. The room is very stark, more like a cafe. The menu was quite extensive and we had pretty standard Italian fare. I'm afraid the cooking left a lot to be desired. My scampi in a sauce was just about edible. The sauce wasn't nice at all. My partner's penne was stogy and also not very good. Service was ok, but for food, there are a lot better places nearby.

A very unassuming outside and a basic layout this restaurant is a real find. Super food-sole in lemon sauce amazing and has kind and profssional service. Due to a reduced Fringe and following the pandemic this place deserves support. A super little restaurant well worth locating and not too far as a walk from th Commonweath Pool.

Went to get granddaughters hair cut a few doors down.Went in for quick lunch. OMG was the best lasagna I've ever had! Daughter had a pasta dish was beautiful also 10/10 thank you service was fast and food red hot x granddaughter also ate the lasagna (faint) will be back as soon as we are in Edinburgh.

What can I say hidden gem, go for a visit. Traditional Italian food at its best. GREAT menu and reasonably priced menu, loved it

Sweet and attentive wait staff. Food was delicious and humble with brilliant portion sizes. Great prices on house wine. Was too full to have dessert so can’t possibly comment.

Beautiful food in a very humble settings. Lovely service.

Lovely food, attentive service.

It was ok, food was average but no problems either. Staff were friendly

I have visited Sambuca on several occasions and have always been impressed by the food and service. The menu is unpretentious and there are no frills just good basic Italian cuisine. They are definitely worth more than one visit. My last visit was superb. Why they are not busier is beyond me. FORZA SAMBUCA!!

Amazing food and friendly staff. Not only am I vegetation but very health conscious of what I eat. They made for me the best risotto I have ever had and off menu; no cream or oil and still full of flavour. I also had the sorbet which again was delicious. AND they had a choice of alcohol free beer.

Lovely friendly wee restaurant, epic pizzas.

My family took me to Sambuca for a birthday treat last Friday evening. We all thoroughly enjoyed our food which was very fresh and tasted great, and the service was polite and unobtrusive. Look forward to going there again!

Went with my husband and 2 teens for tea on holiday. Delicious food, prompt service, good portions, great service.

I’m so happy to visit the restaurant again after lockdown! Very delicious pasta with authentic tiramisu! The price is reasonable, and the staff is very friendly as usual! I had a great time there with my boyfriend and I would like to go again:)

We've been there before the lockdown, and we had some Spaghetti and Tortellini. Both tasted pretty amazing. The portions were satisfying and overall very delicious. Not too expensive as well! Staff is very helpful, friendly, and kind. We will go there again for sure, after the lockdown.

We had booked a table for 2 at 20:00 hours. I confirmed my booking by calling them. We were greeted by the manager who said he has not got our name on his list. We showed the booking confirmation,he asked us to come back after 30min. Least one would expect is an apology. Very unprofessional and rude behavior.

Lovely friendly restaurant. Food fresh and tasty. Very reasonably priced. Recommend x

Very good food and very friendly service

Delicious food, very friendly staff, tucked away so not too busy but close to the meadows. Very good value for money authentic italian food

Awful food, not Italian, horrendous house wine, bad service, save your money and time, not Italian family is running this business

Delighted to be back. Well laid out and all distancing measures in place. Food excellent as ever. Great to see a small restaurant start on the recovery road and the staff were really pleased to see us backm

Escondido lejos de la calle principal, vale la pena mirarlo. Cocina sencilla y deliciosa que es como la cocina casera italiana. Siempre hacemos un viaje fuera de nuestro camino hasta aquí cuando visitamos a la familia en Edimburgo. A mi marido le encanta el lenguado al limón (el pescado siempre es muy fresco) y yo soy vegetariana, así que aquí tengo muchas opciones. Las pizzas son realmente finas y deliciosas. ¡No puedo esperar hasta nuestra próxima visita!

I had a problem with a deliveroo driver and didn't receive the right order. They tried to help me as much as they could and in the end they served me as soon as possible. The food was great! Highly recommended!

We went for a good Italian meal and, were not disappointed. The menu is very versatile; I am into Italian graze but there are dishes on it even I have yet to discover. The table wines, in carafe is perfectly if not more than adequate. The service was excellent as was the atmosphere. Our waitron was of good cheerful character not to mention uplifting. Parking is freely available from 17.30, just outside, which is a bonus in Edinburgh. We will return if we're back in this neck of the woods. Fab!

Went for early dinner on a Saturday night as we were at a swimming event at the local pool. Great atmosphere and very busy, even early evening, but that didn't impact the service which was excellent throughout. Waiter gave good guidance on the extensive menu and the food (we had a meat dish and a lasagne) was cooked to perfection. Perfect for hungry swimmers and will definitely go again

Great small restaurant. Lovely menu and staff. Very reasonably priced fantastic food. Well worth a visit.

Great meal friendly staff great atmosphere

No good food, very disappointed!

Been going for years, the place is great.

Excellent food and service as always 👍

Italienische Athmosphäre, sehr netter Service, reichhaltiges Angebot, gute Qualität, für Edinburgh sehr gutes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis

Fui aquí para el cumpleaños de mi suegra. Llegamos a las 8 y aunque reconoceré que es un poco tarde, no fue excusa. Mi suegra ordenó un filete medio raro y estaba más que hecho, mi prometida pizza estaba aceitosa y sin sabor y mi risotto de mariscos estaba tan mal que no podía comerlo. Los mejillones estaban listos y se habían quedado sentados en el arroz, lo que hacía que todo supiera a mariscos podridos. Nunca volveré allí y te sugiero que tampoco.

Fuimos para un almuerzo extendido el viernes. Servicio brillante con una sonrisa. Muy buena opción de menú, con muchos platos diferentes para todos los paladares. Los camarones y risotto de jamón / verduras eran excelentes. Comida de alta calidad, buenas raciones, muy bien presentada. Una verdadera joya escondida esto! Una nueva visita es esencial.

Great food. Superb service. Needs nicer lighting though.

Acceuil chaleureux dans un petit restaurant typique. Service rapide . Ma pizza était bonne même si il manquait d'herbes aromatiques. Le plat de pâtes copieux assez classique mais bon. Propose assaisonnement, poivre et parmesan pour les pates

Quantité du plat principal peu copieux. Nous avions commandé une escalope champignon. L’escalope était très fine, 6 demi morceaux de pommes de terre pour 14£.. ce n’est pas donné ! Si vous avez faim, commander une entrée. Mais sinon c’était délicieux Attention pas de desserts sur la carte !

Very nice fish specials (I had sea bream). Friendly atmosphere.

Had great time there and delicious coffee afterward. Very friendly service and top-notch ingredient quality. Definitely, recommend!

Had an amazing time with friends and the service was perfect it was such a nice place I did really enjoy it.

Kleines feines Restaurant. Sehr nette Bedienung und das Essen war sehr lecker. Preis-Leistung auch top.

Wonderful food and welcoming service!

Really good italian food, very friendly service and they have good prices. We will definitely come back, when we visit Edinburgh again.