Vittoria

Still one of the most popular eateries in Leith, Vittoria's started life as Pompa's Tearoom way back in 1936, and ever since has been offering good value European food with Italian leanings against a background of definitely Italian décor. In many ways it represents all that is best in the neighbourhood eating introduced into Scotland in the last century by Italian immigrants, who quickly absorbed the culture and tastes of Scotland and adapted them to their own.

One normally has an instinctive distrust of large menus, but the gargantuan menu of Vittoria's inspires only trust amidst a lot of tastebud tickling. Fresh mussels are cooked in a sauce of your own choosing; antipasto misto offers a large selection of Italian meats and pickles and insalata Ortolana brings together boiled egg, tuna, anchovy and olives.

Filletto Rossini is cooked with wild mushrooms, Marsala, pate and cream, then served on toasted bread, whilst the salsiccia all Cracovia turns out to be grilled Polish sausage wrapped in mozzarella with olives, onions and rosemary. After a hard day amidst the wonderful cornucopia of professions and skills that is the matchless capital city of Scotland, a mixed grill at Vittoria's will restore your faith in quite a few areas of life, at £13.85 one of their most popular dishes, though the same job might be done just as efficiently by a pizza Diavolo, pepperoni sausage and fresh chillies at £6.50

And so the litany of comfort food goes on. No wonder Vittoria's wears so well, a lesson to all in the trade - fresh, tasty, familiar food at fair prices in friendly surroundings - unbeatable.