Contini Restaurants
For over three decades, the Contini family have been bringing Italian heritage and Scottish provenance together on the plate, from their much-loved Edinburgh restaurants to the Kitchen Garden they've nurtured in Princes Street Gardens. Led by Carina Contini, the business has built its story around family, seasonality and community sourcing from trusted local producers while staying true to the Slow Food values passed down through generations.
In this Q&A, Carina shares how heritage, provenance and family continue to shape everything Contini does, from seed to plate.
Scottish Food & Drink September 2026
Tell us a little about the Contini Kitchen Garden, how did it come about and what role does it play in the stories you tell through your food, from seed to plate?
Our adopted Herb Garden in Princes Street Gardens that sits next to The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant was our inspiration. This was a small abandoned stretch of ground that we’ve cared for over 17 years. It became obvious very early on that if you nurture you can grow quite easily. Gardened John and my husband Victor have done an amazing job and the produce that we are able to bring into the restaurants, sometimes twice a day, really does make a difference. We’ve taken this to the next level and now have 700 olive trees in the village where my father was born in Italy. Scotland can’t grow olives yet, but we’re working on it.
When you're developing a new dish or seasonal menu, how do you think about the "story" you want it to tell, is it about provenance, tradition, family, or something else?
We’re very lucky to have a great team in each of our three restaurants, led by Alina Donnelly our General Manager. Our values and vision in each restaurant are imbedded into what is seasonally available. Our kitchen garden helps shape the ingredients we are able to use for each dish. Nature really does know best and guides our kitchen to deliver delicious dishes.
Scotland's larder plays a big role in your menus, can you share a story about a local producer or ingredient that's become central to how you cook?
Our own Kitchen Garden is key but we have many suppliers that we love to celebrate. Some feature on our menus all year round like Grierson's organic, free-range eggs. Others will be showcased for a few weeks or months of the year like Denhead Farm Asparagus and The Strawberry Shop.
Do you have any local partnerships or supplier relationships that you are proud of? And what does that connection say about how Scotland's food and drink sector works together?
The Graham’s Dairy family have been dear friends for over 30 years. I can’t believe we’ve know each other for this long. As friends they are their whenever we need help. It’s also exciting getting to work with them on projects like their Christmas Jersey Double Cream campaign. It’s the best cream ever. We’re hoping they will bring in back this Christmas too.
What does ‘Scottish food and drink’ mean to you, beyond geography?
I was brought up as an Italian Scot in a small fishing community. Families crossed generations and continue to do so. There isn’t a week that goes by when a customer visits that remembers my mum or dad or grandmother and the ice cream and fish and chips we used to make. Scotland food and drink for me is sharing happy memories and making new ones everyday.
What do you hope customers take away, beyond the meal itself, when they leave one of your restaurants?
I asked my two daughters who are currently working in the business (along with two of my nieces) this very question. They said all they want is to see our guests smile. If they leave happier than when they arrived, had delicious food and great service that's the success.
