New Royal Mile Restaurant Hits The Spot!

By Contributor -

Victor and Carina Contini

Scots Magazine chef Carina Contini and her husband Victor have opened a unique eating place in one of the Royal Mile’s most historic buildings, Cannonball House.

The 16th century building – which was originally a private home and was latterly the logistical base for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – has been transformed into a landmark restaurant, gelateria and caffe.

The Contini Caffe celebrates the couple’s Italian heritage, with menu highlights including antipasti, over 16 delicious flavours of ice cream sundaes, traditional hot and cold Panini and chilled red and white wine from the Veneto on draft.

Contini Cannonball, the showcase restaurant on the top floor, overlooks the Castle Esplanade and Edinburgh’s historic Old Town and serves the best of Scotland’s food and drink. Mouthwatering dishes include Stornoway Black Pudding Risotto, Clash Farm Slow Roast Pork Belly and Macaroni Cheese with East Lothian Lobster Thermidor Sauce.

“We’ve taken all the lessons we’ve learned from a decade running our Italian restaurant on George Street and our Scottish restaurant at The Mound and focussed them into our new venture,” said Carina Contini.

“Cannonball House is in a prime location at the top of the Royal Mile so we want to make sure visitors and locals get the very best hospitality experience. On the top floor, we celebrate Scotland with amazing fresh, seasonal produce and breathtaking, picture-postcard views. On the lower levels, we’re proving fast food can be good food with our Caffe menu, porridge bar and gelateria serving proper ice cream.”

The project is a partnership between the Continis and the building’s owners, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. “We are proud and privileged to be working with the Continis on this project,” said Tattoo Chief Executive Brigadier David Allfrey MBE.

“This partnership represents another wonderful opportunity to offer visitors to Edinburgh a rich and varied choice. This is all to the good for the City and for Scotland.”

For more on Victor and Carina’s restaurants, click here.