Ciao Roma in Edinburgh, Scotland - Italian Restaurant Review

Ciao Roma is a family-run Italian restaurant with locations in the United Kingdom, specifically Edinburgh and Perth, Scotland. Started by the Martone family, Ciao Roma serves fresh, authentic Italian food at fair prices. Everything on the menu, from starters, to mains, to desserts, is thoughtfully prepared with the finest ingredients.

Starters

Ciao Roma's menu currently lists two soup options with equal prices. The classic minestrone soup and the ever changing soup of the day are great ways to start off your Italian dinner.

Other starters include anything from marinated olives, to garlic bread, other types of bread. Try the crostini misti for an exciting blend of buffalo mozzarella, tomato, grilled vegetables, goat cheese, and spicy sausage, served with toasted home-made bread. Or, try one of Ciao Roma's delicious bruschetta starters. You can have the classic bruschetta, with tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and basil, or, for something a little more special, the bruschetta al balsamico, which is the classic bruschetta combined with rocket, parmesan cheese, and balsamic dressing.

There are other cold starters that you can try out, like dried beef, or smoke salmon, or avocado with prawns served with Marie Rose sauce.

If you prefer to start your meal with something hot, try the stuffed mushrooms, or start off with some fresh mussels cooked the way you like, or go with chicken crepes. Hot seafood starter options include king prawns, squid, and scallops.

Main Dishes

In the main dishes section of the menu, you will find many subsections of food. These include: pasta, risotto, salad, pizza, chicken, steak, and other types of food.

Ciao Roma has many classic Italian pasta dishes, everything from spaghetti carbonara to gnocchi gorgonzola e spinaci. If you prefer something spicy, try the penne della nonna, prepared with sausage and roasted peppers in spicy tomato sauce. The menu itself suggests you try the tagliatelle dello chef and describes it as a very special main dish. If you prefer a seafood-based pasta, go for the tagliatelle al sapore di mare, which includes a collection of mussels, calamari, king prawns, garlic, chilli, and tomato sauce. You can also try out the delicious stuffed pasta, cannelloni, or lasagna.

As for risotto, you can choose to have it served with chicken, mushrooms, or scallops and salmon.

The main dish menu also boasts three different salads, made with fresh, high-quality ingredients.

The many options for pizza cover a good fourth of the menu, with everything from the sweet and simple margherita pizza to Hawaiian pizza to Mediterranean pizza. You can also add extra toppings for less than a pound more.

The main dish menu also present quite a few meat dishes, including steak, veal, and chicken, all of which are served with potatoes and mixed vegetables.

Desserts

If you have a sweet tooth like me, you would probably look through the dessert before deciding on a main or starter. When you're at Ciao Roma, this is a good thing to do, because once you're done looking at the dessert menu, you will be wanting to save room for dessert. So I suggest looking through the dessert menu first, then deciding how much to eat to determine what you will order before dessert. Or, just order dessert. Get the tiramisu for a chocolaty delight. Don't forget to add ice cream!

For children up to the age of 12, get a starter, main, and dessert for less than 6 pounds!

Review

For students, Ciao Roma may be a little pricier than other restaurants closer to campus, but the quality and taste of the food make up for the extra cash. The restaurant's atmosphere makes it a perfect place for a group of friends or a couple looking for a great dining experience. If you're into Italian food, Ciao Roma is a must-eat restaurant.