Valvona & Crolla Caffè Bar - City of Edinburgh

'From market stall to dot.com' since opening its doors in 1934, this is – quite simply – Edinburgh's finest delicatessen. It's a noisy, busy fixture of city life, still presided over by members of the Contini family.

As a shop and deli it prides itself on ingredients and specialities imported direct from Italian artisan producers, but it also sells kitchenware, cook books and much more. On the food front, it boasts a spacious dining room with tightly packed tables and a menu of robust dishes with a genuine southern Italian accent.

The action begins at eight in the morning with breakfast (go for the unique 'Panetella' sandwiches), although lunch is the real blockbuster. Here you will find a menu loaded with Neapolitan specialities, pasta (hand-made ravioli with rocket and Ricotta), a good showing pizzas, salads, and daily-changing main dishes such as West Coast mussels steamed with garlic, chilli and parsley or marinated spring lamb from the Borders roasted with rosemary. Pure-Italian tortes are the thing if you want a dessert.

V&C are also one of Scotland's premier wine merchants, giving Italy pride of place but exploring far and wide for quality drinking.

A second branch, Valvona & Crolla Vincaffè, is on Multrees Walk, the city's groovy new shopping development built around Harvey Nichols.