Heritage

From Lazio to Cockenzie: the making of a family restaurant

July 5, 2021

Victor and Carina Contini are both third generation Italian Scots. They are also the owners of The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant which overlooks Princes Street […]

Contini Kitchen Garden Winter Story

March 9, 2020

  This winter hasn’t been as bad as I expected so far. January was not that cold and wet at all, so working outside wasn’t […]

Proudly Celebrating National Family Business Day

September 23, 2019

Proud to celebrate National Family Business Day 2019 Victor and I are third generation Italian Scots. Our grandparents were great friends and lived very close […]

Carina Contini appointed first official Ambassador of Royal Highland Education Trust

June 17, 2019

We are delighted to announce that Countryside education charity the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) have appointed Carina Contini as their first official Ambassador.   […]

Nonna at 90

November 26, 2018

It seems like we’ve been celebrating for ever but Nonna’s final 90th birthday took place last week at Cockenzie House with over 60 of our […]

Brexprest

October 8, 2018

I’ve spent years of my almost 50 worrying about things that will never happen. Maybe menopause has brought the wisdom that I’ve been seeking and […]

Erringtons Victory

September 6, 2018

Victory for injustice but at what price. Firstly we are all so relieved that our dear friends the Erringtons have won their fight to clear […]

Carina in Print – April Scotsman Column

April 16, 2018

Published in the Scotsman Saturday 14th April 2018 We love our customers. They can visit once a year on a flying festival flurry in August […]

Would you be embarrassed to ask a restaurant for a doggy bag?

March 15, 2018

Delighted to be featured in Cate Devine’s Herald piece about food waste and doggy bags. Online article 14th March 2018 ARE you still too embarrassed […]

Slow Food Big Table at Contini George Street

February 20, 2018

We are delighted to be hosting the next Slow Food – Big Table on Monday 5th March A first chance to discover the regional differences […]

Slow Food Farmers Market

February 5, 2018

There are very few things that would get me out of bed on a very dreach Saturday morning at the start of February other than […]

Independent is best

January 17, 2018

Independent is Best? Oh yes they are! This year I took a little more time off at Christmas than I have ever done before. I […]

Scottish Veg Summit 24th October

October 24, 2017

Carina was delighted to be invited to be on the panel for The Scottish Veg Summit held at The Royal Botanics in Edinburgh on 24th […]

An Immigrant’s journey 100 years later

August 23, 2017

As you may know, Carina was flattered to be asked to talk in the Piccolo tent at the Edinburgh Food Festival in George Square Gardens […]

Fancy a day out of Edinburgh…

August 11, 2017

Then support these lovely people championing a great story……. AUGUST FESTIVAL DINNER SERIES BY THE FREE COMPANY This August, for the first time in over […]

Your local economy needs you

May 24, 2017

For my 6th birthday I was Doctor Carina. My nurses uniform and little doctors case, which was a tiny white tin with it’s tiny red […]

Cannonball toasts World Whisky Day with Glengoyne event

May 17, 2017

What better way to spend the day than sampling the finest single malts on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile For all you lovers of Scotland’s national drink, […]

Spring in the Scottish Kitchen Garden

April 27, 2017

The carrots, beetroot and leeks that were planted at the end of autumn are looking good and will prove to be a fruitful harvest in […]

Festa Festa Festa!

June 14, 2016

Who remembers their first Gala Day? Cockenzie and Port Seton galas were always special for our family when we were little. The flags were always […]

We did it! Welcome to the all-new Cannonball Restaurant & Bar

June 9, 2016

I love it when a plan comes together and what a plan we’ve been working on over the last few months! Cannonball Restaurant & Bar […]

Festa Della Repubblica

May 15, 2016

News Flash – This is not a political broadcast! At the beginning of the year I thought let’s do something fun and bring a bit […]

Bowled Over – Soup & Selkirk Bannock

January 29, 2016

Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it, But we hae meat and we can eat, And sae the Lord […]

Celebrating Burns

January 26, 2016

We’ve justreceived this lovely blog about our Burns supper. Thank you much Tuggy Tucks. For the last 6 years we’ve been hosting our burns ceilidh […]

New season olive oil tasting

December 8, 2015

This year we were thrilled to host the Liberty Wines new season olive oil tasting. Nine olive oils tasted neat! This is a challenge for […]

From Lazio to Cockenzie: the making of a family restaurant

July 5, 2021

Victor and Carina Contini are both third generation Italian Scots. They are also the owners of The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant which overlooks Princes Street […]

Contini Kitchen Garden Winter Story

March 9, 2020

  This winter hasn’t been as bad as I expected so far. January was not that cold and wet at all, so working outside wasn’t […]

Proudly Celebrating National Family Business Day

September 23, 2019

Proud to celebrate National Family Business Day 2019 Victor and I are third generation Italian Scots. Our grandparents were great friends and lived very close […]

Carina Contini appointed first official Ambassador of Royal Highland Education Trust

June 17, 2019

We are delighted to announce that Countryside education charity the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) have appointed Carina Contini as their first official Ambassador.   […]

Nonna at 90

November 26, 2018

It seems like we’ve been celebrating for ever but Nonna’s final 90th birthday took place last week at Cockenzie House with over 60 of our […]

Brexprest

October 8, 2018

I’ve spent years of my almost 50 worrying about things that will never happen. Maybe menopause has brought the wisdom that I’ve been seeking and […]

Erringtons Victory

September 6, 2018

Victory for injustice but at what price. Firstly we are all so relieved that our dear friends the Erringtons have won their fight to clear […]

Carina in Print – April Scotsman Column

April 16, 2018

Published in the Scotsman Saturday 14th April 2018 We love our customers. They can visit once a year on a flying festival flurry in August […]

Would you be embarrassed to ask a restaurant for a doggy bag?

March 15, 2018

Delighted to be featured in Cate Devine’s Herald piece about food waste and doggy bags. Online article 14th March 2018 ARE you still too embarrassed […]

Slow Food Big Table at Contini George Street

February 20, 2018

We are delighted to be hosting the next Slow Food – Big Table on Monday 5th March A first chance to discover the regional differences […]

Slow Food Farmers Market

February 5, 2018

There are very few things that would get me out of bed on a very dreach Saturday morning at the start of February other than […]

Independent is best

January 17, 2018

Independent is Best? Oh yes they are! This year I took a little more time off at Christmas than I have ever done before. I […]