Valvona & Crolla Ltd

Reviews

• An Edinburgh Legend

  I love Italian food, I have done all my life which means that Valvona & Crolla is like a ethereal plain for me. I wander in through the worlds least assuming shop front (apparently they reduced the window space & installed steel shutters during the second world war to stop windows being beaten in, I would dare to suggest that the threat has gone, so maybe it is time to let a bit more light in) & I am transported to all that is good about Italy. They love food, wine, coffee & living well. All these elements are well served here. The cheese counter is great & has the best parmesan I've found in Scotland. The meats are fantastic & will wonders never cease, well sliced. The coffee is excellent (though I prefer new boys, Artisan Roasters, two streets over) they do sandwiches, hard to find things like duck eggs & all kinds of Italian goodies. Their pasta selection is huge, as is their Italian wine section. They make all their own bread, pastries & cakes (all of which are awesome). The staff seem to change a lot, but those that stick around really know their stuff. Having read a couple of other reviews I will admit that none of this is cheap, but frankly how could it be? The place is stowed out with thousands of products, almost all top rate. It's unfair to compare it to supermarkets in Italy, just shipping the stuff over here must cost a fortune, compare it for price or quality against anything in the UK and it will come up trumps. If you know exactly what you are looking for, go shop on the internet, the same is true of almost any product. If all you care about is price, trot off to Lidl. If you want to worship in a cathedral of food, go visit V&C.

  Bigairch
  Review Date: 12/10/2008 Report review
• An Institution but I don't know why

  This is a long-established part of Edinburgh's society which serves as a deli and cafe to the bourgeiose of the Capital. I have often walked past but never ventured inside given my plain culinary tastes. Having a free afternoon, I did venture inside and was fairly mesmerised by the range of produce on offer in such a small space. It was very easy to spend half an hour in here just browsing, even if the only product I bought was a pack of decaf coffee!Mesmerising? Yes. Worth a nosey? Absolutely. However, if you really have to pay �£50 for some cheese, then you clearly have more of a reason to visit here than I do!

  Bathgatebuyer
  Review Date: 12/08/2008 Report review
• Not Italian at all....

  I was very disappointed by my visit to Valvona & Crolla after what I had heard and read about the place. Being Italian I was looking forward to it so the opportunity arose when I visited the Edinburgh festival. I have to admit that it is very difficult to find a proper Italian deli in the UK. I am used to buy my wines and a few more products online but no more than that so this time I made sure I had plenty of space in the car, I was hoping to come back with plenty of Italian food and wine, the one I drink and eat when visiting my family, and set off to my Italian discovery shopping experience. All my hopes disappeared when I entered the Valvona & Crolla shop, when I started reading the label and found that the product on sale were all average Italian supermarkets products with a very dear price, and not the one I would buy. The Valvona & Crolla branded products were made by big Italian companies and the only few good wines they had, but nothing more than the ones available from supermarkets, had an excessive high price. As this was not enough, we decided to stay for a coffee, it was 4pm and when reading the menu we found the “affogato” and ordered it. Again, another big disappointment.. The affogato we received and we paid �£3.95 was not more than a ball of vanilla lost in a poor espresso… I left the place empty handed and promised myself I would never be back, at least to buy Italian food and wine or for an affogato, and will keep ordering my wine online. I have recently come across Italyabroad.com, www.italyabroad.com, a website specialised in Italian food and wine made by small producers and so far I haven’t been disappointed yet, they offer fantastic Italian wines and food made by small and real producers at a good price.

  Pino
  Review Date: 02/08/2008 Report review
• Rip-Off

  The only reason why V&C are the best Italian delicatessen is that there is virtually no competition in Edinburgh. The quality of their products is relatively good. However, most of their goods are standard Italian supermarket products sold at a ridiculously inflated price. How can one justify selling a 500g pack of pasta (retailing at 1.5 Euro) for �£4.99? It's a joke.

  Luisa
  Review Date: 10/04/2008 Report review
• Worth its significant reputation...

  Ah - the much exalted Valvona & Crolla...Yes - it's not cheap but for the sheer scale of the place and the range that they sell there can't be many better. A shrine to Italy in the Scottish Capital, it is such a cornucopia of delights that one doesn't really know where to start. The chilled counter dominates the narrow passageway of a shop with its cured meats, prepared dishes and huge array of cheeses. There is fresh produce imported from Italy and the in-house bakery delivers a huge varied choice. There is a very respectable selection of Olive Oils as well. I'm a bit of a snob as far as this is concerned and will only use the sublime "Manni" Extra Virgin Oil that can only be bought Online and shipped direct to the home - but some of the Tuscan oils they have here for around �£20 a litre are not far off that very high "Manni" benchmark.The cafe at the back is always annoyingly full - but hey that's testiment to the quality that they deliver and there is now even a Fringe Event room during the Festival.All in all an institution and still deserving of that accolade...

  Oogywawa
  Review Date: 02/04/2008 Report review
• It is the best

  Puts all others to shame !Come on London wake up !Without doubt the best Italian Deli in the UK - they must have great buyers !Bravo !

  Gastro1
  Review Date: 08/02/2008 Report review