Caffe e Cucina

Caffe e Cucina is one of those places I tend to forget about, but then I remember and visit again and decide I’ll *definitely* come more often, until I forget.
I’ve never been for dinner, but it’s a fantastic lunch spot.
I say this primarily because it is incredible value. If you go for a sit-​down lunch in town, you expect to pay almost as much as if it were dinner. Maybe about £10/​head for something hot.
At Caffe e Cucina you can get a gorgeous warm sandwich or a fabulous pasta for about £7.
Last time we were in, I got the soup of the day and bruschetta (four huge pieces with cheese, walnuts, and something red and leafy) for a total of about £8.50 and couldn’t hope to finish it all.
Not just incredible value, the staff is lovely and the food is good. It’s simple and well done with what certainly tastes like quality ingredients.
My only complaint, and the reason for 4 stars instead of 5, is the salt. My soup and bruschetta were both heavily salted — you could see the layer of salt on the bruschetta — beyond my normal taste. I don’t tend to use much salt and would much rather add it myself. Having said this, I understand the desire to get the right amount of seasoning on a dish so the diner doesn’t think the food served is bland, I just found the salt heavy handed this time.

Cucina is one of those places I rarely make it to but always enjoy it when I do get there. Situated at the very bottom of Morningside Road it is ideally placed for a coffee when the sun in shining, most recently I stopped by after clearing out Henrys of rilette and herb plants.
When the sun is shining their outside seating it used by the usual Morningside wanderer… young families and students reading books of great importance that they neither enjoy or understand but like to be seen with.
The service is friendly and attentive, the coffee is excellent and the menu is a collection of really nice rustic Italian classics.
On my last visit I had a bowl of mussels served with a green pesto sauce and stale bread. The intention od the stale bread being that when you dunk it, it wont fall apart but rather just soak up all of the lovely juices as you would in an Italian soup!
Thoroughly enjoyable and a great place to people watch.

Very friendly family run place, very nice atmosphere, really good food, large portions, delicious wine, all at a reasonable price! Book well ahead, as it’s always busy.

I have been coming to this venue as long as I can remember, when it was Sherry’s café back in my childhood when I used to fill up on scampi and toasties and them when it was Loopy Lorna’s for cake.Yum.
I’ve visited it as Caffe e Cucina a couple of times now, just for coffee and scones. I’ve heard for a meal that the food is a bit hit or miss, but would still be keen to try at some point. I have to say however that the coffee is good and the scones are delicious. The hot chocolate I sampled last night was just too sweet (and I have quite a sweet tooth), as anyone who has seen me stuffing in cake at book club will testify)
However I do like the friendly staff, the chilled out vibe, and quite frankly its great to have somewhere in Morningside other than the pub to visit for one of those evenings where you just want a hot beverage and a natter. They give you mint humbugs with your bill too. All in all, its a thumbs up from me.

En route during a particularly frantic January running between dropoffs at hospitals and universities, one morning, I took a break, and dropped into Henri’s for some carb loading, and onto Caffe e Cucina for some brunch. However, I felt a little disappointed. Now, granted, I am a fussy malarker, and I don’t do eggs, but want something delicious and cooked for breakfast, the majority of the time, I do feel a bit letdown by offerings. I’ve been spoiled living abroad, I can’t deny it.
Breakfast was limited, but I was able to order off menu the homemade focaccia bread with smoked salmon, which was nice, as I was dreading having to ask. The bread was lovely, the salmon pleasant, but overall, it was a bit dull. If I am eating out, I’d rather feel lifted up by the meal I have, but I didn’t really have much choice in the matter. Plus, service took so long, I ended up having to rush my meal before hitting my next appointment. However, I would assume that the opposite would also be appropriate — that you can spend quite some time in here without being rushed.
So, all in all, Caffe e Cucina hasn’t inspired me to visit more cafes, I have yet to find one that does. It’s not terrible, just lacking in memorable moments.

Went back and had the pizza special. Very good stuff. The pizza dough was fresh made and the toppings were very good.
They also had a comfy baby seat and brought the wee one whatever we requested without hesitation. They even had baby sippy cups! Yay!

We popped in on a busy Friday night and the friendly staff welcomed us to a cosy table in the middle of the bustling small restaurant. They are currently not yet licensed so we were invited to bring our own wine to accompany our meal — a local wine store was kindly suggested but our house was equidistant so my partner strolled home for a bottle of Domaine de L’Hortus. The food was delicious — we started with a Tagliere di salumi e verdure — a selection of meats, cheeses and grilled veges, followed by tasty pizza (lovely dough) and a generous portion of Grigliata di verdure (grilled vege salad). We shared a poached pear to finish — and had such a nice night that we were back the following week to sample some more delights.
We are extremely happy that Caffe e Cucina has moved to Morningside.

Caffe e Cucina opened not too long ago (and conveniently just across the road from our flat) in what used to be Loopy Lorna’s, and is a better place by far to my mind! Tasty food, a welcoming atmosphere, and conveniently late hours make for an enthusiastic thumbs-​up.
We’ve visited twice now– once for breakfast, once for lunch, and loved it both times. The décor makes for a warm atmosphere, helped by the friendly staff, and the food doesn’t disappoint. The veggie Eggs Benedict (with spinach) is a well made and tasty alternative to the usual Scottish brekkie– though they have that too. The cherry tomato and rocket linguine made for a hearty lunch — if a little heavy on the oil for my taste. My girlfriend had the pan-​fried sea-​bass, and tells me it was great, and perfectly cooked.
Highly recommended, and a great place for lunch if you’re in Morningside– especially if you’re visiting Henri’s French deli across the road.

Recently replaced Loopy Lorna’s small tea shop. Great food and great service. The big breakfast was excellent!