Stuart Ralston is an acclaimed, award-winning chef and successful restaurateur based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the founder of a group of notable restaurants including Lyla, Aizle, Noto, Tipo, and Vinette.
Insights
ItalianSeafoodBakeryCafeUpscaleLunchDinnerCasual
Last updated: 6/29/2026, 6:24:24 PM
Key Information
Tipo Edinburgh is a relaxed and comforting restaurant located in Edinburgh's New Town, known for its delicious pasta and well-prepared dishes. It offers a vibrant atmosphere, especially at the bar counter, and pays attention to small details that enhance the dining experience.
Customer Perception
Customers generally praise Tipo for its delicious food, particularly the pasta dishes like Cacio e Pepe and Saffron Risotto, as well as the focaccia and burrata. The atmosphere is often described as great, and the staff as friendly and knowledgeable. However, some reviewers note that portion sizes can be small for the price, making it an expensive meal, and occasionally dishes might be too salty. The wine list is also mentioned as being on the pricier side.
Tipo Edinburgh is recognized by the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand, signifying good quality and good value cooking. The restaurant blends British, Mediterranean, and Italian culinary influences.
Reservations are highly recommended. The restaurant offers a lunch set menu, and dinner is a popular time. Seating at the bar counter is suggested for an enhanced experience.
Awards & Recognition
Bib Gourmand • 2026
5
Really impressed with Tipo. I reserved a seat at the bar counter which made the whole experience — great atmosphere watching everything come together, and the service was spot on throughout.
Started with a negroni which was so good I ended up having a second. Really well balanced and easy drinking.
The burrata was excellent — super fresh and creamy, paired with a really flavourful sauce and great quality focaccia.
For mains, the cacio e pepe was outstanding. Perfectly cooked pasta, rich and peppery, and the addition of truffle just elevated it without overpowering the dish.
Also worth mentioning the small details — proper towels in the bathroom was a really nice touch and adds to the overall experience.
Would definitely return and highly recommend.
I really enjoyed Tipo but some dishes are not worth the price.
Lamb Fritte - lovely but a very small plate of 3 bites
Zeppole - decent portion, good amount of cheese topping it but the lowest ranked in what we ate flavour wise
Arancini - lovely deep pepper taste but it was one singular ball of rice on a pepper sauce so pricy for what you get
Crab pappardelle - delicious but seemed to lack crab
Saffron risotto - delicious, the rice was flavourful, the gentle cooking of the asparagus and wonderfully cooked ox cheeks, can’t complain
Glad we have tried but wouldn’t be rushing back regularly as it was an expensive meal
Cheapest glass of wine is about £13
TIPO was a very good experience. I tried their lunch set menu, which included focaccia, tuna, strozzapretti, and soft-serve ice cream. Everything was delicious, especially the focaccia and the soft serve, which really stood out. I also tried their lamb fritters, which were my personal favourite. They serve really good coffee as well. The service was very welcoming and pleasant, which made the overall experience even better.
Sat at the bar here and had amazing service. They are kind, helpful and attentive. The food was yummy and the sauces had an incredible depth of flavour on the pastas. We also had the focaccia which was warm and delicious. A minor thing was that as it is a small restaurant, the noise level can get a little high, but nothing that ruins the atmosphere. My pasta was a little too al dente for the size of it making it a bit of a mouthful but it was more than made up for by the wonderful sauce. My boyfriend’s was cooked perfectly and was delicious. We will definitely come back!
Another great experience at Tipo. All staff were really friendly and knowledgeable ( special thanks for our waitress woman with blond hair. Who was very welcoming and also very funny and made us laugh a lot )
The star down is for main meal which was bit too salty for our palette but the staff resolved the issue really professionally.
We will be definitely back and I can highly recommend to reserve table and visit this restaurant
