First look: Inside Vapiano Italian restaurant at St Andrew Square

Vapiano has opened its doors in Edinburgh, bringing its relaxed approach to Italian food to Scotland for the very first time.

Home to a fresh range of Italian food, residents and visitors to Edinburgh will be able to get a slice of the new restaurant just off St Andrew Square in the city centre.

The menu offers customers the pizzas, pastas, antipasti and salads ordered directly from chefs at the open kitchen and made fresh in front of diners.

Vapiano presents a laid-back vibe, with large, long oak tables, each with their own herb garden.

Diners in the restaurant will be encouraged to eat their food to their own taste, with ingredients freely mixed and matched to order, and garnishes growing in the mini herb garden on each of the tables.

The three floor premises also include a laid-back bar area.

At the end of each diner’s visit, payment is made via the smart-card system, which sees everything added to their card as they order. Before diners leave the restaurant, they can grab a spoonful of gummy bears.

Phil Sermon, managing director at Vapiano, said: “We’re very excited to be opening our doors and introducing our unique take to Italian food to not only Edinburgh but to Scotland.

“Vapiano’s great central location is ideal for post-work and weekend entertaining, celebrations and those simply wanting to jump out of the office for a quick lunch. We’re passionate about our fresh, made to order food and look forward to welcoming the city through our doors to experience what we’re all about.”

The first Vapiano restaurant opened in Hamburg, Germany in 2002. Since then, the business has developed a portfolio of 186 Vapianos in 31 countries on 5 continents, and is popular with young workers, students and celebrities alike. The new opening in Edinburgh will be the first in Scotland and the fifth in the UK, following London and Manchester. A Glasgow restaurant will be opening at the beginning of 2018.