The award-winning Edinburgh restaurateurs Carina and Victor Contini, are proud to announce the launch of their first Contini Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, produced from their olive grove in Picinisco, Italy.
This milestone marks a return to the Continis’ roots and a natural evolution of their long-standing commitment to provenance, sustainability, and authentic Italian flavour.
Located in the mountainous Valle di Comino, around two hours east of Rome, the 13-acre olive farm, or Oliveto, lies in the family’s ancestral village of Picinisco, in the Lazio region of Italy. Home to over 700 mature olive trees – some more than 150 years old – the grove produces a blend of Itrana, Marina, Maraiolo and Leccina varieties, known for their rich and distinctive flavours.
After several years of searching, the Continis acquired the oliveto in November 2024, embarking on a project to restore the land to full health and re-certify it as an organic working farm. With pruning, mulching, and soil regeneration complete, the 2025 harvest (La Raccolta) delivered a remarkable first pressing – far exceeding expectations for their inaugural year.
Carina Contini, co-owner of Contini Restaurants, said:
“Olive oil is the foundation of everything we cook. It’s not just an ingredient; it’s a reflection of who we are. To now produce our own oil, from our family’s village in Lazio, is incredibly special, it brings authenticity, emotion, and the most delicious flavour to everything that we cook.”
Victor Contini, co-owner of Contini Restaurants, added:
“Every olive tree tells a story. Some of these trees have been standing for generations, and to now nurture them and share their fruits with our guests in Scotland is truly humbling. This project is about heritage, sustainability, and respect for nature, values that have always been at the heart of what we do.”
The first bottles of Contini Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil will arrive in Edinburgh in mid-November and will be used across Contini George Street, The Scottish Cafe & Restaurant, and Cannonball Restaurant & Bar.
Situated 2,300 feet above sea level, the Oliveto benefits from a unique microclimate of fresh mountain air and abundant sunshine, producing olives with vibrant aroma and balanced flavour. The land, held by the same family since the 1850s, had lain untended for several years before being carefully revitalised by the Continis with the help of local experts.
This new venture forms part of the family’s wider sustainability story, from their one-acre Kitchen Garden in Lasswade – which supplies seasonal herbs, vegetables, and berries to their Edinburgh restaurants – to now producing their own organic extra virgin olive oil from Italy.
