text: Piatto Verde is great cheap and cheerful traditional Italian banter, in an unpretentious atmosphere, ideal, in my opinion, if there's a big gang of you wanting to go on a night out, but you want to pretend to be at least a little bit civilised at the beginning. There's nothing better than a good dose of pizza or pasta to line your stomach before an alcohol endurance marathon (i.e. an average night out in Scotland), and you've got a chance of making it until 3am if you take the time to eat beforehand.\n\nI came here with a big group of friends before what was inevitably going to turn into a rum catalysed dance session (or embarrassment), and we got big amounts of house wine, and a starter and main, for much less than any of the city centre Italians. Piatto Verde is near the  Fountain Park complex, so slightly more out of the way, but really only a short walk from the west end, and it's worth it for the cash savings. The pasta dish I went for was really tasty, and generously proportioned. The restaurant space is definitely cosy though, so you'll need to book ahead if you're planning on pitching up with a big group.