Giovanni's in City of London, Westminster

After initial confusion both on the website and on the phone as to whether Giovanni’s was open for lunch, or dinner, or indeed open at all, I succeeded in booking a birthday lunch for two. Arriving first, through a door quite literally hidden away from the busiest streets in London, I ordered a glass of champagne. I would not be having that, my host Count Ragona informed me, his is an Italian restaurant and I would drink Prosecco. And Prosecco I drank. I also shared an excellent Sicilian red, and a couple of grappas, it was a birthday after all. We ate swordfish ceviche and pasta casa nostra - actually carbonara but called such he told us to stop certain nations asking for it with cream. With two coffees and a cocktail the bill came to less than £400 but the entertainment was worth that alone. Evidence that everyone eats at Giovanni’s abounds, signed photos cover every inch of the walls. I was seated before two astronauts and all the members of Queen. And although her signed photo was missing, the other Queen, Her Late Majesty had also dined at Giovanni’s four times, and dear Diana had also been a friend. Indeed it is hard to imagine who might not be a friend of Count Ragona’s such is his vivacity. And to prove it, on mentioning that the birthday boy was a fan of Italian cycling, an Italian champion was summoned by phone to wish him buon compleanno! Quite unforgettable!!

Wow! What a find. Visited for a business lunch. This is a little gem. The best fresh pasta I have ever tasted. Service was exceptional. I will definitely be back.

SUPERB! This was our first visit to family-run Giovanni's after hearing very good things about the restaurant - and we were not disappointed! It's a compact restaurant with plenty of character (hundreds of signed photos of the stars adorn the walls), the service is superb and the food is excellent. It's not cheap BUT I recommend it. I'll be returning with my partner next time very soon. May this Italian restaurant continue to be a treasured feature on the London dining scene. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I read about Giovanni's in Jay Rayners September Guardian review. A pre-matinee lunch with my daughter was a perfect opportunity to see if it was a good as the review. We arrived early via the Goodwin’s Court entrance and settled down to a couple of negronis and some of the deliciously moreish olives while we selected from the menu. We started with a duo of zucchini and fresh calamari fritti. Next Zia Maria's (Pino's mother he says) Lasagne and a perfectly authentic and beautifully al dente carbonara washed down with a couple of glasses of a Sicilian red. We couldn't decide on puddings so ending up ordering three - the tiramisu, perfect texture and flavour and most importantly not too sweet. A panacotta with a delicious berry coulis and the third an affogato. Service was attentive and friendly and made us feel very much at home. Pino came to give advice on our order and delivered a complementary espresso at the end. Thank you! We'll certainly be back again!

A small group of us are in London celebrating a friend's 60th birthday. We booked Giovanni's after seeing reviews and on the recollection of a lovely meal some years ago. Everything was just glorious, from our warm welcome, excellent and well paced service and wonderful fresh food. It's the sort of restaurant you hope to find but thought no longer existed. We felt relaxed and of value. Thank you so much everyone, for a terrific lunch and for making our friend's birthday such a happy one.

A small, friendly restaurant. Good service, food nice but not really good, simple dishes but expensive. House wine £38!

Abbiamo cenato in un vero ristorante italiano dove i sapori sono genuini, accoglienza cordiale e dove ci si sente subito a casa. Ottimi antipasti (parmigiana super!) e primi top! Il padrone di casa unico! Da provare e riprovare e suggerito a italiano e non! PS sapori autentici che non subiscono “storture” che non sono italiane.

Due cene consecutive con la mia famiglia in questo autentico ristorante italiano di Covent Garden. Ambiente familiare, servizio ottimo. Cibo davvero eccellente, con prodotti di primissima qualità, cucinati in modo impeccabile. Il padrone di casa Pino Ragona è davvero unico. Prezzi contenuti. Complimenti, un ristorante straordinario

My husband and stopped , spur of the moment on a gorgeous London evening and we wanted to sit outside. We really weren't expecting much. The food was delish ! orange and fennel salad, a simple penne pasta with red sauce and basil, my husband had the boar ragu, excellent bread and olive oil . The couple next to us and fish, and her husband had chicken both looked mouthwatering . Sides of perfectly cooked potato wedges and broccoli . Over all a little gem!

Best pasta I have ever eaten outside of Italy. Such a lovely restaurant, staff were friendly, great service and the food was incredible. I will definitely go again. The pasta I had was so fresh and the flavours were delicious.

My friend and I dined here last night after stumbling across it. It is safe to say this restaurant really is a hidden gem - the best Italian I’ve ever been too. Not only was the food absolutely amazing but the hospitality was outstanding. Pino made my friend and I feel so so welcome, he told us all about Italy and the people who had visited the restaurant and he is super funny! Will definitely be coming back and would 100% recommend!

Walking past Giovanni’s today, I had just bought my son an ice cream from down the street. As we’re walking past the ice cream falls off my sons cone, he was devastated (as any three year old would be) looking at his huge scoop of ice cream on the pavement. Quick as a flash Pino comes over and says let me fix that, he ushered us into the restaurant and comes back with a bowl of ice cream to fix my sons cone. My son was so happy he gave Pino the biggest hug and so did I. We were blown away by such a random act of kindness. We instantly felt like one of the family and that doesn’t happen much anymore. We will be back to enjoy the food very soon but honestly can’t recommend enough if you want incredible service and the warmest welcome look no further. Thank you so much PinoSee you soon Mum and the ice cream kid xxx

This is a proper Italian restaurant IMHO, elegant but not fussy, music playing gently in the background, the walls adorned with photos of film, stage, and music stars across the decades, often with Pino’s (who is probably the best host in London) happy, smiling face.Pino made us feel truly welcome, treated us to great stories and was amazing with my son. Can feel a great friendship blossoming there. So, to the food! We had a light-ish lunch. Pino made my mum some lovely chicken broth (not on the menu) as she didn’t feel like a full meal, I had a lovely wild boar ragu, my wife fresh Sardines and my son a simple tomato and basil pasta. Dessert was Tiramisu, nice and light but with a rich flavour of coffee and cream. I’m looking forward to indulging in a 3-course menu next time with plenty of vino had to drive home so only one glass for me on this visit.This wasn’t just a quick lunch (we ended up staying for nearly a couple of hours), but a real, genuine and life affirming experience with great food and banter from Pino.It’s a shame we don’t live in London anymore as this would be a regular place for us. That said we’ll be back in London in August and will be booking a table. Possibly for Lunch and dinner …Thanks Pino and thanks to all your staff.

We stumbled upon Giovanni's tonight and what an amazing place it is. Pino looked after us and he was a great host. It felt relaxed and the ambience was bang on, the decor, the lighting and the music oozed a true Italian dining spirit. Pino entertained us with great stories of the famous diners that have eaten there and his sense of humour also had us laughing out loud. Of course the food was out of this world, each dish was delicious.We will definitely be ringing Pino up very soon when we visit London again. Fingers crossed he won't be fully booked.

Absolutely amazing food, probably some of the best pasta I’ve tasted in any Italian restaurant, owner was super friendly and overall awesome energy. Thanks!

What a place! Not just a restaurant but an experience. The food is amazing as is the wine, but Pino and his brother take you to Italy and make you feel like family when you visit the restaurant. Highly recommend it!

A must visit the atmosphere the moment we stepped inside was perfect , 5 star service friendly perfect ambience, truly safe and perfect , fabulous food and my sister and I loved it , She loves Italian food and ITALY her favourite destination, The food delicious lots of fun and Fizz , The walls are full of celebrities pictures in the restaurant , a great find x we will be back , DELICIOUS This is a place you find and would recommend to friends and return yourself Loved Pino ,

No habíamos cenado aquí durante más de 25 años. . . . . . . solía ser un habitual cuando vivíamos en Londres. Decidimos almorzar con nuestro hijo y su novia como un paseo por el camino de la memoria y ver si todavía era tan bueno. La comida estuvo excelente. . . . el vino delicioso. . . . el servicio personal y amigable. . . . . . . los comensales más jóvenes lo disfrutaron mucho y volverán cuando hayan ahorrado. . . . . . . . . volveremos antes. . . . . . . . Prueba este restaurante. . . . . . . fue establecido en 1952. . . . . . . sería una pena perderlo debido a la situación actual. . . . . . . .

Vine a probar este hermoso restaurante italiano mis vecinos.Recibí una cálida bienvenida por parte de Pino, el dueño, un gran hombre.Pido lasaña y ensalada, soy un gran fan de lasaña, la de aquí superó mis expectativas bellissimo bravoSin duda volveremos pronto para probar el tiramisú.Grazie mille y mi agradecimiento a los chefs.Navidad

Realmente no investigué mucho y solo reservé, pero supe que sería una buena elección desde el momento en que llamé y hablé con ellos, tan amable y cordial por teléfono.Cuando llegamos, tuve un momento asombroso sobre lo lindo que es el exterior, se veía hermoso con flores y luces de colores.¡Recibido en la puerta por dos italianos sonrientes y amigables!Aprendí información interesante sobre el edificio y la lista de celebridades que han comido y continúan comiendo allí y puedo ver por qué la comida era increíble y el servicio de primera categoría, nos hizo sentir relajados y bienvenidos.No puedo esperar para regresar.

Thank you for making us so welcome with incredible food. Wonderful! Authentically delicious and the attentive service. Totally recommend this restaurant.

Just been in tonight after quite some time. Not only did the owner remembered us, but he treated us again like family. The food and company was fantastic. We were just saying, he is always happy and smiling.

Best Italian food in Covent Garden !! This is a fabulous place ! Gorgeous wine, amazing food and so full of ambience and character. Pino is the star of the show with his great humour and fabulous stories. He is one in a million and he made us feel very special . With lots of love from Yorkshire Pino xxxx

Everything about our visit to Giovanni's was just lovely! We had a warm welcome and delicious food. Would definitely recommend.

Descubrimos hoy, por casualidad, este pequeño restaurante italiano que sirve comida fresca de alta calidad. Variaron el menú para los niños, que por cierto lo intentaron todo y amaron todo lo que probaron. . .¡Comimos un montón! todos los platos eran deliciosos, de los abundantes aperitivos de cebo blanco; ), el risotto de ceps, las chuletas de cordero a la parrilla, las espinacas salteadas, el tiramisú final y el budino al cioccolato. ¡Mmm!Como música de ópera de fondo, el lugar era el favorito de Luciano Pavarotti, en el momento en que Giovanni estaba cocinando (el abuelo). Todo esto lo aprendimos mientras comíamos, charlando con Pino, que hizo que todos se sintieran cómodos y bienvenidos contando algunas anécdotas sobre el lugar.Muy recomendable, (solo no pidas mantequilla, ¡no tienen ninguna!)

After a week of bad restaurants in london Finally a great place to eat Authentic italian food With lots of history.

An attractive dining room with white linen tablecloths and napkins, great location. That's the good part. Overall though very poor value for money in my view and some food not very good. Bread basket was £8 for a table of 4. Wines are expensive, apart from the house wine which, to be fair, was good. Mains are without veg, all of which are extra.The tortellini consomme tasted as if the broth was made from powdered stock cubes and had a token number of tortellini. The gnocchi were bland whereas a red mullet dish was overly spicy hot despite the maitre de saying it had no spice in it, but later adding the chef had decided to add some chilli to the dish. At £47 per head for 2 courses with house wine for a pre theatre supper, there are better options nearby.

A friend had told me about this tiny little gem, and we finally got a chance to check it out while visiting London over the Christmas holidays. It is small and cute old school....like they still use an actual reservation book. (A book, people!) The food is solid, and the service is polite...even if someone at your table accidentally sets the menu on fire, with the candle on the table!! (Whoops.) A quiet and relaxing meal. Enjoy this hidden treat!

Excellent food! Fantastic service. Best tiramisu I've ever tasted (and I'm Italian!). Amazing olives straight from Pino's own Sicilian groves.

From the outside looks nice, but average service and poor food was a real disappointment. Breaded swordfish was cold and soggy. Didn’t finish it. I won’t be going back any time soon.

We walked in on a Saturday afternoon without a reservation and were greeted so warmly!

My most recent visit to Giovanni's was in October 2019. Every thing about this restaurant is superb - the food is delicious and expertly prepared. The service is excellent as well as warm and friendly. The small dining area is lovely, cozy, comfortable - The best part are the people. Truly an unusual experience and not to be missed. Wonderful Sicilian/Italian selections, excellent wine, happy setting. Worth the effort to fine the almost hidden lane on which it is located in Covent Garden. Do not miss this if you are lucky enough to be in London!

Ce restaurant sait attirer le chalant depuis la rue avec une jolie deco. Accueil qui sonne faux par un patron manifestement mégalo qui decoupe des photos de stars dans les magazines et les colle sur ses murs. Portions ridicules ( pour le fromage ça en est caricatural) pour des prix délirants vraiment à éviter service franchement minable

Déco un peu particulière avec des photos dédicacées accrochées partout sur les murs on se dit qu’on va manger dans un restaurant de stars... tout était bon mais beaucoup trop cher... rien d’exceptionnel dans la cuisine et les assiettes... pour des tarifs similaires il y a très largement mieux aux alentours...

This is a very good Italian restaurant. Small but very cozy.

Visited with two friends after being enticed by the cosy, candle-lit scene within, and were very glad we took a chance on the place! The Burata cheese starter was the most delicious and creamy I have ever tasted: an absolute delight and up there with the very best that I have enjoyed in Italy. Following this, I was equally impressed with the wild boar ragu, which had an extraordinarily rich and hearty taste: the kind that took me back to happy times in Florence and one that I haven't been able to find anywhere in the UK. The pasta was also perfectly al dente, and brought its own flavour to the dish. To top it all off, the service was warm and friendly (it is a family run establishment) and the atmosphere was perfect; brimming with character. Not a cheap meal but I considered it very good value (especially given the exceptional quality of the produce) and won't hesitate to return when I am next in London.

This restaurant is a real gem! We were greeted enthusiastically by Pino the owner and felt right at home immediately. The ambiance is warm and inviting and the menu is varied and well thought out. The food was excellent and PIno could not have been more engaging and friendly! We met Claire, his wife as well who was absolutely delightful. We had such a wonderful evening here that we booked another reservation a few days later after our 3 day trip to Bath. We met Roberto Pino's brother during our second visit who also could not have been nicer! Everything we had on the menu both evenings was outstanding. Having spent many weeks over the years in Italy, I can honestly say that this is some of the best Italian cuisine I have ever had. This will be our first stop the next time we are back in London and are already looking forward to it.

Nice cozy restaurant, delicious food,great wine list and great attention and service from Pino. But mostly..the panettone was divine!

This little restaurant was a find. We enjoyed sharing a plate of pasta for a starter, then my husband had a delicious plate of calves liver and I had swordfish. We shared a cheese plate to finish. All very good.

A friend had booked this but our cold and slightly rude greeting from the outset should have told us to run. This was an extremely expensive place with no better than average cooking - and that is being kind. All the starters were £15 despite being quite small, lacking in any real cooking talent - burrata and some baby tomatoes or plate of grilled vegetable is hardly cooking. My OK pasta dish - supposedly a speciality - was quite dry and badly needed flavour with some cheese which I had to ask for as it was never offered. The bread was OK but again given to us dry at an astonishing £2 per person. We got some oil but only again after asking.

Gosh this place is so charming, cozy, warm. Pino makes you feel like family. Food was superb! Great wine... the pasta... cannoli... espresso. Just fantastic. Make a reservation. It’s a small (entrance in the alley). You won’t be disappointed.

He had a superb meal, loved the company and banter ... he knows his food and wine so to receive rave reviews from him is massive praise ... thank you x

Although the ambience was lovely and the staff couldn't have been nicer the food was sadly very disappointing and for a bill of £75per person I would have expected more. The whitebait were satisfactory,the grilled vegetables uninspiring, the tuna was ok, the vegetable sides unexciting, the shrimp papadrel was very short on shrimps, the chocolate pudding was not particularily chocolatey though I must say the panna cotta was excellent. Sorry guys, expected so much more.

I cannot believe we haven't found Giovanni's sooner, after living in London for over a decade.

Che dire per me è il classico ristorante da turisti dove non si mangia affatto bene e si spende anche tanto, cibo di media qualità , servizio da rivedere .

This used to be Monza which was a great Italian restaurant for the neighborhood.

If this restaurant is part of a small chain I would be very surprised because it feels family run. It’s clean, pleasant and the waiters or quite possibly owners are attentive and witty. It’s odd that they have an abundance of fresh tomatoes and lemons on display. The food was fresh and overall good quality but the tuna pasta tasted like it was from a tin; a bit like sardines in tomato sauce after a blitz in the blender. The fresh tuna was so thinly cut that it was the fish equivalent of a minute steak and difficult to achieve rare. The orange and fennel salad starter on the other hand was heavenly and the lasagne was very rich and very tasty. Pricey for what it was, particularly if wine is included but understandable for the location. I wouldn’t rush back but I also wouldn’t want to deter anyone.

We were just wondering around Covent Garden for a quick but decent dinner before catching the train and this restaurant by far look most promising compared to the rest of pub grub or franchise concept restaurant. We are not disappointed as the ambience is cosy and old fashion with lots of pictures and candles lit crowded tables with lovely classical Italian music at the background.

I moved to London 5 years ago, from Milan. My family is originally from Sicily. Giovanni is the only place in London where I’ve found those flavors, smells and tastes I miss so much. In addition, Pino and Roberto are wonderful hosts, they can entertain you with stories of Sicily and food and all the movies that have been filmed here. I can guarantee: this is by far the best Italian restaurant in town.

Friday night dinner is becoming a regular at Giovanni’s.

Giovanni's has everything, great historical location, great staff and wonderful food. Just being served by Pino Ragona is worth the visit alone. He is a gem!

Nos encantó este lugar! Es 100% familiar italiano, con increíble comida, ambiente. . . Tony (sí, un verdadero Tony) fue fabuloso en sus recomendaciones y la comida era absolutamente increíble. . . A poca distancia a pie del hotel Egerton, excelente ubicación. . . algo abarrotado PERO nuestras copas de vino nunca se llenaron por debajo de la mitad! ¡No te pierdas este!

Fui aquí esta semana con dos colegas de trabajo para nuestra pequeña reunión social que tenemos una vez cada tanto. No puedo decirte lo impresionados que estuvimos con toda la noche. No está demasiado abarrotado, especialmente porque era tiempo de pre teatro.

Giovanni fue muy acogedor. Estaba intrigado por mi dominio del idioma italiano. El servicio estaba bien, así como la comida. El vino también era bueno. Bebimos Pinot Grigio. Siento que hubo un motivo oculto para el encanto de Giovanni.

Il mio ristorante italiano preferito a Londra ! Prodotti di altissima qualità cucinati in maniera semplice ed eccellente. La location è intima e accogliente, perfetta per una cena anche in tarda serata dopo il teatro, Pino ti accoglie sempre con simpatica allegria.

Ο χώρος είναι μικρός αλλά έχει ωραία διακόσμηση,ο ιδιοκτήτης φιλικός,το φαγητό αρκετό αλλά δεν τρελαίνεσαι,με την γεύση,πανάκριβο για μακαρόνια,νομίζουν ότι σερβίρουν αστακό & χαβιάρι!!

the restaurant itself is well worth a visit, full of history and lovely photographs,

We enjoyed the food here, and Giovanni is very welcoming. The place is full of history and it is definitely worth giving a try.

Nella disperazione della sera, dopo 12 ore di visite, trovare questo posto è stata una benedizione. Locale accogliente nonostante e grazie l'illuminazione con delle semplici candele. Una carbonara SPETTACOLARE ad un prezzo che vale assolutamente la qualità del cibo e delle materie prime. Sono la prima a volersi distaccare dalla propria cucina quando va all'estero, ma per fortuna questa sera ho deciso di fregarmene e mai scelta fu migliore.

Went here for dinner after a seeing a great show. Giovanni has the chat and draws you in but don’t think very sincere after our meal.

For those reviewers who expect and love Pizza Express chain food, I suspect that this is not the place for them. Neither is it purporting to be a Michelin starred restaurant.

Nestled on one of the oldest streets in London, with remnants of Dicken’s London everywhere, is this tiny, precious gem of a restaurant. Perfect for a romantic meal for two, a pre-theatre (or post) or a place to reminisce with old friends. One of the original and still one of the best Italian restaurants in London with pasta freshly made in the tiny kitchen in the basement. Say hello to Pino, the charismatic owner and tell him Mr Cooke says hello.

Espetacular...bom jantar...excelente ambiente...serviço muito competente e os preços bem ajustados à excelente qualidade...

We found Giovanni's by accident. Lucky us! We have returned every time we visit London. Not bad considering we are 4800 miles away! Atmosphere is cozy and interesting. Good classical/operatic music, not thump-thumpy. Easy to relax. Excellent menu and tasty dishes. In fact, delicious! Don't miss Giovanni's!!!

Delicious Italian food served with charm and warmth by brothers Pino and Roberto in their cosy restaurant hidden down an alley in Covent Garden. Walking in is like being welcomed into the family.

A pochi passi da Trafalgar square si trova un gioiello chiamato Giovanni ' s restaurant. Un posto autentico accogliente super cool l unico posto a Londra in cui puoi godere del cibo della atmosfera e della accoglienza siciliana. IL Boss del locale il Barone Pino Ragona e suo fratello Roberto ti intrattengono e ti trattengono con le loro Storie culinarie e personali facendoti gioire ad ogni assaggio ad ogni piatto. Se sei a Londra non puoi non provare questo ristorante anche se ristorante è riduttivo sarebbe più opportuno definirlo questa Famiglia, in cui ti senti a casa in cui ti EMOZIONI in cui vuoi tornare. In cui è facile incontrare qualche personaggio illustre visto che il posto è frequentato anche da stars internazionali che amano davvero i proprietari. GRAZIE PINO E ROBERTO RAGONA.

Absolute delightful evening.Pino Ragona is an excellent host. The food is fantastic. Great atmosphere with enchanting music from Italian virtuosos. I will be back. Giovanni’s of Covent Garden simply the best Italian restaurant by far in the whole of the UK...

Ospitalità e cucina autentica..sembra di essere in Italia! L’eccellenza della materia prima si sente dall’antipasto al dolce..primi e secondi buonissimi e tiramisù spettacolare! Consigliatissimo

You have to try this superb little italian gem of a restaurant. Food is amazing and staff very friendly and witty. Couldnt have had better service. Will definately be visiting again!

Visited this restaurant last night with a group of friends, the food I think was average at best and the attitude of some of the staff was actually quite rude. The portion sizes were very small and it took a very long time for the food to be served despite the restaurant not being very busy.

A wonderful Italian restaurant with a secret entrance hiding a very special hideaway of Italian delights. The knowing staff can tempt you with every known pasta and meat dish and present it with perfection and a unique Italian flourish. Veal Scallopini is my favourite and my dining companion rated her Penne Arrabbiata very highly. Wines are a little expensive but you will be pleased with the wide selection. There is an afterglow of contentment from the food and the warmth of the hospitality given. You feel like you are in Italy for a short holiday. Bellissimo.

Me and my partner visited this restaurant after seeing a west end show recently. The restaurant itself is tiny and accessed via an alleyway. The meal was delicious if a bit small in portion size. The restaurant is comfortable and staff are very friendly and fun.

Litt vanskelig å finne selve inngangen, i fra smuget på baksiden. Men innenfor ble vi tatt hjertelig imot og fikk et bord til to. Pent lokale, typisk italiensk med bilder av alle kjendiser som hadde vært innom i løpet av årene. Vi spiste pasta som var smakfull og akkurat passe kokt, rause porsjoner. Det ble tid og plass til dessert som var utrolig deilig, et herlig måltid. Vi kommer tilbake!

This is simply what every italian restaurant should aspire to be. Having lived in London my whole life, I am simply thrilled to have found such an authentic, atmospheric, cosy, welcoming, and down right delicious Italian experience and restaurant. The food & wine were both delicious in equal measures, and inspite of us showing up very late at night, with no reservation, they were incredibly welcoming. We laughed from start to end as the owner, manager & staff are all absolutely hilarious. They will welcome you with arms wide open - go! I will certainly be returning, as will the long list of celebs they have befriended & served over the many years since 1952!

Great restaurant tucked away from the London crowds. Great home cooked Italian food and reasonably priced. 5 star tables and settings.

The service was great, the food delicious, and being surrounded by hundreds of celebrity photos, we spent the evening trying to remember names.

We came here en famille after a show. Really liked it. Yes, the service is a bit slow and you have to chivvy the guys there to get it, but the food was good and it’s a lovely little intimate haven in a very busy part of London.

We dined here early evening in a Friday evening. When we arrived we had a good welcome but then it went down hill. Service was slow and inattentive, I needed to prompt them every time we needed anything (ordering, clearing the table, getting the bill). Our waiter could at best be called surly but in reality he was rude. He served our main course by all but throwing it down and twice hit me with the cutlery draw (located right next to our table) without as much as a sorry or excuse me. When we settled the bill, he walked off with my credit card, this is an absolute no no in the UK now. When I questioned it, he snatched the credit card terminal from me and said it shouldn’t concern me. It turned out that I had every right to be concerned as they charged me 3 times for my meal. I’d be very cautious and pay cash if you don’t want to get turned over at Giovanni‘s

Väldigt bra restaurang med supertrevlig, humoristisk ägare,Pino. Något dyrt men ändå värt pengarna för god mat och trevlig upplevelse.

What a gem! This restaurant has it all: style, intimacy, delicious food, great service, warm ownership. We recently had dinner here and were initially charmed by the entrance: you walk 'around back' to get to Goodwin's Court, and then knock on the locked door! Once inside, we were seated quickly (with reservations) and enjoyed a fabulous meal: the parpadelle and salmon entrees were superb. Reasonably priced, friendly atmosphere.....we would return in a heartbeat and recommend it unreservedly. Enjoy.

Superb find, prompt service,delicious meal and fantastic wine. We will be back to enjoy a long evening of gastronomic pleasure.

Super service and food for a great price. Wonderful neighborhood atmosphere. Very welcoming. Great salad/food bar as well menu items. We will be lodging close by on our next trip and take most/all of our meals here. Thanks for the terrific experience.

I visited Giovanni's last night with a friend for our first time. We booked for after the opera. Although it was late in the evening, we were warmly welcomed. I started with the charcuterie platter, followed by the marinated chicken breast and concluded with the Tortino di ricotta. My friend had spaghetti, followedby calves liver and Cassatina Siciliana. All of these dishes were excellent. Our food costs came to just over £50 each with tip and we had a £39 bottle of Sicillian red wine. The service was efficient and friendly notwithstanding the late hour (we were the last guests in the restaurant). All in all this made a very enjoyable conclusion to our evening. Giovanni's is a hidden gem.

We had a lovely meal at Giovanni’s. We were really lucky as we hadn’t made a reservation on a Saturday night and they were able to fit us in. The staff were very helpful and friendly and we had a fantastic meal. Will definitely be back when we next visit London.

A friend/coworker and I had a free night and toodled around London doing some of the touristy things. We were in the Covington area and used yelp to find an Italian restaurant. We found Giovanni's and went there without a reservation (not recommended!). Fortunately there was space for us and with some friendly joking around with Pino we got a table. The mozarella was the freshest ever! Delicious! Great atmosphere and courteous staff. Highly recommended for quiet, cozy and delicious setting!

Absolutely unforgettable experience. You have to go through a hidden alleyway to enter the restaurant. You are greeted by very welcoming staff and later by their very delectable food. The walls are covered by photos with stars and there is a very nice atmosphere for you to enjoy your food. Other customers seemed to enjoy their food too and I look forward to coming back.

We had been recommended to visit this restaurant by a friend, it is located close to Covent Garden and the theatres, it has interesting decor, with lots of photos of film, theatre and TV stars, and the staff are friendly.

This part of Covent Garden was built in 1690 making Giovanni’s so cosy and quintessentially English setting for an authentic Italian restaurant enjoyed since 1951 by Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor and lastingly a favourite of actors like Patty Lapone and many opera singers...Opera music was the in the background with the lovely service provided by the Gandson of the original owner Giovanni. Food lived up to expectations with the best Tiramasu I’ve ever tasted! Booked to go again before we left!

10/10 The loveliest staff, delightful atmosphere & the most wonderful food, will be 100% returning with all my friends and family!!

I can't recommend this beautiful restaurant highly enough.

Took the family here for lunch on Sunday before a show. Really gorgeous food, and well priced for central London, in a great location. I had the liver & onions and it was fabulous. The kids had pasta and said it was the best they’d had outside of Italy.

Went there with friends before theatre and remembered very fondly going there a few years back after opera . This is a small friendly family restaurant within walking distance of tens of others, mainly chains . Walls are papered with photos of many an opera star and from experience we know that after curtain down there is a good chance that they might decamp and entertain over a few large glasses.

We found this place after seeing a review on Tripadvisor and it was one lucky find. Great menu items, fantastic asparagus parmegiano starters and exquisite pasta dishes. Great service by the family in a cosy and delightful atmosphere and decor. This is one of the best Italian places we have dined at. Grazie miele.

A friend of mine and I walked in on a Friday night with no reservation and we were treated to a fantastic meal. I had the Salciccia de Ferri (or something like that) and man, was it good. THANK YOU!!

Nos topamos con este lugar mientras caminábamos por Soho, traté de comprobarlo en Trip, pero no había servicio telefónico, las mejores medias nos exigieron que lo probáramos. Entramos y conseguimos una mesa rápidamente, aunque el lugar estaba lleno, hicieron espacio.

4 de nosotros fuimos en espec. Anoche, solo 5 mesas ocupadas, así que no hay problema para conseguir una mesa. Este debe haber sido el peor servicio que he encontrado nunca. 2 camareros, 1 senior y 1. . . . . . Dios sabe, pero no tenía ni idea de lo que estaba haciendo y necesitaba ordenarse él mismo antes de las mesas de espera. Pasó más tiempo dando la espalda a todos los que se inclinaban sobre el camarero tonto, y le pidieron todo lo que rápidamente olvidó.

Μπαινοντας στο εστιατοριο νιωθεις σαν να μπαινεις στο σπιτι σου,Η εγκαρδια υοιδοχη του Πινο μας ενθουσιασε .Η φιλοξενεια του ειναι παραδειγματικη .Την φιλικη του διαθεση την μεταφερει στους πελατες ,ετσι ωστε ολοι μας να νιωθουμε σαν καλεσμενοι του.

Bueno, ¿por dónde empiezo, mi novia y yo reservamos un par de semanas de anticipación para 16/2 para las 8 pm. Llegamos a tiempo, esperamos cinco minutos para sentarnos en una mesa para dos y en los 30 años que llevo en la industria de la hospitalidad, nunca había visto una mesa como esta: imagina una mesa cuadrada pequeña y tengo que sentarme en ella. Está lado a lado junto a la entrada de la puerta y la puerta. Teniendo en cuenta que el lugar estaba medio vacío y habíamos reservado con antelación esto no era lo suficientemente bueno.

Londres se veía particularmente hermoso hoy bajo el sol, y después de un paseo por la calle James Park nos dirigimos hacia Covent Garden para comer algo.

We had a dinner for 7-with special attention from Pino. The wine (Gavi & Brunello) was outstanding. Food was superb! Fresh and perfect blend of flavors. Assorted deserts that delighted the table. We left as if we were long-time friends. Will definitely return-