Poke House - Covent Garden in City of London, Westminster

An exceptional dining experience!!! We were made to feel like family from the minute we walked in the door!! Each meal was DELICIOUS! The menu had so many incredible options it was difficult to choose!! Thank you for a wonderful evening of great food and wonderful service!!

This is simply the best Italian food outside of Italy!

Generally good but beware accepting bread whilst choosing from menu. The four of us received a small chunk of bread with olive oil dip and was charged £12. Also cheapest bottle of white wine was £38. Didn’t notice any other table with a bottle of wine. Not surprising!

We absolutely loved our visit! Excellent food and service was first class ! Pino and his wife are brilliant they go out of their way to make you feel welcome. My lasagne was the best I’ve ever been served in a restaurant and my Husband’s steak was perfect we can’t wait to return Thank you all from The Shiltons x

I spent a pleasant evening with my family, in an intimate and refined environment. Excellent food, and excellent service. Thanks to Pino and Roberto. Gianluca and family

I love Giovanni’s. Delicious home cooked Italian food served by lovely people. Pino is The Man. Never fails.

An oasis of calm amongst the hustle and bustle of Covent Garden. The service is old school cool and excellent which is matched by the amazing food. All of this in a very cosy intimate atmosphere is a recipe for a romantic meal with your better half. Highly recommended.

As always a great evening A wonderful atmosphere and fresh good Italian food Great choice of gluten free food and pasta As always welcomed and charmed by the lovely PINO Keep this place alive

Stunning place, warmth and Italian atmosphere. Food with excellent raw materials. Highly recommended.

First time back for many years as we now live outside the UK. Many years ago I was a regular it's still so very good. Will always try to visit when back in town

Absolutely fantastic place for authentic Italian Lovely atmosphere more suited for couples in my opinion Food was delicious Wine was delightful Service was impeccable A little gem to be found in London town Will be revisiting for sure

Excellent restaurant, service from Pino was first class, food top notch.

Amazing lunch, highly recommend!

The most fabulous “local” Sicilian restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden. Pino is a delight and the food is delicious! Highly recommended.

We had the BEST time at Giovanni’s! Our waiter was very attentive and we felt very welcomed and at home. We were all very satisfied with our meals. The cannoli for dessert was the best cannoli I have ever had!

Amazing food and atmosphere. Pino is a wonderful host 😊

An amazing restaurant with a cosy setting and friendly staff. The food it top notch I can not recommend it enough.

Great atmosphere, amazing staff.

Charming and authentic. We dined after my son’s engagement to his girlfriend and it was such a special memory between the outstanding service & delicious food. Can’t wait to go back the next time I’m in London.

A wonderful experience. We will return. Lovely calamari, lasagne, ravioli

I'm a lifelong Londoner and only discovered this gem of a restaurant because we were googling Italian restaurants near the Strand while we walked across Waterloo Bridge. Impeccable service, great choices for GF coeliacs - it's a stunning old school Italian restaurant, with beautiful decor. Incredibly romantic too.

We must have walked past here hundred of times and never noticed it, what a waste 🤷🏼‍♀️. Family run Italian very friendly and fresh and tasty food. Will definitely be revisiting

Vino a almorzar, utilizó las instalaciones después de comer. No había jabón disponible en el inodoro, por lo que se le preguntó a un miembro del personal que informó que el jabón se había tomado esa mañana y no había ninguno disponible. Pregunté cómo se lavaban las manos el personal y dijeron que no. Sirvieron comida sin lavarse las manos desde esta mañana. Tienen una explicación lastimosa del uso de guantes, pero no es legal no lavarse las manos cuando se sirven alimentos. ¡EVITA!

What a gem! Booked a table last minute as an after theatre meal and it exceeded expectations. Close to many theatres but set away from the busy streets. Its found in an old alley way which has been known to inspire books and also used in film productions. The staff were welcoming and chatty and the overall atmosphere felt relaxed.

Love this place, have veen going foe many years.

Terrible expérience.. Far too expansive and the food not great and small portions The staff should be ashamed !!!

Terrible. The place is cramped and quite dirty, you have to enter through the back door after you knock on it. We paid 130 pounds for tiny dishes that tasted worse than fast food (one starter and two main courses, two persons - nothing more). One of the worst experiences we've had around the word. After barely being able to taste the so-called italian mess we had to go to another place for a decent meal. Hope nobody from Sicily will make the mistake of eating there, you may see the fallout on news. Service is slow, the only premium feature is the check. Train robbery in a good old day.

Loved it! We walked past this restaurant randomly and made a stop for a dinner! Soo good service by the way!

Have eaten here two or three times and have never been disappointed. It is a hidden idiosyncratic jewel very central that serves excellent Italian fare. On an alley that would not look out of place in a Harry Potter film it takes a little finding. The service is personable droll and effective Although not big it manages to accommodate more than you would expect by imaginative design and use of space. The whole experience is as wonderful as the food. Which seems to be the view of many others judging by the number of celebrity visitors pictured on the walls.

What an amazing atmosphere! Having traveled to Italy many times, I can honestly say this place captured the feeling perfectly. The staff were incredibly attentive and friendly, making us feel like one of the family. The food was absolutely fantastic! It was authentic and delicious, a 10/10 experience. I want to give a shout out to Pino for being such a welcoming and friendly person. He made us feel comfortable with his engaging conversations and jokes. He's truly amazing.

I’ve been an occasional visitor for decades, had lunch there yesterday and it’s was wonderful! Top quality ingredients, simply cooked and nicely presented, and really friendly atmosphere, can’t wait to go back! Not cheap but great for a special occasion.

Amazing experience of classic Italian cuisine, visited once with a friend and then brought my mum back the following week for my birthday. Vegetarian and vegan options so friendly for all sorts. Atmosphere is like an Italian restaurant out of the movies and staff are lovely.

Fantastic lunch at Giovanni’s. Great atmosphere and host.

I had the most authentic Italian experience If your in central and want to eat top quality Italian food in a warm atmosphere this is the place Book early as they do full up really quick 💚

Dined there Christmas Eve for my birthday and oh what a wonderful experience! Excellent food, desserts & service. Such a quaint, lovely, intimate restaurant. If ever in London again, I will definitely make a reservation to dine there again!!!

Truly authentic and delicious. A rare address.

The perfect experience. Thank you.

Fantastic restaurant - if you have never been, then you need to add this place to your list! Great selection of Italian/Sicilian dishes, all full of wonderful flavours! The ambience is also amazing, with the owner Pino and his lovely wife being great hosts....it all makes for an experience that you won't forget! So make a New Year's Resolution to visit Giovanni's!

Wow I’m so glad I booked this place today. What a small venue, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a culinary delight, the staff service is fast and efficient. They accommodated our sons food choices and Claire and Giovanni are always there to help and offer their advice fantastic hospitality. If you’re in London do try and visit but make sure you book first. Thank u for your advice about Kenya x

We had our family Christmas meal at Giovannis this afternoon. The food was excellent, the menu was fabulous. We were made very welcome by all the staff. This may become an annual event.

Some of the best food I’ve had in London. Beautiful calm atmosphere and great service. I can’t recommend this place enough

Family of 6 early celebration for Christmas. The atmosphere was wonderful. Immediately felt relaxed and was made to feel very welcome by Pino. The food was delicious and very fresh ingredients. An excellent wine list. Pino is a great personality and has many stories. We will definitely visit again

Don’t go here! This place is coasting on its historic reputation. It’s all style over substance. How it has endured all these years is a mystery. The food is really not good. Overcooked pasta in bland, watery sauces. And please don’t taste the house wine! Oh and the service was pretty slow, too. Overall, a real disappointment.

My wife and I went to Giovannis in Covent Garden and I would say it was my worst spent £250 for a meal ever; dont go there, it's a massive rip-off surviving on its location (although I should have learnt from my previous experience at this restaurant, (my wife and I loved it because it was a restaurant we visited early in our relationship). Food is barely average Italian standard and clearly survives on its location and naive tourists being in an interesting part of Covent Garden. Wine is massively over-priced but underwhelming and we were 'encouraged' to leave as the owner wanted the table back. The owner was horrendous, hanging around eager to see if we would be leaving or spending more money. It was so stressful. Don't go there; it's a massive rip-off and surviving on its location; complacency is everywhere.

Perfect restaurant for myself and my daughter to catch up in a very special place.

Wonderful, quirky and historic restaurant. Authentic, quality Italian food and the most genial of hosts. Well worth the trip we made from Suffolk to eat here. We are coming back soon.

Nice midweek dinner with friends.

Great food and atmosphere. I will definitely be back.

Giovanni’s is exactly what an Italian restaurant should always be like, starting with a warm welcome from Pino, who cares about food, wine and above all his guests. Very good, authentically Italian (Sicilian) food. And a lot of fun.

Superb Italian food in a lovely ambient old restaurant tucked down an atmospheric alleyway straight out of Harry Potter. Personal top quality service.

What a wonderful place! When we arrived on friday, october 7, we were greeted like old friends and we spent a great evening. The food was excellent, as always! Many thanks to Pino and the whole crew. Every time when we visit London, it is mandatory for us to go one evening to Giovanni‘s. Greetings from Switzerland, Roland and Manuela

Excellent food, place and people!! This restaurant is a very beautiful place, the food is homemade and very tasty and the attention (by the owner) is even better. We will surely go back!!

We had a really great time with excellent food, very nice place and superb service by the owner himself. We will surely go back!!

Not sure how we’ve never been here before but were prompted by Jay Rayner’s recent Guardian review. It did not disappoint and we’ll be back.

I went to Giovanni's after reading Jay Rayner's review in The Guardian. From moment one it did not disappoint. We were greeted by the delightful owner, Pino Ragona, and were taken to the best table in the house (where Jay Rayner had sat to review). Pino's warmth and humour made the lunch a huge amount of fun. And then there was the food: fresh, delicious and plentiful! Five stars isn't quite enough for this restaurant experience!

Had a fantastic time here at Giovannis. The service was very good, everyone was very kind and attentive. The food was excellent and the level of care and the atmosphere was particularly good. Really recommend for lovers of Italian food who want a fabulous family experience

Magical old school and very splendid service

My first time in London, and had this fantastic diner with an incredible decor and with lots of stories you can listen for hours to. It’s a story I can tell to my grandkids… Can’t wait to come again to London with my family…

A wonderful restaurant nestled in the heart of Covent Garden. A real gem of a place hidden down a Diagon Alley style back street. Pino has so many amazing stories to tell. We will be back!

Nice food but you feel ripped off. 1. The medium sized should come with 2 portions of protein (I chose tuna and salmon) but they seem to reduce the amount of each compared to how much they’d put in the bowl if you order the small which comes with one protein. Should get 4 greens but they charge an additional £1 or £1.50 if any of those are ‘premium’ and basic stuff like avocado and wakame are considered premium even though you get an absolutely minuscule amount. A bit of a joke really.

Great place. Very authentic Sicilian cuisine, presented well but great staff.

Read about them online, and absolutely loved the food and hospitality. I felt home. I’d highly recommend to anyone looking for a cozy delicious hidden gem in central London

The quantities are poor and the prices do not match!!! Excessively expensive. The boss collected the bill, WHY? We paid £129.38 for 1 salad starter, 1 starter of 10 garlics and 2 mediocre pasta dishes with 6 cockles and a bottle of tasteless white wine.

Sometimes you find an absolute gem, this is a diamond! Don’t tell anyone about this fabulous place. Michael, Sue & Jess xxxxx

Sublime ! Couldn’t recommend it enough. Come come come. The food is fantastic and the atmosphere even better

I’ve never been anywhere better. You must go.

Incredibly cozy restaurant on a quiet street in Covent Garden with the best Italian food in London

Pino is an exceptional host - one of the best cannolis I’ve ever had in my entire life.

What an incredible find, the atmosphere, the food, and the main event Pino!

Just perfect! Pino is a legend and a brilliant host. The food superb. The atmosphere wonderful. The wine stunning. 100% recommend.

Pino is a truly excellent owner/host for a long lunch with a long standing friend. Food was exceptionally good Sicilian style - very authentic, just go with and of his recommendations and you can’t go wrong! And the wine recommendations to pair with the food - perfect! Its got a great, cosy, authentic vibe too Enjoy a little taste of Sicily in central London

Home cooked Italian food served with no frills in wonderful surroundings. The people made us feel like family, wonderfully attentive, funny, and helpful. Great experience!

Real Italian cuisine LIKE AT HOME IT’S DELICIOUS

I've been to dinner twice with my family. Truly Italian restaurant, with excellent Italian cuisine and reasonable prices. Very attentive service. The host Pino Ragona is unique. We will be back soon.

If I could put 6 stars I would! The most incredible (authentic) food, staff and atmosphere! We will certainly be back very very soon.

Wonderful theatre land restaurant something of an institution very welcoming good and service

This is the best place for dinner in all of England. A hidden gem in Covent Garden serving food that rivals the best Italian restaurants in the world. When you walk in you see all the famous people that have been here and there’s a reason for it. The personal service and amazing food is unmatched by any restaurant. The owner, Pino Ragona, ensures every customer is taken care of and if you’re lucky, you’ll get Roberto as your server who’s quick wit and kind nature makes the experience that much better. If you’re in England, find your way to Giovanni’s in Covent Garden and you’ll experience the best dinner you’ve ever had.

Giovanni’s is a must!. Delicious meals, personal touch to every dish and a crew that made us all feel like family! Pino Ragona welcomed us and accommodated our large party. Everyone place this on the “go to” list when in London. Roberto was #1 in making us full with laughter, refreshments and dishes.

Best Italian meal ever! Pinot, Claire, Roberto and Shivraj…love these guys and are amazing. Will definitely be coming back 🥰. Don’t even need to go to Italy!!!

There is something magical about this place. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is what to expect from an Italian restaurant, and the alleyway entrance adds a mystique to the experience, but most of all it is Pino who excites the imagination and tempts the palate. He is inviting and makes you feel at home. I try to dine with them when in London.

If only there were 6 Stars! My favorite restaurant in London.

We can’t say enough about Giovanni’s. Pino was amazing. We spent two weeks in Italy this summer and did not have any better than this. Beyond amazing. Such a simple thing as the olives. I’ve never had anything like them. We weee blown away.

Tastiest meal in london! Authentic Italian food with 5*** service from pino ragona!

Great service and great atmosphere. Love!

Found this cosy and intimate restaurant by chance and will definitely return . Wonderful owner and the most delicious ravioli!!! xxx

Excellent food. Excellent friendly and helpful service. Exceptional menu. Small intimate dining. My family loved this place! Highly recommend it.

What a fantastic experience! Amazing food, lovely service, great atmosphere. Highly recommend

Fabulous! Food and service were wonderful. Highly recommend.

A breath of fresh air. Excellent food, a great attentive waiter and a wonderful way to have a true Sicilian lunch.

Beautiful restaurant, great service and lovely food

Amazing food and lovely service ❤️

Amazingly authentic and wonderfully welcoming. Staff perfect and attentive, couldnt ask for better service. Highly recommend if in London. An absolute must! Food, wine, ambiance, staff, location 10/10! We will be back!

Fantastic food, wonderful lunchtime experience. Don’t know why we’ve not visited before but we’ll definitely be back.

A welcoming and characteristic environment that transports you to a pleasant, unique and warm atmosphere.... A cuisine that warms the heart and takes you on a journey that takes you through true Italian flavors. An experience to try also thanks to the personality and hospitality of the owner Pino: a person who tells a story of tradition and love.

With pleasure the great Pino took us back to Italy, pampering us with his dishes and his kindness

I personally met Pino and he is the best Chef, host and an excellent person!!!! You're the best !!!!

Fantastic food and great service. Can’t wait to come back

This is the best Italian authentic restaurant in London. We came especially, a night early and the service and food did not disappoint. The lemoncello is to die for!

Best Italian restaurant in London hands down!

I have been twice in the last few weeks and both fantastic, food brilliant and great hospitality, will be returning soon.