Giovanni's of Covent Garden

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!!!

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

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.

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!

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 💚

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

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.

Intimate and welcoming Sicilian Italian restaurant. We had a 1730 reservation on Saturday, April 6th, 2024. Excellent food and friendly and attentive service from our hostess who seated us, to ok our waiter who served us to the owner, Pino who greeted and checked on us multiple times. Our party of four very much enjoyed our dinner experience. Thank you.

After a few attempts at snagging a table here during the week, I was about ready to give up on ever eating here. After one final attempt on a quiet Monday afternoon, I succeeded in booking one a few hours before they opened for the evening, and I am so glad I did. Giovanni, himself, was there to greet me and made me feel like he'd been expecting me for weeks- mind you, I'd never met the guy. It's unsurprising that every wall in the restaurant is covered with autographed photos of celebrities from all over the world who have come to eat here. The space is intimate and authenticically-Italian, in spite of the touristy setting. The food is simple yet perfect in every way; you can really tell they've taken the time to make the flavors balanced and unforgettable. It's the most exciting Italian food my taste buds have ever been graced with. The Pollo "Alla Paul Feig" is a chicken dish named after Giovanni's friend. The chicken itself is cooked is a thick buttery reduction, and flavored with herbs and spices. The flavors pop in all the good ways and the dish pairs perfectly with either their broccoli or oven-baked potato wedges, which are sprinkled with diced parsley leaves for that extra satisfying texture. Of course, they have their full roster of pasta and seafood dishes, as well. An impressive touch is that if you're hankering for an Italian dish they don't have on the menu- and they have the ingredients available- they are willing to make it especially for you. If you can, do save room for dessert, as it's hardly a complete Italian meal without that tiramisu. As expected of an such a fine restaurant, the wine abounds here, so pick your pairing and enjoy one of the most satisfying meals you'll have in London.

Best lasagna! Literally felt like we were right back in Rome. Pricing is $20-$30 a plate. Service was impeccable. Owner personally welcomed us into restaurant. Very attentive & friendly atmosphere. Small, intimate setting. Went back 3x on our trip because the service & food were THAT good. Will def return when back in London.

Based on all the glowing reviews here on Yelp I'm thinking we went to Giovanni's on an off night. First the good: service is top notch. Friendly and helpful and patient with our large party. Ambiance is nice and cozy and the restaurant was busy on a Saturday night. The not-so-good: food is really average at best. Our entire party ordered various types of pasta and while the lasagna looked the good the penne, orecchiette, spaghetti were all average at best. The bread was also disappointing and the dipping sauce was a very odd concoction of tomatoes, garlic and celery which needed lots more seasoning. The panna cotta was also disappointing and average. I'm no expert in Italian food but honestly our dinner just wasn't very good. We might return and give it another try though because the staff was so friendly and the vibe was great.

This might've been the best Italian experience I've ever had. The food was as good as I've had, the wine choices, while not a ton of options, were all very nice. The Banfi Brunello was perfect. The attention paid to our experience by the staff was above and beyond. To cap the evening off, Pino pulled out his special Grappa and sat with us for a while, laughing and sharing his experiences with us. Highly recommend!

Located in this magical alley, the back door looks like the front, so just go around to the alley directly opposite what looks like the front door. The new Mary Poppins movie was filmed in this alley... But the food, very tasty and made fresh! The owner was this warm, friendly Italian who told us his grandfather started the restaurant many years previously. We ordered salads, bruschetta, pomadoro pasta, pork sausage with veggies, and a Bolognese sauce pasta. We all commented the charming, tiny eatery was adorable, loads of famous stars pictures on the wall, and accommodating staff, we'll definitely return next time in London.

Hands down the most authentic and welcoming Italian restaurant in London. Welcomed by Giovanni himself, each dinner experience I've had has been nothing short of extraordinary. Intimate and friendly, the space is limited so get your reservations in early. You won't be disappointed!

Great little spot in the heart of Covent Garden. The walls are adorned with photos of famous and not so famous patrons. Tacky, yet it works. The service was attentive and friendly. The antipasto appetizer was delicious and our past dishes were very good. Definitely recommended if your in the area.

This was a great find! We were craving pasta on out last night in London so I turned to Yelp for some possibilities. Fortunately I found Giovanni's. Made a reservation online through their website. Took the tube to covent garden. Very cool, vibrant area with a lot of good restaurants, pubs, bars, and shopping. Upon arrival, we were greeted promptly and shown to our table. The dining room is small and intimate. The attire is casual, but definitely wouldn't feel out of place dressed up for a nice night out. We did charcuterie for a starter and ordered a bottle of Italian Amarone from their small but good wine list. For a main, my wife had the SPAGHETTI CASA NOSTRA (pasta carbonara) and I had the PACCHERI CON CINGHIALE (large pasta with wild boar ragu). Both were delicious! For dessert, we tried the TIRAMISU which was also amazing! All in all, this place was a 10. Charming atmosphere, excellent service, and delicious food. Can't ask for more. We will definitely be back.

Owner was nice enough to get us a table even though we had no reservations. The staff were super friendly and the food was fantastic.

Pino is the best, and this is the best Italian in London. Food is wonderful, service is exceptional

The staff and manager were very rude and would NOT recommend to anyone. Horrible service, horrible food, and the worst food experience in London.

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!

Very good experience at this restaurant. Customer service was great, the food was great, all-around good restaurant. Me and my wife went and we will definitely be going again. Some may say it's a tiny bit overpriced but it's worth it. The atmosphere was perfect, very romantic and cosy. I ordered the gnocchi and it was one of the best meals I've ever had. Such a good restaurant, really recommend

Amazing hospitality, atmosphere, and the best food we had in London!! Thank you! We felt like family!

This restaurant is absolutely the best. We were walking by and saw a cozy, intimate, beautiful scene inside so decided to see if we could hop in for dinner. No sir-ee you better make a reservation. So we were back 2 weeks later for my husband's birthday and we were completely blown away. The atmosphere is spectacular. It's a small restaurant, and as you walk in you see many sweet tables all around the restaurant, with a large serving tray with bread and olive oil in the centre. The walls are decorated with picture frames, mostly with celebrities who have visited and snapped a photo with the famous Giovanni (or Pino, as he likes to be called. :) ). And the lighting is warm and cozy. The service is also top notch. Actually, the best service I've had at any restaurant, which is saying a lot. I not only felt as though I was a guest in a lovely home, I felt like I knew the people serving me. They treated me as a friend even though it was our very first time, and that is such a rare and unusual thing. I feel like this is a skill, because too much friendliness makes you wonder if you actually do know them, or just makes you feel uncomfortable. Ha! They gave us a wonderful amount of friendliness ;) And the food. OH THE FOOD! It was delicious. We had the tuna carpaccio, burrata with tomatoes, cheese gnocchi, and sea bass. I would highly recommend all of these dishes. The sea bass was especially nice because it was very well grilled and had a fantastic smokey flavour. I also really enjoyed the gnocchi. Creamy and delicious. The prices are very good considering how busy and beautiful this place is. When we peered inside it looked as though it would be a very expensive place to eat. We found that the prices were very reasonable considering the atmosphere, service, and food! We paid about £100 together for bread, 2 starters, 2 entrees, and a bottle of wine. Unfortunately we had no room for dessert, but we will absolutely be back again. Thank you for the absolutely perfect experience!

Hands down favorite night of our trip! My 84 year old father in law had a great time speaking Italian with some Paisans from Italy Food could not have been fresher or tasted any better! Huge serving of lasagna and pasta with chilies was the right amount of heat. Nice selection of wines and make sure to try the desserts amazing! You definitely need reservations this place is tiny and packed- saw several turned away. It's a tricky place to get to, enter thru the walkway in the back. When you are in London take the time for a long leisurely dinner at a hidden gem! You will be happy you did.

Lovely in many ways. Best veal of my life, but overcooked pasta. It can happen. I think this place is a gem, and unlike any I've ever encountered just know TORIES ARE NOT WELCOME! If you make the mistake of outing yourself as conservative you might have to wonder if your food is safe to eat. Yes, that bad. Clearly they choose to manage without half of London, so they will be happy to manage without me.

Once in a great while a dining experience changes you. That's what happened to us when we discovered Pino Ragona's Giovanni's of Covent Garden in London. We were made to feel at home, even like family, from the moment we entered this best kept secret establishment. For the 90 minutes we were there, we wished we were Italian. That would have been the only way to have made this magical dining experience any better. This wasn't food, it was a gift from God. For us, the finest authentic Italian cuisine that has ever passed through our lips. And we give great praise for portion control. Just enough to allow room for the delightful dessert and espresso. Without apology, it was the highlight of our trip to this great city of London. Thank you to our new great friend, Pino, for making us feel so special.

What a magnificent dinner! We stumbled upon this find as we wander through London. We enjoyed lasagna, gnocchi with eggplant, and 2 orders of pappardelle with prawns. Delicious Italian, heavy crusted bread with flavored olive oil cane with our starter of a antipasto platter. At my request, the staff provided a festive tiramisu to celebrate our daughter's birthday. Couldn't have been better! Go there and enjoy. You'll thank me.

Just got back from visiting London and all I can think about is our amazing dinner on our last night out. Giovanni's has about 10 tables in a very intimate setting. I ordered the gnocchi and my friend ordered the lasagne. Our food was ready in about 10 minutes or less from when they placed the order. It is such a charming restaurant and the food is delicious. I can't wait to go back and will recommend this little restaurant to anyone traveling to London. My gnocchi was £12 and the lasagne was £14 I believe.

Amazing meal! We found this place through a suggestion of one of the salespeople at a store close by. Someone shopping in the store agreed. Thankfully they did. The execution of each of our dishes was another level of deliciousness. We had two pasta dishes and the fish of the day, prepared Sicilian style. Deliciousness! Dinner was so Good we got dessert. Tiramisu was authentically terrific and with the splurge. After we ate the owner gave us a tour of where Mary Poppins was recently filmed. Made the experience over the top to us since my 9 year old could not believe it... for her this place was so cool, to us, based on quality and service, on our list for our next trip across the pond.

Incredible meal made from a variety of fresh vegetables brilliant rice with a subtle hint of lemon and olive oil with a fruit flavor are just some of the masterful flavors woven into a delicious Italian meal. The Osso Buco was perfectly cooked and the pork chop was delicious. Enjoy a great meal

This is one of the best surprises that my friends and I stumbled upon when we were visiting from California. The owner, Pino, was so welcoming and we quickly discovered that he was also hilarious! He let us stay a little past closing time to finish up our bottles of wine we ordered for the table, and then we had a dance party that ended with a conga line led out the door and into the street. The food is so fantastic and even though the waiters did not speak English, we still all enjoyed every second of our visit here. One I will never forget and still talk about to this day, and this happened back in 2008. Highly recommended!

I do not typically write reviews for restaurants. A restaurant must be off the scale either amazing or horrible for me to write a review. Tonight I went to dinner with some colleagues at Giovanni's. This is a small little restaurant, but immediately upon entering you feel like you are part of the family. Pino is the owner and an incredibly nice man. He took care of us and all of the others in the restaurant. He pays attention to everyone. He is active in making sure everyone is having a fantastic dining experience. And this is one of the few places I have been that I felt compelled to write a review. Every item we had was fantastic. The tuna carpaccio was especially good, the thinly sliced beef salad was crazy good and the pasta dishes were off the chart. To top off (so to speak) the dinner was dessert. I told Pino that I had heard they made amazing cannoli's. He explained to me that his equipment to make the shells was out of service. I was sad, but about 3 minutes later Pino came back to our table and said "I think we can get a couple made for you." They in fact were able to get 4 of the shells made and Pino himself proceeded to mix the ingredients himself to finish making the cannoli's. They were absolutely AMAZING! This place is a true Italian restaurant with a personality that every restaurant should strive to achieve through its personal interaction and phenomenal food. I cannot wait until I am in London again, because I will be going to visit Giovanni's again, and again, and again. Thank you so much Pino to you and your team. What a great experience!

BRILLIANT!!! We found this quaint little restaurant while on a walking Ghost tour. In the middle of the tour, we got hungry and left early. So glad we did. The restaurant is off an alley, the walls were lined with photos of celebrities who have visited, the music that played was soft and soothing, the lights were dim and the vibe was relaxing. The owner, Pino, and his staff were gracious. We ordered the spinach salad, pumpkin ravioli and pasta dish with broccoli, garlic and chill. Amazing. Loved every second here

This restaurant was a surprise - turned out to be very well known - Pino the owner was a delight and very entertaining - the food was excellent, quick and very fresh. Enjoyed the whole experience.

A cosy restaurant near Leicester Square. Came here after reading the review but have to say the dinner didn't hold up to the standard described in other reviews in that particular evening. Tried the tomato soap which was lovely and I ordered the grilled turbot for main course, expected it to be cooked to perfection as other has described but was let down due to over cooked and was too dried.

From the moment you walk in, you feel like you are in Italy. The service, food and ambiance are all amazing. Gnocchi is the best I've had. For our first in London, perfect!

There were two people in the entire restaurant and we walked in for a table for two and we were turned down because they were fully booked and couldn't take us..... And then they offered a different couple a table after they had mocked them for going in the wrong entrance, but they were "fully booked".... classy place.

The front door is around the corner and down an alley, so don't be dismayed if you can't find it right away. The staff, and I believe owner, was great. Super friendly and chatty, really interested in each customer. The food was delicious. Great Italian food. Just know that just an entree isn't enough, I'd recommend getting an appetizer on top of the bread & entree.

Authentic Sicilian food in the heart of London. Well balanced menu with an excellent vine selection. Friendly personal. The fish for example is fresh and delicious. Pasta options are original. Bread genuine. The venue invites to eat calmly. Consider booking well in advanced. Highly recommended.

As the other reviews have said, this can be a little tricky to find, but it's well worth it. It's cozy, and the staff was very friendly and welcoming, making you feel like part of the family. As a traditional Italian restaurant, the pasta dishes are considered starters, but you can ask for them as entrees, in which case they'll give you a larger portion. I had the pappardelle with peas, Lima beans and mint. Very good. But it was the sea bass that was simply amazing. I had the cannoli for desert and it too, with orange zest, was one of the best I've ever had. My husband had the pumpkin ravioli which was fantastic and the best spinach salad he's ever had. All in all, one of the best meals we've had in London. If you like typical bland English food with overcooked vegetables and shoe leather meat, you will be disappointed in Giovanni's, but the rest of us enjoy it.

The atmosphere is wonderful! All the food was delicious. I had the gnocchi that had a wonderful flavor. I would recommend that if you are in the area you stop in for a meal!!!

What a fabulous restaurant! The staff, food and ambiance is great. I stumbled on this gem when traveling on business and stepped in alone at 10pm and the staff was super accommodating to serve me. The food is absolutely scrumptious. Anyone who has provided a negative review is crazy. My family is off the boat from Italy and the food at Giovanni's brought me back to Italy and is very authentic. They import their cheese and olives from Sicily and they are wonderful. I had the orange fennel salad, which was to die for, the bolognese and cannoli. All very delicious. The cannoli was the best I've had in my entire life. Check this place out if you can. Trust me, it's fabulous!!!

Good location. Cool space. Overpriced even for London. Average food with the exception of the great tirimasu.

Amazing very Italian restaurant. We had no booking but they managed to squeeze us in on a Saturday night. The atmosphere was pleasant and the brothers very entertaining for the guests. Bread, tomatoes and the most amazing olive oil was served to start. We opted for a Sicilian red to drink and it went perfectly with all out fishes. Mains included pork and veal sausage with fennel on a bed of lentils, chicken pieces with white wine and a chicken breast with mushroom filling. Vegetables came separately and at £4.50 were rather expensive. The food was great and the wine delicious but the prices did put me off a bit! Great place for a romantic date or a quiet rendezvous.

My daughter is studying in London and had the pleasure of dining here before. Only here on a short visit, she said this place was a must. The food is amazing, the service is welcoming and the ambiance is true Italian! Cozy, candle lit, fresh baked bread with an awesome EVO and fresh tomato for dipping. A definite stop while in London!

Pino is one of the best hosts we have encountered--he makes you feel welcome and treats you as if you were a guest in his home. The fresh pasta is perfect--he is happy to customize dishes as well. He's very knowledgable about Italian wines and always has an outstanding and interesting one to try, as he makes frequent trips back to Italy to choose the best. The atmosphere is cozy and candlelit. Very classic and good for a date night.

Tucked away this little Italian restaurant is a gem. Once owned by Ava Gardner it is oldy worldly and the food is delicious. The Gnocchi is light and wonderful and the sea bass was cooked to perfection. The manager Pino gave us his card along with all kinds of tips for our upcoming trip to Italy. Great place after the theatre..

What a great little restaurant. I ordered the pumpkin ravioli with sage and the veal medallions. Both were absolutely wonderful. The best veal I have ever had. If you have sweet tooth make sure to order the tiramisu. It's amazing!!

Moody personel, they only smile when you pay the way too expensive bill. Worst pasta i ever had, tasted like only salt and flour. Only good thing was our starter with mozzarella. Definitly never go back here again.

Overall very good. The decor is a bit outdated, and the soup is bland, but the pastas are excellent! The sizes are a bit small, but it's very decently priced. Very much enjoyed my experience here.

Fantastic little place with great ambiance. The food was simple and fresh. Not a huge scene and the owner accommodated my somewhat unusual request for a gluten free dish. Wonderful tomato soup, orange salad with fennel and red onion and oil cured olives, and I hear the carbonara is to die for. Thank you for a memorable evening from your guests from San Francisco!

Omg, the best place ever. Cosy, hidden, traditional and original. From our tiny little table we would see the waiters come and go with the trays that came from the kitchen down below the restaurant with the storage elevator. With our tiny little canddle we had a great carpaccio and pasta (maybe a bit too oily) and fruity dessert. The staff was very helpful and as italians are, had a lovely chat with them about football :). Couldnt had been better!

My partenr and I were in Govent Garden area of London. We happened across this small but quaint Italian Restaurant "Giovanni's" We were greated immediatly by the owner as we walked in (with no reservation, dont advise that but worth the try)....He sat us at a two top and we enjoyed on of the best meals/evenings ever....One of my favorite cities to dine is Rome (Athens as well)....we honestly never had a better meal in Rome...This was authentic, the Real Deal!!! They will advise you on wine with you selection, deserts offered for the night and naturally the main course specials.....The atmosphere was so delightful, pictures of Opera singers as well as many stars from all over the world......This place was the best...Close to the Opera House so they have had many famous singers from all over the world dine there.....What a delight...I just told my partner, sitting here in Florida, I wish we were eating there tonight!!! Please give this place a try....The owners name is Pino!!!

Had 2 terrific dinners here during our 10 day stay in London. Absolutely delicious food, great service, nice atmosphere.

The food was excellent. Choice of wine very good. We would highly recommend this place. The service was attentive.

The owner and waiter were rude. We, a group of five Asians, were asked to wait for the table to be set while we stood waiting at the hallway. A waiter passed by and shooed at us. The table was not set at all. This is the worst restaurant that I went to in the UK. Shame on such attitude.

Very authentic Italian restaurant in the middle of touristy Covent Gardens. Chef owned and operated. Delicious pasta, homemade burrata, etc. Small and intimate with reasonable prices. Feels like you've stumbled in while walking in southern Italy. Highly recommended.