Reviews of Giovanni's Restaurant. (Pizza) in Cardiff (South Glamorgan).

Giovanni's Restaurant

810 Reviews

305 Comments

Pizza

Italian restaurant

38 The Hayes, Cardiff CF10 1AJ, United Kingdom

Description

Information of Giovanni's Restaurant, Pizza in Cardiff (South Glamorgan)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

Map

Open hours of Giovanni's Restaurant

Popular times

Reviews of Giovanni's Restaurant

M. M.

We really enjoyed the atmosphere. That being said, the food was very bland. We had the Calamari and it did not have much taste at all. The Pizza was average (again, not much taste and flavor). The owner seems like a great person—he was walking around talking to various customers. Very engaging.

J. S.

Incredible food with a fantastic atmosphere, and great service. We had the ravioli and the Giovanni’s special .. honestly the best past I’ve had in YEARS. It’s cost, authentic, and lined with pictures of all the celebs who’ve eaten here. Wine is pricey, but that’s a minor grumble. Thoroughly recommend!!

E. B.

During our Wales-Trip we also spent some time in Beautiful Cardiff and went to Giovanni's restaurant only by accident, because the queue at Wagamama was pretty long and we are hungry. So what should we say. The restaurant was also pretty crowded, but they suggested a place downstairs, quiet and silent....maybe not everyone would like this....but it was perfekt for us. We got served by a really nice and kind waitress, she gave good recommendations and it was really nice to talk with her about how she came to Italy and Wales, about languages and so on....thats the kind of conversation we really like, not only smalltalk, also something private. I took a seafood-risotta and my wife a nice pasta with prawns. A great bruscetta opfront and we shared a nice Tiramisu at at the end. The waitress, I think her name was Jessy recommended the Tiramisu because it was made by her and to be honest, it was one of the best Tiramisus we had since years....even in Italy it is not sure to finde such a nice piece of fresh, handmade Tiramisu. Nothing to complain from our side, even Germans are known as born complainers. We had a nice time here for a reasonable price and when we come back one day to Cardiff, we will step in to Giovanni's again for sure. Thank you very much!

M. G.

Only my second time at this restaurant and my first since they had to introduce restrictions due to Covid-19 and I was really impressed. We chose to sit inside but they did have some lovely dining spots available outside as well. Super quick service with friendly staff and wonderful food. One of the few times I've ordered a salad and been thoroughly impressed by what was delivered (a fantastic price as well). A staff member recommended their choice of dessert; fudge cake with pistachio ice cream and the ice cream in particular was a delight. They even let us share and brought out two spoons. Very happy to be a local to this restaurant.

K. D. G.

What a fantastic experience! From the welcoming staff to the amazing food, every moment was exceptional. So good we are going back again tomorrow. Thank you Francesca and your whole staff for giving us an unforgettable evening! Highly recommend Giovanni's! Also thank you to The Royal Hotel for recommending this restaurant to us!

G. C.

Experience is a lot nicer than the Giovanni's in the Bay.. Food was lovely and fresh! Staff were nice and attentive.. didn't have to wait (or waited long) for service! Wonderful ❤

i. m.

I was very much looking forward to eating here, the service was amazing but sadly the food did not live up to what I had in mind. As an Italian I was excited to eat at an authentic restaurant, although the food didn’t really give an Italian taste compared to other places in Cardiff which have managed it. The vibe was vary Italian tho and was nice for a date night, shame the menu wasn’t to standard

A. V.

I travel by myself to Wales and stay in Cardiff. Giovanni is a great restaurant. Great food and unlike others seem to have a staff always checking up on you. I had the shrimp linguine…..very good.

R. P.

Good food. Disappointed with the managers attitude. Really pushy wanted us to leave after 1 1/2 half. His new assistant on the other hand was extremely professional and pleasant and had all the qualities of a great manager.

G. T.

Service was excellent. Menu wasn't as varied as other Italian restaurants we've visited,and I found the prices quite steep in comparison to other similar eateries in the area. The pizza and prawn cocktail starters (£7.95 each) were fairly bland too and mediocre too. We won't be back.

D. C.

Ordered a Calamari starter, then the linguine, followed by a Tiramisu. Atmosphere was perfect, the servers were polite and attentive throughout. The sole reason I haven't marked it as 5 stars is that I'm a lover of fresh seafood and both the Calamari and prawns in the linguine were frozen (albeit still really good). Calamari was crispy, linguine was cooked perfectly and the Tiramisu was the best I've had in some time. Would definitely return.

L. H.

Must have visited on an off day as the place certainly didn't live up to the hype and recommendations I had received from people. I can't comment on starters as we didn't have any, the main courses however were wonderful not quite authentic Italian but they were however exceptionally well prepared, presentation could have used some improvement potentially. Desserts were unfortunately lacking, the Panna Cotta were unfortunately not set and the "jam" posing as a coulis on top was really sweet and almost over set. We liked the coffee cup serve but again felt like it could have been improved. Service, whilst kind and thoughtful it was intermittent we much like some of the other guests in the restaurant felt forgotten about. We witnessed food going to the wrong table more than once. The management obviously passionate about food and service a true Italian, whilst his team was lacking any natural poise or ability to serve on hospitality. Just another example of restaurants struggling to find the right staff willing to work and learn an exceptionally useful and transferable set of skills. Hoping to come back again or try one of the others in the brand and hopefully have a better experience.

C. A. W.

Lovely food 😋 the chicken in white wine was delicious good size portions too. Pizza 🍕 was also very tasty. Service very good. Lovely pre show meal. Highly recommend 👌

c. d.

Well,well...things are quite tricky regarding this restaurant...on the one hand,if you want delicious food and only that,you can gladly go there...if you want atmosphere and relaxation,you'd better refrain from getting in...very poor service,the waiters were circling around like mad chicken mixing up the orders or getting only half of them...taking in turns to annoy the customers...too loud music that stopped you from any decent conversation...well,,if you have nothing against these,be my guest to try an Italian dine in...I wouldn't go back for sure

M. P.

Good customer service. Great food. First visit here and it was well worth it. Will return again.

L. S.

Nice, friendly and considerate staff. Food is great tasting and the set menu has lots to offer for a good price. Dessert is a must and guaranteed to be full when you finish. - 1 star for the fact it's so busy and difficult to get a booking.

M. W.

A firm favourite in Cardiff. If you love authentic Italian cuisine with a welcoming and homely atmosphere this is the place for you. We visit Giovanni's at least once every few months and are always more than satisfied with the quality of food and service. The lunch time menu is also great value for money.

L. J.

Outstanding service, food was amazing. Couldn't recommend this place enough. They went out of there way to make us feel welcome

M. W.

Absolutely delicious and authentic Italian restaurant tucked in near the Arcade, close to the old church / cathedral. A coworker recommended this restaurant and I'm glad he did! Very cozy setting. Great house red! Prompt greeting and service, insane flavors, and delightful staff! Will absolutely visit again next time I'm in Cardiff!

g. c.

Today we had the pleasure of dining at Giovanni's. We were walk inn's, they were fully booked. The place was packed to the rafters. The staff managed to shuffle some seats around to accommodate me and my girlfriend. We had the pleasure of meeting the great giovanni himself. The food was amazing the staff were great. All in all a great experience

M. G.

Great food and exceptional service - a must visit if you are in Cardiff 👍

H. G.

Thought we would pop in on the off chance on Christmas Eve. I have to say I was disappointed with the quality of the food for a restaurant with so much history and meant to be one of the best in the capital! The pasta I had was ok but for a speciality main it looked like something from a packet and wasn't much on the plate. The pizza was like something from a cheap kebab House no real taste. Garlic bread was about the best thing. I liked the cosiness of the place and atmosphere and the service and staff couldn't do enough so I was well pleased with that otherwise I think it would be 2 stars. Such a shame as years ago when I visited it was lovely food. I can think of a way better Italian in Canton Cardiff

A. W.

This will be my go to place,when in Cardiff. Fantastic food, excellent service, the staff were amazing. Would highly recommend.

G. D.

A typical Italian restaurant with a fantastic menu, a really busy atmosphere. The waiters did their best to make you feel welcome, had time to make small talk, look after you and be there if you needed them. The food was outstanding, the pizzas are fresh, the pasta was excellent. Definitely coming back.

m. M.

Delicious food, great atmosphere and kitchen is open until late

B. M.

Food was great but service was chaotic having to ask multiple times for drinks etc even after order had been taken.

p. B.

Fantastic staff and amazing food, very homely and well decorated. Will definitely be coming back

c. J.

Lovely food and friendly waiting staff at a reasonable price on the middle of Cardiff, what more could you want

N. H.

Excellent service and fantastic meal yet again. We will definitely be visiting again 😊.

V. O.

Delicious Italian food and a great choice of gluten free options. Staff very friendly and helpful. Can't wait to return again very soon

h. T.

Two meals and two glasses of wine for £25. Cant fault it great atmosphere and tasty food

T. J.

Friendly service and delicious food, I recommend the pizza and lasagne the most

b. m.

Birthday dinner in Park Place. Great food. Excellent service. Shame it was lockdown quiet. I hope things get back to normal soon.

C. F.

Great traditional Italian with an intimate but bustling atmosphere. Staff were very good despite being busy. A limited menu but the food was very good. Only complaint would be the tiramisu - we always try one whenever we go to an Italian restaurant, I'm afraid this one didn't meet expectations, too creamy and couldn't taste the coffee/liqueur..

N. S.

We visited the restaurant Friday 21.08.21. We were greeted at the door by a wonderful door host he was super friendly and informative. We were seated upstairs but it was a warm evening so we asked if we could sit outside and the staff were super accommodating. The staff were amazing 👏 the food was so delicious and indulgent. We were stuffed. Thanks for a wonderful evening.

N. B.

From the outside it looked really authentic so we gave it a try. We ordered the prawn linguine and streak. We asked for bruscetta as a starter however it arrived after our mains. The steak was supposed to come with salad but it didn't so we had to ask for it and it arrived shortly after. We thoroughly enjoyed our food. It tasted delicious. However 1. Our starter arrived too late. 2. The salad didn't arrive with the steak as promised and when it did arrive it was dry, bitter and probably fresh out of the packet, we couldn't eat it. It wasn't presented well either. 3. We had to wait a while to pay. Otherwise, the food was great

C. J.

Beautiful restaurant and absolutely lovely food! Staff are also amazing. Can't wait to go back again!

A. M.

Beautiful food. Fantastic atmosphere. Highly recommend

S. L.

Fantastic little place really cosy with frescos on the wall and a little aquarium(fishtank); fantastic selection with an authentic Italian touch as the waiters speak Italian around you. Top class.

c. p.

Lovely meal, friendly staff, realised next day, we had been charged for a dessert and coffee we didn't order or receive, 😒

S. C.

Nice friendly service in cosy restaurant. Photos of famous people the owner has met makes the décor!

S. E.

First time for a few years. Great value but the food was not the quality it was.

J. R.

Another lovely meal lastnight, fantastic atmosphere and service as always!

S. J.

We had a lovely meal here last night, so welcoming and friendly. We rang them hoping to change our reservation time to a bit later and apologised for being awkward, their response "not awkward at all, you come when you are ready!" They knew we wanted to watch Wales V Italy haha. They did joke about having tissuea ready for us, which was sadly needed. Gorgeous place, people and food. Cannot wait to come back! Thank you!

G. T.

Had a birthday meal with the wife and we were both very happy with the whole experience. Food was amazing and the staff were lovely. We will be back

D. E.

Beautiful food ,lovely staff ,highly recommend !!!

H. L.

Great food and atmosphere. Will definitely return.

m. w. (. t.

Good minestrone Could do with less clutter (photos of Tom Jones etc....)

J. L.

Love Gio's, my favourite place for special occasions and date nights! Been for many of years! Only downside is the space but prefer to sit outside, also I know it's rather expensive but totally worth it!

A. S.

10/10 service is brilliant Mateo was very helpful. Food was amazing pasta tasted delicious best pasta ive ever eaten. Perfect night just on the high street. Lots of different types of italian wines and food. Fairly good menu

D. B.

Great food and great service from Clement who bent over backwards to get us a table on a Saturday night when we had no booking. Super friendly staff, and lovely quiet and cosy atmosphere.

S. E.

Tasty home cooked food in a fun and friendly atmosphere

Y. T.

Delicious hot tasty meal before going to a concert at St David’s Hall, sat outside, attentive, friendly and helpful staff (Guiseppe especially) - we will definately return when we are next in Cardiff.

G. H.

This is real Italian cuisine. So delicious.

J. B.

We spend a very nice evening with my girlfriend, food was delicious (we had 2 pasta's from menu). Staff was very nice and helpful, 3 waitress were coming to our table and every one of them was able to talk with us. Highly Recommending to visit 👌✌️

S. T.

Excellent food service excellent staff amazing would recommend a vist will definitely be going back 👍

#. S.

Went there few weeks ago with friend around 18:30 . We have been served extremely fast - that was actually nice till the time they start asking us have we finished. I felt like I have 5 minutes for my starter and less than 20 minutes for the main. The pizza was okay. A bit pricey for the wine/pizza but no complain. 4 stars for food, 1 star for rushing me and my friends to pay and go. Since then we have been going to the other Giovanni's at Park place as it is bigger and spacey and there is no rush!

m. W.

Lovely little restaurant nice and friendly and also lovely food.... Great to see stacks of photos of celebrities and the owner on all the walls who have ate here over the years 👍

M. D.

Excellent food, great service from staff. Reasonable prices. Its in the heart of Cardiff. Funny lively atmosphere. Only one issue is you can feel the draught from the front door if sitting upstairs esp as customers stand with the door open.

M. T.

One of two Giovanni’s in Cardiff and both are superb and identical in terms of food, so which you visit depends on whether you’re looking for what’s to follow: it’s the smaller of the two, but definitely the cosiest too. It’s kind of like being in an Italian farm house dining room rather than a restaurant, and the vibe reflects that. Love the anti pasta options and you can’t go far wrong with their pizzas either.

L. J.

I had heard a lot about Giovanni's, it is quite famous in the South Wales at least, I had always wanted to go and recently some friends stayed down for a long weekend from London, one of my friends loves Italian food and I said that Giovannis is an absolute must to visit then. So on 06/03/20 (Friday), we went in the evening for a lovely meal, immediately upon walking in we were greeted by some great characters and had some great banter with the staff regarding how uncommon my surname (Jones) is in Wales. The service was amazing, we had a lot of members of staff checking in on us every few minutes to see if there was anything we wanted (it wasn't exactly quiet either!) Queue our host for the evening Darren, the guy was an absolute laugh a minute, we had great banter with him for the duration of the evening, especially when he realised I was paying for myself and my friends (who decided to keep ordering more and more food). The food was amazing. The portion sizes were fantastic, the prices were more than fair. This will now become a tradition for every time my friends visit and will definitely be recommending to friends and family.

G. B.

Love coming here. The food is always fresh and tastes amazing.

N. H.

Had a wonderful meal on my daughter's graduation night, we were very happy and the meal was delicious. Best meal out for a long time. Service great with Giovanni putting in a lovely show too and his sister making a warm toast to my daughter Clarissa. The fillet steak was cooked to perfection, pasta and sauce exquisite x2. Would love to return whenever next in Cardiff. Strongly recommend. Good luck to you to with all your brilliant charity work you put in behind the scenes.

H. B.

I was very much looking forward visiting giovanni as I had heard such good reviews about it. Me and my two colleagues went there for our Christmas lunch (one who visits here often with her family). When we arrived they called my colleague Leslie instead of the name we had booked under so that weren't a good start. The starters came and was lovely we all really enjoyed however throughout our lunch there was a table opposite on their own Xmas do. Now I know everyone likes to have a good time but as the minutes went by they were getting more and more rowdy swearing and shouting. When we actually said to the waiter about this he said 'tell me what i can do about this?? There's nothing we can do, it's not our fault' I beg to differ as waiters they should of been aware of the other diners there and had a quite word with them all. We weren't the only ones who felt this way. Even in their way out they were very rude shouting at another table calling them boring. We stayed until we had, had our deserts then left. The food was lovely but unfortunately the staff there were obnoxious and rude.

K. K.

What a wonderful restaurant with a lovely welcoming atmosphere. We enjoyed delicious food and the house wine was excellent too. The service was fantastic and all done seamlessly by the charming and good humoured staff. Highly recommended.

陳.

Staff were very friendly and understanding that we were on a tight schedule as we had to rush to the pantomime later. Only rated 3 stars as I ordered the lasagne which in my opinion, was mediocre. Was quite sludgy (?) and runny (?). My friend had the seafood linguine which I tasted and thought was much better than the lasagne

N. B.

Great service, very pleasant staff. Food disappointing though, we had a shared antipasto which wasn't great and I had the filet steak special penne which was just like a beef stew - never had sliced carrots with pasta before but then what do I know. Very lively and loud establishment. Other downside was the front door was kept open the entire time we were there which made it a tad cold.

T. L.

Excellent meal and service when we visited yesterday.was only allowed to dine outside due to covid but they have made the best of the situation with outdoor heaters and offering blankets to wrap around you if the evening gets a little chilled.

M. W.

The food and service were fine, no complaints there, one mistake on order at table but nothing to worry about. My starter and main were delicious and very generous in portion size, though some at the table found their pasta slightly underdone. However, I decide if I tip. I don't like service charges anywhere, happen to believe the employer should be covering that thanks. A tip, is for service above and beyond, or because it's Christmas etc. The service did not justify 10% and I should have been asked. So in conclusion, average Italian, above average prices. Many Italians close by, ASK, Jamie's, another in St.Davids 2. Go there.

L. D.

Fantastic place, always amazing food and service

d. p.

Had a mediocre meal with terrible service. The waitress disappeared leaving us without cutlery. Eventually got some with side plates, no condiments. Fresh bread was supermarket baguette, main courses edible although our invisible waitress never reappeared, nobody else paid attention to us. No parmesan, black pepper provided and as I finished my meal a waiter brought a dish for my shells. Had better Italian food and service in Shanghai, will not return.

T. F.

Coming here made me forget that I was in the UK. The vibe is pretty authentic with food to match. The dishes I’ve tried, in order of best to good: oven baked lamb shanks, pasta carbonara, veal parmigiana. The meatballs (starter) are very good. Next I need to try the pizza. Looks good from a distance.

A. W.

Don't come here for the food. Good news first, was that the waitress was very friendly in the end, sorted out the problems below and made a bit of a joke of everything, keeping the evening light. The food took 1 hour and 15 minutes to arrive from us sitting down as they were having a very busy evening, which didn't really bother us as we were chatting. One dish (ravioli) was not fresh and was definitely from frozen. The ravioli were undercooked / from frozen - think the starchy taste of dry pasta cooked for 5 minutes. I cut into 2 out of 7 ravioli on the plate. I let the waitress know they were not cooked. She appeared very surprised and brought a "second" dish. It was the same ravioli. The same two triangles I had cut out were there for all to see. I let the waitress know, she asked me into the kitchen, where she promised she'd show me the waste of the first dish Alas there was not one ravioli to be found with a very red faced chef who seemed to be getting redder and redder at the futility of poking around some onion scraps in their kitchen bin. He quickly made me something else, with thank the lord, some fresh pasta.

L. G. M.

The penne arrabiata was amazing.

r. s.

Food and service very good, staff friendly. Only complaint was the service charge added to the bill, I don't liked being asked for a tip.

D. G.

Expensive and not authentic Italian. The staff are very friendly, however, the service was still poor. A Vegan was served bacon and water was requested 3 times before it was finally brought to the table.

R. M.

Giovanni's and the Hayes go hand in hand. The food is very tasty and it is good to see through the years this place has not changed. The staff are friendly and attentive. Wine list does not include beers that are available so do not be afraid to ask. They will also tailor the menu for food intolerances where possible. I only dislike one thing that they can do nothing about as the style of the building. There are no windows inside the restaurant so great at night and romantic but gloomy in the day.

T. B.

We booked a table for 6.30pm but because our theatre show finished earlier than we thought we asked for an earlier table to which they obliged. The food was amazing and the house wine good value and good flavour. Best of all was the atmosphere! It was like sitting down to eat with friends and family with the senior staff being very accomodating and making you feel so welcome. The tables are close but myself and my daughter ended up chatting to those seated next to us and I noticed others doing the same. It was a very pleasant experience and we will be returning. Thank you Gio for a great experience! x

K. G.

The pizza I requested was not on the menu, staff were very accommodating to my request. Possibly one of the best tasting pizza’ I have ever tasted.

S. K.

Nice atmosphere, my pizza was quite burnt on the bottom. Food took a little while to come out despite us being told they wanted the table back at half 7. Staff were friendly. We didn't get asked if we wanted to order more drinks after the first order.

B. F.

This is a fantastic independent Italian restaurant with nice cheerful staff and beautiful food. We called in on a lunch time and had great service try the salmon it's really nice. Also a very tasty Primitivo wine. We all had different food and all remarked how good it was.

R. W.

Excellent food and service as always, wish they would open a branch in Salisbury

b.

My partner and I come here to celebrate certain occasions and we almost always get the same starters and mains because they're just so good! Only 4 stars because the one and only time we didn't go on a Saturday, we were left waiting quite a long time for our food to be served and didn't get any updates or apology until our food arrived, which left us in the dark, wondering what was going on.

K. M.

We visited this place during a concert gig in Cardiff. We really fancied italian food, but everywhere was busy with about 45mins wait. But the staff went an extra mile to get us a table. I think sometimes, family run businesses do more for their customers than those at chains. Excellent service and food with very little wait. Highly recommended if u want great Italian food. Will definitely be returning on our next Cardiff visit xx

M. W. (.

I really enjoyed this restaurant. Whenever I go to places to eat they never ask me whether I want ice in my drink (I prefer not to) but here they did and that made me very pleased. The food they served was also amazing. The only down side was that I found a mushroom in my food even though it didn't say there were any mushrooms in it.

P. B.

Fantastic food, great atmosphere. A classic genuine Italian restaurant.

L. B.

Absolutely fantastic, flavoursome and well made food. You can taste the love and passion that these Italians have put into their recipients. Been here a handful of times with my partner and it's small, cosy and international. Staff are sublime and always there at your beck and call. Food is always prepared in good time even in the busiest of times and I'm yet to eat something I don't like there.. absolutely fantastic family run restaurant. Thank you for the great times we have had in there! Grazie.

s. l.

We had been to a concert which finished late. The lovely staff happily invited us in even though they were closing 30 mins later. Fantastic and authentic pizza, Risotto and wine. Thanks for the welcome and we will come again, though much earliet

F. M.

Giovannis sent an email mailout at the end of July saying they were open after lockdown and part of the eat out to help out scheme. We went on a Monday and when we got the bill they said they’re not doing it after all which is misleading. The food is good but the service isn’t great, just chuck plates down on the table without saying a word and took a long time to bring us the bill.

C. P.

This was my first visit even though I have been to Cardiff so many times .. a hidden gem in plain sight ...Cosy .. ideal for a meal with friends .. very welcoming ambiance & the staff were very nice. definitely would go there again

D. D.

Eaten here several times with our autistic son. Staff are always welcoming. Food is very good. Our son is a very fussy eater and a carbonara connoisseur he always clears his plate here and loves the cheesecake. The white chocolate profitoroles are to die for. Would definitely recommend

C. F.

Great atmosphere.great service, great staff. Situated in Cardiff City Centre it's very popular and very busy. Best to book in advance to avoid disppointment. Wide choice of Italian cuisine cooked to perfection. Will go again

P. H.

Giovanni's is an awesome restaurant with fantastic warm, friendly service. We always feel welcome and eat here a lot with our young daughter who is as welcome as us grownups. The food is beautiful and always hot with a great variety of dishes. We come here a lot so that speak volumes.

G. F.

Fantastic food and service once again.

P. M.

Nice food but drinks very expensive and they said we can't have a medium glass of wine only small and large trying to make you get the large glass

A. C.

Superb. Staff were excellent, food portions were very generous and the atmosphere was brilliant. Such a great little place, one that I will definitely return to when back in Cardiff.

H. L.

Friendly staff, nice atmosphere. I liked my calamari and Giovanni spaghetti.

P.

Great Italian restaurant in the centre of Cardiff. Reasonable prices. They do a well priced lunch menu with several choices of each course, not much choice for a vegetarian though on this one. There is also a well priced pre-theatre menu. The food is very good & there is plenty of it. Staff very amiable. This is our go to place when visiting Cardiff on organised trips. It is advisable to book ahead.

W. R.

One of the long-standing restaurant in Cardiff and in the Hayes. They provide amazing tasty food. The ambience has always been one to talk about especially because of its link to Giovanni and the history of food, gastronomy and Culture in Cardiff

c. C.

Petrol station wine at premium prices. Dessert late. People leaving before others fed. Wine tip a stinger and on top of other tips for meal...and average service. It as a large Christmas party..so they should be fine with smaller numbers.

C. L.

Good food, atmosphere and service but limited on vegan options and understanding.

M. I.

Regrettable experience. After having a nice time there a year ago we decided to return on our anniversary to relive the experience. Unfortunately it totally failed to live up to expectations. The service was indifferent with the staff spending almost their entire time chattering amongst themselves. The toilets can only be described as dire and worst of all we received a salad covered in mould - a fact only discovered once it was bitten into. A replacement was brought at no charge but after that there wasn't much of an appetite to carry on. The waiting staff didn't seem particularly bothered other than the chef who had the decency to look embarrassed. It's admittedly not an incredibly serious issue, on the scale of things, but I think most people expect higher standards nowadays. It's hard to imagine a well run restaurant serving mouldy food and I shudder to think what other shabby processes could be lurking in the kitchen. It's like mice - if you see one then there's a hell of a lot more you're not seeing. That being said, the food itself was pleasant enough, though overpriced. Not really that much positive to say. The place needs to seriously raise its game, given the number of genuinely very nice places within spitting distance.

M. P.

Really nice authentic Italian place. The food was very good and the staff amazing! They were very polite with a very good mood and eager to serve you well. The place is cosy with a traditional décor. Portions were very big and totally worth the money.

S. J.

A definite gem of Cardiff. I had the gamberoni prawns and spaghetti bolognese (a gold standard for anyone else who's read my reviews of italian restaurants), and my spouse had the lobster ravioli. The prawns were cooked in a butter garlic sauce with just the right amount of lemon zest. The meat was tender, juicy and yet firm, the firmness you get when you cook prawns just right. This this despite it being de-shelled! I had to order a 2nd portion because it was that good The spaghetti had a very rich sauce and the pasta was soft and scrumptious. For the first time in an Italian restaurant I didn't need to ask for extra meat in the sauce; it came with plenty. Biggest surprise was the price; very light on the wallet compared to most London establishments. A very close contender to 'Tomo' in crouch end in terms of food quality. The service: for the first time in my life I gave 20% tip instead of 10%. It was that good. Definitely recommend this place!

A. H.

We popped in without reservation and were grateful to be quickly seated on a busy Saturday night last weekend. We had the steak penne and spaghetti Bolognese and both were delicious. My partner had a stunning pistachio dessert. My partner has visited Italy several times and said the food was very authentic and as good as any pasta sampled in Rome. I loved the celeb photos it was a fun touch to the decor. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. A really lovely Italian meal. Only thing id have changed waa to have some italian music to top it off. Would definitely recommend.

J. R.

We stumbled across Giovannis while looking for a place to have dinner . While all other places were quiet and empty ,Giovannis was almost full but we managed to get a table . The staff were amazing , incredibly professional and attentive and the food was stunning . I had the lasagne, best I have ever tasted Highly recommend Giovannis

M. D.

Nicest Spag Bol I've ever had. Best Italian in Cardiff.

S. R.

Delicious food, coupled with a warm atmosphere. The staff were very helpful, quickly correcting a couple of minor issues, something to be expected with a group of 31. The Giovonni special pasta is incredible.

J. H.

We have been here a number of times. The food is delicious and the service wonderful, but check your bill! We may have been unlucky, but have now been overcharged twice (when I wasn't paying attention) and had to dispute the bill on a third occasion. With us it is two strikes and out! We will miss not going there.

C. H.

Great family run Italian restaurant, wonderful service and food. Highly rated!

A. B.

I‘ve been there 5 times. I think it is the best restaurant in Wales. Once my spaghetti carbonara smelled like burnt milk (but they changed it immediately) and the price is really high. That’s the reason why they loose one star.

A. P.

Fabulous Italian food and well priced and perfect portion size..

D. R.

Staff were lovely and food fantastic.

L. P.

Excellent lasagne and ravioli. Best Italian we have had in Cardiff by far. Bruschetta and calamari were outstanding. Always great. A little put off that they have an "events" menu. Charging more for the same item just because the is an event being held?!

P. F.

Took our niece for her birthday Sunday. Delicious food, fab wine. Matteo and the staff even sung happy birthday to her! Amazing. Thank you xx

H. F.

THE BEST LASAGNE. I've eaten a lot of lasagne and this is THE best. I'm not going to tell you why, just try the thing and tell me I'm wrong - try me!! The service was impecable. Matteo was incredible and deserves an award - alot of hospitality staff could learn a thing or ten from him. Thank you for making an ordinary dinner, one I will remember forever x

I. A.

Absolutely stunning food and great portion sizes! Lovely atmosphere with attentive staff and not a bad price too. Came here to carb load before a big race and it definitely did the job

T. L.

Beautiful food which was presented beautifully. Friendly efficient staff. Will definitely return on our next trip to Cardiff. Could definitely spend some time looking at all the photos. Thank you all x

C. S.

I can recommend this restaurant to eat at as the service is good, freshly cooked food is amazing and the atmosphere is friendly with a caring service.xx.🙂

C. H.

In my opinion the best Italian restuarant in central Cardiff. Excellant food, fantastic service and great atmosphere. We did pre threatre meal and the place was packed so recommend booking in advance.

D. C. T.

The food and service were excellent

M. D.

A very long standing Italian restaurant in the middle of Cardifc. My friend John and myself had lunch there just before Christmas and it was really delicious. Booking recommended on match days.

J. G. Q.

Great food and great environment

J. B.

Didn’t enjoy my particular meal however was offered a new meal and the manager on site was very accommodating and still wanted to make sure we had a good experience.

N. R.

What a fantastic meal! The Lasagne is absolutely amazing here and i was sorry that i didnt have one all to myself. I ordered whitebait to start and sea bass for main, my partner ordered garlic mushrooms and the Lasagne for main. Be aware the Lasagne is a huge portion but you wont want to leave any. Staff were brilliant and very friendly too. Cant wait to go back and have the Lasagne all to myself.

S. M.

Superb food and very friendly service. Had to be in and out fast, staff were very accommodating even though they were pretty booked up. Great!

F. J.

Incredible restaurant, friendly and professional staff and can't wait to visit again!

r. f.

Excellent restaurant, went there on a Monday evening fairly early and it was still pretty busy. Lovely, friendly and highly efficient staff, extremely tasty food and fair prices.

F. T.

Fantastic food,staff and atmosphere! Ate the from the ridiculously cheap set lunch menu for£13.95 for two courses - starters and mains both superb and plentyful!

T. M.

They we so friendly and they gave me a free cake because it was my birthday. And the food was amazing.

S. S.

Very authentic Italian restaurant. Really very good food. Pasta cooked perfectly. Panna Cotta super. Lively atmosphere. Staff attentive and friendly. Would highly recommend this place and as a visitor to Cardiff glad not to have missed it. Fabulous

A. D.

Excellent restaurant place , went there on a Wednesday afternoon fairly early and it was still pretty busy. Lovely and highly efficient staff, extremely tasty food and fair prices.

R. K.

Excellent service and food once again, thanks Giovanni's

J. F.

Three ladies who lunch dined here. Great food, great service, wonderful staff & reasonably priced. Definitely eat here again.

P. p.

Great service, fantastic food and a brief visit from Giovanni himself. All in all a great evening

S. J.

Lovely food and great service . Though very busy the atmosphere was spot on. Highly recommend.

S. R.

Really enjoyed the food and service was good and not to expensive for a 3 course meal and drinks

J. L.

Mine and the Mrs favourite restaurant, I always have the veal with bacon and mushroom and she has the lasagne both more than satisfied with the food and very quick also to bring the food out (no waiting) every time we are in town we always want to come here! AMAZING!!

A. L.

Steeped in great atmosphere, lovely staff, and always great food, a wonderful Italian experience in the heart of Cardiff!!

A. W.

A great Italian eating experience .. last time in Cardiff we tried but they were absolutely packed .. This time success .. and no regrets ..the chicken cacciatore my personal Italian favourite meal was superb and the rest of the food was brilliant ..all I can say is .. visit when you can .. PS .. the serve is also superb .. a must visit place 👍🍽👍🍷

M. D.

A table for 2 enjoyed a pleasant evening sat downstairs with a nice atmosphere and good tasty food.Generous portions but slightly on the pricey side.Friendly and efficient service.

D. F.

Food was just delicious, service was excellent, wine was perfect and the bill was a pleasant surprise, very reasonable. Shame I live 115 miles away!

N. O.

Food and service was very good, we all enjoyed

C. G.

Lovely food! Great atmosphere, staff are really friendly! Would recommend

S. D.

Superb surroundings traditional decor, Great menu choices, stunning authentic food with generous portions, good wines and brilliant staff - it's now my number 1 choice for Italian food in Wales it beats Jamie's Italian nearby hands down

R. G.

Excellent food but music so loud when had to raise our voices to chat. Service a little slow. Had better nights there before

L. P.

Myself & my husband went there last night, not one bad word to be said. Excellent food excellent atmosphere lovely helpful staff. Will definitely be returning 👍

a. s.

Incredible food and incredible service! Everything from the moment me and my wife walked in to the moment we left, everything was flawless. 10 out of 10

D. S.

Lovely authentic Italian food. Very wholesome, and tasty. Great service also. Very busy, so book in advance.

M. D.

Best Italian Retaurant . Friendly, polite & happy staff. Lemon chello flute ice cream a must. Phone & reserve to avoid disappointment. Food is out of this world awesome.

c. m.

This place does incredible seafood dishes. Very tastey. The owners are usually present and they run a very professional set up. Highly reccomend

S. D.

We were fitted in on international day, which we were very glad for but consequently the food was not as good as other occasions that we have eaten there. We still love it there though!

M. J.

Good food, reasonable prices and friendly service

K. L.

Absolutely amazing. Delicious food and lovely staff 🥰

L. R.

This is one of the best places I've visited lately. A friend of mine invited me to lunch and we came here. Nice decor and good food. Staff was friendly and so helpful!

A. B.

Amazing food and great service! Really loved the ravioli and the mushroom side in garlic butter!

P. D.

Food is lovely but unusually slow service today. Waited 25 minutes after starter plates were collected for our main course to arrive.

A. F.

Wonderful service, food and atmosphere. Lovely place to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Couldn't fault it: perfect.

G. J.

Excellent food, superb service, wonderful atmosphere! 5💫

L. C.

Excellent meal yesterday.staff friendly.the food was just like my nan cooked thank you so much Lisa and Colin

P. P.

Not great costumer service. The food was nice but I saw other people being treated better than me and my family.

H. S.

The best pasta in Cardiff

N. W.

Great restaurant in a great location. The food is great and fresh with great portion sizes. The prices are reasonable. The staff are friendly and helpful.

J. C.

Excellent lunch menu. Great atmosphere very friendly staff. Would highly recommend.

p. w.

Excellent family run establishment.

G. O.

Ordinary food, took ages to ask us what we wanted to drink. Food is ordinary too. Sorry!

T. H. B.

Oood food at reasonable prices, great atmosphere and top class device. Well worth the 5 stars?

j. w.

Love coming to this place. Always have the lasagna and is best I've ever tasted. Would recommend for lunch or evening meals.

K. A.

This restaurant is owned by Giovanni Malacrino. A businessman with many years of running restaurants & bars. The walls are covered by photos of celebrities that have eaten there. A testament to the cuisine

A. J.

Lovely pizza and excellent pasta, wasn't to busy when we arrived so nice fast service.

P. C.

Fantastic quality food for average prices. Only quibble would be occasional lengthy time to order and get bill when busy but it is busy after all.

M. C.

Brilliant! Lovely Italian food with great service and a cosy atmosphere. Happily eat here every night!

D.

Delicious food, big portions, great atmosphere, jolly staff makes enjoyable experience

N. D.

Always a pleasure. Staff are fantastic and the food is amazing.

R. M.

The best carbonara I've had for years. And very generous portions. Helpful, friendly staff

H. O.

Fantastic food and great service. The only negative was that due to covid it was take away only

M. F.

A very friendly place. Really tasty food.

s. w.

Food was excellent, very friendly staff and a great atmosphere

J. B.

Cheesecake was excellent tasted just like grandmother used to make; However be prepared to spend some money and is a bit crowded.

S. M.

Lovely atmosphere, fab food, fast and friendly service ( thank you Darren). We’ll be back!

C. B.

Wonderful Restaurant reminds me of some of the great Italian restaurants I have been to in NYC. Food delicious and authentic. Don't miss out on this one.

A. J. D.

Lovely food, lovely staff, lovely atmosphere

D. E.

Tasty, BIG meal and good, quick service.

A. W.

Excellent food atmosphere really nice staff very friendly loved everything about the place

T. F.

Wonderful staff.I wanted a pasta dish which was not on the menu,told them the ingredients and they obliged with only a slight raising of eyebrows.

J. R.

Wow! Best Italian restaurant ever , staff were professional and attentive , great atmosphere and gorgeous food

N. O.

Great food as always

S.

Best Italian I ever been to. Fantastic food, friendly staff and cozy atmosphere.

K. C.

Authentic Italian food in great surroundings.

C. M.

Lovely meal staffmade you feel so welcome

L. P.

Awesome, good prices, great service

P. L.

Amazing food an service ,the rissoto was as good if not better than I've had in Pescara back soon best Italian food 😁

M. J.

Good food good service. Bit too cramped but worth a visit as some people like the buzz of a busy place

M. R.

Very warm italian welcome. The dishes are excellent with fresh food! Recommanded house !!!

C. C.

Ate here today, fantastic food and brilliant service. Will definitely be back.

P. H.

Beautiful restaurant, amazing food in enormous portions. Had a really comfortable, cosy feel.

T. H.

Super service and lovely Italian speaking staff. Great food, family style, and perfect coffee.

M. R.

Great restaurant 👌

K. D.

Lovely food but go for the main course only as it is so filling. Wine lovely.

E. P.

Very cosy friendly and an authentic look of an Italian resturaunt. Brilliant food and service.

D.

A proper, homely Italian restaurant. Visit and you'll understand why it's the most beloved restaurant in Cardiff.

J. F.

Amazing local Italian restaurant, made to feel very welcome.

S. B.

Outstanding food, piping hot I would highly recommend the Lasagna, very friendly staff, and excellent premises.

A. M.

The worst bolognese I have ever - literally ever - eaten. However, the giovanni pasta was surprisingly good and the service was nice.

A. L.

Very good meal, again, good service even though it was packed, sat outside and enjoyed the moment.

S. H.

Very cosy place....not a lot of room to move around. However the staff are great and the food is delicious. Worth a visit.......

W. W.

Authentic italian atmosphere combined with friendly, funny, fluent italian servers and authentic menu resulted in a very pleasant experience.

n. w.

Good service but not good for food 🤣

K. P.

Good food, good service, independent feel, makes a change from the normal chain "Italian" restaurants.

P. M.

Always excellent. Great atmosphere friendly staff and amazing food.

R. R.

Great little Italian food, loved the pizza, been eating here for many years, always enjoyed the food

C. D.

great place the food is the best ever had 100% the staff are lovely

P. G.

Really good food, friendly staff & lovely atmosphere.

S. J.

Excellent food and proper portions, staff are a laugh.

V. T.

Great food! Always coming back and recommending to friends!

K. M.

Best food ever ❤❤❤ Lovely atmosphere and great service xxx

L. T.

Lots of staff good food maybe served as bit too quick, but nice staff you can talk to

R. B.

Absolutely love giovanni's . The service is great. Food excellent. Lovelyrelaxing atmosphere

M. P.

Brilliant service and atmosphere. Delicious food with really generous portions.

G. L.

Stunning food and lovely staff. Highly recommended.

J. L.

Lovely meal. The affogato was delicious 😋

M. W.

Fabulous food, excellent service and very efficient and friendly staff.

G. C.

Brilliant atmosphere with lovely staff, food to die for, well worth a visit

r. l.

Loved the food, great atmosphere. Would happily go again.

E. G.

Fantastic food, wonderful service, best Italian in Cardiff

j. b.

No 1,restaurant,, top quality food,,excellent service..

b. m.

Had an excellent lunch with super service

S. T.

fab food. great staff. you need to book most times

J. W.

Had a great experience, lovely staff and food even got a goody bag to take home as well, fantastic

K. “. C.

Cardiff institution - never fails to deliver authentic Italian food in decent portions for little money!

H. U.

Nice food reasonable priced, good service but music is too loud

C. S.

Amazing meal, great atmosphere, very cosy and friendly service.

S.

Great food, great authentic atmosphere and very friendly staff.

C. C.

the best lunch time menu ever fantastic food fantastic staff ............5* for everything

M. W.

Lovely food and great service! Would highly reocmmend

E. F.

Food is amazing staff fantastic very warm welcome highly recommend giovanni's

L. R.

Really lovely staff and excellent food, what more do your need. Brilliant.

W. b.

Brilliant! Awesome atmosphere, lively and chatty with great food and service

S. S.

Very good Italian food - and reasonably priced.

M. H.

Had heard great things but was disappointed. Average food and expensive

I. S.

Food is excellent, as is the service. I can't praise enough.

T. J.

Quality freshly cooked food, friendly atmosphere!

Z. S.

amazing can not fault more than amazing food great staff very fast service would recomend :)

R. E.

Excellent food staff and reasonably priced menu

J. H.

Love this restaurant. Authentic Italian cuisine with great atmosphere.

l. m.

Lovely place, great staff, food always 100%

О. М.

Good place. Nice food. But usually busy.

M.

Lovely Italian food, with an exceptional freindly service!

K. G.

Good traditional Italian food at a good price. Efficient service.

A. D.

Superb service, fantastic food

M. B.

Delicious pizza 😋 Very nice and friendly staff 💜🥰

C. B.

Super my 6 the old granddaughter loved it and ate all her pizza!

T. H.

Excellent meal, friendly efficient staff, great evening.

B. B.

I love Giovanni’s always a warm welcome and traditional Italian food

N. J.

Had a wonderful retirement meal here.

i. V.

Best Italian in town. Great food and service, both branches

G. J.

Lovely place. Quality food and pleasent staff.

J. H.

Lovely food great place

M. A. #. #.

Great Atmosphere, great food, helpful and attentive staff. Need I say more.

M. W.

Great service, great food and pleasant atmosphere.

g. p.

Fantastic food with a lovely atmosphere highly recommend it

N. R.

Amazing traditional food with great service and prices

S. P.

Great food, need to book always busy

S. G.

Lovely food. I am fussy about where I eat so recommended

M. P.

Excellent as always huge portions. Great service

s. b.

Best pasta in town, their lasagne is amasing, would totally eat there everyday if I could

M. T.

Lovely food and service. My favourite Italian in the UK!

I. L.

FOOD WAS AMAZING. PLEASE BOOK BEFORE YOU GO. CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO CARDIFF TO EAT HERE AGAIN

L. H.

Beautiful food and wonderful service as always 😁

H. G.

Amazing food amazing staff my favourite place 😁

S. B.

Intimate place with fairly nice food. Staff were very friendly

A. A.

Always good food, staff are great

S. H.

Excellent service to match the excellent menu

R. T.

Great lunch at a very reasonable price

J. M.

Lovely friendly restaurant with great food 😍

W.

Food was good, potions great for the pricing, general good experience!

H. J.

Just great Italian food and wine in the city centre.

K. C.

Lovely restaurant lovely food and staff too

S. T.

Excellent service and great food. Higbly recommend.

G. B.

Visited pre theatre, although says pre theatre menus, seemed reluctant to offer this.

H. C.

Traditional Italian atmosphere, generous starters and good lasagna.

J. M.

Food was wonderful and staff were friendly.

F. S.

Lovely atmosphere and deliscious food. 🕊💖🕊

D.

beautiful food and great staff

E. T.

Great food, generous portions 👍

C. S. N.

Lovely place! Simple, romantic, wonderful food!

W. L.

Good food served hear

A. C.

If in Cardiff this is a must. We had excellent food and service.

S. D.

Very good staffs and very good foods

L. H.

Lovely atmosphere, good food.

J. P.

The only Italian restaurant worth visiting in the city

C. J.

Excellent service all safety measures adhered to .

P. R.

Another fantastic meal

J. D.

The best pasta carbonara I've had in a long time

C. H.

Lovely restaurant, food was outstanding.

R. R.

Why go to a chain Resteraunt when you can have theReal thing at Giovannis

R. H.

Great food and atmosphere, loved it

n. P.

Great food and funny staff!

H. R.

Fab food and excellent service 👌

C. L.

Gorgeous

T. P.

Great food great atmosphere

J. E. (. c.

Best Italian in Cardiff. Authentic, amazing food.

C. H.

Lovely food as always

V. K. K.

Very traditional Italian restaurant..!!.Lovely place..

L. W.

Great customer service. Authentic Italian good

Contact

Photos