Giovannis Trattoria

This place is a gem. Probably my favorite restaurant for some nice Italian food. I recommend anything out of the brick oven (pizza, calamari, burrata, fish) as the Chef (Alex) is amazing and always makes something delicious. Kitchen in the back isn’t far behind, as the pastas and other classic Italian dishes are nothing but great. In addition, they always have great specials that are always a option to get. They recently remodeled and have a great atmosphere. The staff is extremely friendly and they make everyone feel welcome. They never rush, and are overall great for a nice, classic Italian dinner. My family and I visit often, at least once a month and are never disappointed.

Can’t say enough about the place. Excellent service from Jimmy our waiter and fabulous food.

Only positive was friendly service. Had the Baby Calzones appetizer. It was fried bread with no ricotta and a little mozzarella. Eggplant rollatini appetizer was bitesize. Tomato sauce was dominated by a tomato paste taste. This was all disappointing, Chicken parm was overly breaded. Fried onions had no taste. Steak was not prepared to order.

Went to Giovanni’s trattoria for dinner. Very nice place for a family dinner. The pizza menu is very diverse with lots of choices I’ve never seen anywhere else. Plus pastas and entrees with familiar favorites.
We ordered the fried calamari and it was perfect. The nightly specials sounded delicious but I ordered a personal pizza with eggplant, cherry tomatoes and goat cheese. It was fantastic. Even my four year old daughter loved her pizza. She enjoyed been able to watch the pizzas cook in the brick oven.
They also had drinks specials.
The owners and staff treat you like friends. I’ll be going back soon. I can’t wait to see the new patio when it’s finished.

My first time at this place. Comfy, cozy atmosphere. Amazing food, I had little purses filled with bites of heaven in a cream sauce. Fantastic staff, very patient, friendly & accommodating. We literally closed the place down & not once did I feel like they were throwing us out. Delicious Bombay martini, brava to the bartender. Definately recommend, will definately be back again.

Went to this place on a recommendation from a friend he said it would be so good if thank him.
Thankfully I won’t be going back.
The people are nice the service is good but the food is not great.
The apps we had mozzarella in corrozza, buffalo mozzarella and an original pizza.
The pizza was soggy and flavorless. The other two things were good.
Egg plant parm was dry and had almost no sauce.
Spaghetti and meatballs — meatballs were dry and horrible.
Rigatoni with meat sauce was ok
Veal saltimboca dry and flavorless.
Sad because we were amped up for a good Italian meal. We left hungry and not satisfied.

This was our first time here. It has been recommended to us by a few people as their favorite place. It didn’t disappoint! Good is excellent. Atmosphere is very nice. Short walk from the train helps with parking. Service was nice.

excellent service, delicious crispy yet chewy pizza.

I went with a friend for my birthday. We did not have to wait very long although outside seating takes longer. We had appetizers and pizza. The zucchini sticks were amazing as was the fried calamari. The pizza came out after and was delicious. I would recommend this place to a friend. The wait staff was more than accommodating and the food is great.

My Husbamd and I frequent Giovanni’s Tratoria often. We havent brought anyone there that did not love it. The food is top notch. Last night we had the Steak special that was delicious. Ive had just about everything on the menu and have never been disapointed. They have outdoor seating in the summer and their staff and owners are always friendly and make you feel at comfortable. Full bar with nice wine selections and sangria. Their Pizza is great too!

I always love coming here. The place is so welcoming and the staff is so great. If there is something you want that is not on the menu, don’t worry they will accommodate you. This place is the best. I love love love their bread!!!

I had to update my review. I went there two more times after my first. Have to give it 5 stars. Food is consistently amazing! Oh and they remodeled… cute and cozy atmosphere and great service, I’d totally go back. Not sure what took us so long to get over there!

I ate here tonight with my sister. We’ve never been there before and always pass by. We ordered 2 glasses of wine, a Caesar salad, and two 14 in pizzas. The food was delicious! The pizzas were fresh and tasted incredible. We sat outside because the weather was nice and our server was great. The owner came over and introduced himself which was very nice. I showed the waiter that I checked in on Unilocal and was eligible for 1 free glass of wine and the owner took off both glasses. I would definitely recommend this place!

Rarely is Italian actually Italian. This isn’t the regular pizza place you can find on almost every New York city corner. The food is always fresh and the pizza is made of real imported ingredients! The owner is always on the premises and takes great pride in his «real pizza.» The burrata alone is worth the price of the verrezanno (I’m a Brooklyn foodie). Definitely a place I will come back to.

Love this place and the people in it! It’s all remodeled and renewed and fresh! You can’t get food like this anywhere else!!! Pure Italian! Staten Island’s newest hot spot!

Solid Italian fare with nice brick oven pizzas. The atmosphere is old school, relaxed Italian-​American; checkered red table clothes, old framed photos on the wall, etc. The staff is lovely and the environment is less crowded than nearby establishments serving the same type of menu. Good for a casual lunch when you’re in the Eltingville area.

From the moment you walk in the door you’re made to feel like you are family. Listening to all the customer coming in & out of the restaurant only confirmed to me that they felt the same way. Now let’s talk about the food because I was blown away! An absolute must try is the burrata, prosciutto with arugula appetizer. Literally the creamiest burrata cheese I’ve ever had, coupled with delicately seasoned tomatoes tossed with incredible olive oil, lightly toasted Italian bread, topped with imported prosciutto laying on a bed of arugula. Each ingredient in and of itself was of the highest quality. Incredible. We had our whole family there so many of the dishes were sampled. I was so delightfully surprised not only of how delicious these dishes were but of the quality ingredients used. The pizza was superb. Thin crust, amazing combination of toppings which marry so well together, baked in a brick oven, OMG delicious. Try the Giovanni’s pie with truffle oil and the shrimp pesto, they were both absolutely incredible.
My picky son tried the tilapia and would have licked the plate if I let him.
This will be a regular place for me and my family and one that I will recommend to all my friends who enjoy and appreciate great food and a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Giovannis –one of the great hidden gems on Staten island. the Brick oven Pizza is awesome ! Usually go with half pesto shrimp and half margarita. All the appetizers (especially mini calzones) are always great. They have a grilled calamari dish with oil and pasta. That is my go to dish. It is so fresh and melts in your mouth. The staff and the owners are very nice and accomodating. I’m always excited to come back here –the service is outstanding. One of the best pizza places in SI.

When you step off the train in Elingville and you want a cocktail before heading home, you have two choices.
Joyces Tavern or Giovannis Café,
…and when it’s a beautiful sun drench early evening
The bright orange umbrellas of Giovannis patio beckon you over for a relaxing alfresco experience.
But that’s not exactly what you get.
The patio area is large enough,
But the tables are covered in cheap red & white check plastic covers that appeared to be reused from some pizzeria in the 80’s.
The hedges around the perimeter have been allowed to grow so large that you don’t have a view and it feels claustrophobic.
There’s nothing that makes the space inviting or exciting,
it needs a Makeover !
I know the S55 bus stops right there, and maybe there trying to shield you from that.
However there’s not many restaurants on SI that have outdoor seating,
I say Embrace the Street Scene, and you would have a better experience.
The bartender did make a competent cocktail.

Pros: Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella was Excellent (although a bit overpriced). Tasty fresh desserts. Service was friendly and attentive. Attractive, clean & casual dining room. Cons: All of our entrees (pasta dishes) were bland & disappointing. Parking at dinner time is difficult. Charging for every soda served in tiny glasses seemed chintzy.
All in all, I might give it another try for pizza. No bargain to be found here.