I was taken here for lunch a little while back by one of the beloved physicians I worked for. He was retiring and this was his favorite restaurant. He has since passed and anytime I hear of Giovanni's I think of him.
I'm very picky when it comes to Italian food and usually will never choose to eat in an Italian restaurant. That's not the case with Giovanni's. I would choose to eat here.... if I were richer and wasn't such a rock 'n roll, blue collar kinda girl.
The food is delicious and inventive. I sampled a few different dishes. The caprese salad and caesar salads were fresh and delicious. I had veal and it was scrum-diddly-umptious! (I'm sorry baby cow) My sister had a pasta dish that was also tasty. These dishes really couldn't have been any better.
Service is impeccable. I don't think I've had better, in fact.
The owner or manager - I'm not sure which - was very present and made sure that everyone was taken care of. Really top notch.
That said, this is totally your stereotypical hoity-toity place that you would see in movies. There were several tables of fabulously dressed older women who could have been in the "ladies who lunch" club. I had the pleasure of being in the restroom while some of them were in there. They were complaining about the bathrooms being "terrible" because there was no attendant. That didn't bother me! I'm capable of getting my own paper towels.
Probably a good first date type of restaurant if that's your thing.
Another reviewer said the ambiance could be described as "grown up and dignified" - very well put.