Giovanni's

The picturesque entrance to Giovanni's.

Look out Anthony’s. Move over Mangia. There’s a new Italian restaurant in Plattsburgh and it’s got all the others beat. Giovanni’s Trattoria not only serves up tasty gourmet Italian; it also showcases one of the most intimate, comfortable, and romantic atmospheres in town.

The entire restaurant, with its rich wood bar, leather-covered menus of textured paper, burgundy covered chairs, ivory accents, and ambient light make patrons feel as if they are in an upscale Italian restaurant, which is exactly where they are. The menu’s entrees are in Italian, which can be intimidating. But most guests are content to do the ever-popular point-to-the-entrée-to-order trick.

The first thing that catches your eye when you get to Giovanni’s is the breadbasket. A basket of homemade, freshly-baked, warm bread is set before you, along with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar. If you manage to make your way through all the sumptuous herb and cheese bread, your server kindly asks if you would like more. That’s right folks, not only is it the best bread you’ve ever tasted, but you can have as much as you can stomach.

The trattoria, which is Italian for tavern or informal restaurant, serves up appetizers, salads, desserts, and wonderful espresso. Dishes include such classic favorites as linguine with clams and a white wine sauce, pasta primavera, and fettuccine alfredo. They also serve such exotic dishes as veal in a chianti sauce, salmon served in a parsley sauce, and chicken with portabella mushrooms in a red wine sauce.

Portions are generous; don’t expect to have room for dessert. But if you do manage to save room, you are faced with the dilemma of choosing between tiramisu, cannoli, fudge cookie cake and other mouthwatering choices.

Prices are fair; they run from the $10 pasta dish to the $20 veal entree. While the layout of the dining area allows for diners to maintain a sense of intimacy there is one downfall. In the main dining area is a very much-misplaced door in the front of the restaurant that many rude patrons use to exit, blasting their fellow diners with cold air. The removal of this door could lead to not only the comfort of the diners, but enough room for another table. Management take note.

Overall the experience at Giovanni’s is worth it. If you’re looking for a great place for an anniversary dinner or just nice restaurant where you can have a decent meal for a night out, Giovanni’s is your new place to go

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