Restaurateur Giovanni Francescotti bought himself loads of goodwill simply by eliminating the garish exterior of the former Chu/Layl'a Rul space between Midtown restaurants Boundry and South Street. Instead Franscescotti keeps to a tasteful Tuscan theme both inside and out at Giovanni, the opulent two-story Italian restaurant he opened in late November 2008. It's an offshoot of the northern Italian native's 15-year-old Manhattan restaurant of the same name, which closed in spring 2009. A frequent Nashville visitor through the years, Francescotti brings both big-city aspirations - and, it could be argued - big-city prices to Italian cooking, with $20-plus for pasta dishes. A fine plate of pasta it is, though. And the restaurant's service staff should satisfy diners in the mood to be pampered. Other menu highlights: risotto with lamb shank, orrechiette (ear-shaped pasta with Italian sausage, cauliflower and fennel seeds), beef short ribs, salumi (cured meats) and sausage and peppers appetizers, and tiramisu for dessert. And the bar serves a mean made in-house limoncello. Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Sat-Sun brunch 11 am-4 pm.
ADDRESS
909 20th Ave S,
Nashville, TN 37212
LOCALEATS AWARDS
Top 100 Restaurant
DESCRIPTION
Restaurateur Giovanni Francescotti bought himself loads of goodwill simply by eliminating the garish exterior of the former Chu/Layl'a Rul space between Midtown restaurants Boundry and South Street. Instead Franscescotti keeps to a tasteful Tuscan theme both inside and out at Giovanni, the opulent two-story Italian restaurant he opened in late November 2008. It's an offshoot of the northern Italian native's 15-year-old Manhattan restaurant of the same name, which closed in spring 2009. A frequent Nashville visitor through the years, Francescotti brings both big-city aspirations - and, it could be argued - big-city prices to Italian cooking, with $20-plus for pasta dishes. A fine plate of pasta it is, though. And the restaurant's service staff should satisfy diners in the mood to be pampered. Other menu highlights: risotto with lamb shank, orrechiette (ear-shaped pasta with Italian sausage, cauliflower and fennel seeds), beef short ribs, salumi (cured meats) and sausage and peppers appetizers, and tiramisu for dessert. And the bar serves a mean made in-house limoncello.
ADDITIONAL INFO
Full bar. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Sat-Sun brunch 11 am-4 pm.