Il Giova

Sometimes you just get a hunch on a restaurant. You walk past and immediately stop because what’s happening inside is felt on the pavement. And without knowing anything about it, you have to go in and find out when they can squeeze you in. And you hope your hunch doesn’t disappoint….And it didn’t here. This is food with integrity and character. Like being welcomed into a family kitchen. Dad is chef, mum front of house and youngest son and his childhood friend wait the tables. It’s a small, bustling, ramshackle space offering rustic portions with no pretension. Football commentary drifted unobtrusively from the kitchen. They clearly love what they do and this is expressed in the food they serve (a changing daily menu of florentine classics that I struggled to choose between). I ended up going for Ossobuco Risotto and each rich & melting mouthful made me smile. Brilliant value, inclusive in spirit (they happily welcomed a single diner on a packed evening) and about as authentic as you can get. I came here twice in a week and would go back at the drop of a hat, next time in Firenze.

If I die tomorrow, let it be known that my final moment of true bliss occurred in a modest corner of Florence, inside the gastronomic temple that is Il Giova. This wasn’t dinner. This was divine intervention with a side of carbs. I ordered the Pici with Duck Ragu, innocently unaware that I was about to experience pasta transcendence. One bite in, and I swear I blacked out briefly—either from joy or because my soul momentarily left my body to ascend to a higher plane of flavor. The Pici: thick, hand-rolled, each noodle hugging the duck ragu like it knew this was its life’s purpose. And the ragu? Oh, mamma mia. Rich, deep, meaty – like the duck had spent its days bathing in Chianti and listening to opera. As I tried to recover, the Tiramisu arrived, floating to the table as if carried by cherubs. Light as a cloud, creamy as a Florentine dream, and just boozy enough to whisper, “You’re on vacation – have another bite.” I did. Many bites. I regret nothing. And let’s talk service: warm, attentive, and somehow telepathic. They knew what I needed before I did. Water? Already pouring. Wine? Already breathing. Existential crisis about whether I’ll ever eat this well again? They offered more bread. To finish, a cherry wine that was so good I briefly considered moving to Italy, changing my name to Giovanni, and dedicating my life to hunting down the recipe. It was sweet, tart, and had just enough kick to say, “Yes, you really did just have the best meal of your trip.” If I could bottle the experience and sell it, I’d be rich and morally conflicted. But since I can’t, I’ll just say: go to Il Giova. Run, don’t walk. Take a friend, take a lover, take your therapist. Just go. Your taste buds will write you thank-you notes for years.

Stumbled across this restaurant by chance on my first night in Florence after visiting another restaurant where the food was ok. This place was so busy, every seat inside and outside was taken - so I thought to myself I’ll be back again on my last night. This restaurant, their food did not disappoint! We didn’t have a reservation, so we got there at 7:30pm, in hope we will get a table for 3 people and we did! For food we ordered the following: Fried duck egg with truffle Pasta with truffle Pasta with clams Pasta with white rabbit sauce Rabbit Beef with mushrooms (not pictured) Tiramisu The pasta dishes were incredible. I ate the pasta with truffle and pasta with clams - they were just so good. Cooked to perfection and the flavours were just right. My friends who ordered the pasta with white rabbit sauce, rabbit and beef with mushrooms all praised how delicious the food was! We paired the food with limoncello spritz (it was strong the drink! ) and ended the dinner with classic tiramisu which was just as delicious! Service was friendly and attentive. The man (wearing with glasses) who served us was very lovely and funny! This restaurant is away from the hustle and bustle of Florence therefore a lot of the diners are local and I can honestly see why they are so busy because the food is incredible. This whole meal will live rent free in my head forever and I hope to be back again to eat at this restaurant again!

I’m not sure why it took us so long to try Il Giova. We visit Florence every year, always stay in this neighborhood, and have walked past it countless times without a second thought — big mistake. This small, unassuming, family-run spot is exactly the kind of authentic experience everyone claims they’re searching for. The menu changes daily, everything is fresh, and the atmosphere is wonderfully local. In fact, we were the only tourists in the place; everyone else was clearly a regular, which tells you everything you need to know. The food was simple, delicious, and priced more than fairly — the kind of meal that reminds you why Florence is such a joy to return to year after year. Don’t walk past Il Giova the way we did. Go in, sit down, and enjoy the real deal.

Favorite restaurant in Firenze. It's very small, so get reservations. Owners/staff are really friendly and the menu is updated daily so there is always new things to try. We ended up eating here 3x!! Try the Filet. Perfectly cooked, juicy, delicious.

Second time coming here absolutely love it as usual. However do not trust the old lady. She told us we were gonna be fine with 2 primi and a secondi to share. We were so stuffed! Jokes aside this should be taken as a comment on the nice size of the portions and the friendliness of the staff and not a negative.

Such a great dinner. We got the fried mushrooms (in season), hare pasta, and buttery truffle pasta. So flavorful, large portions, and hearty. The owner was extremely friendly and walked around table to table to recommend dishes or chat with returning customers. I would love to come back here one day. It was a cozy and memorable dinner.

Great restaurant and a favorite of ours in Florence. Owners are really friendly and helpful. Food is top notch. We had fried porcini to start. Pastas were great, simplicity at its best. And pulpo to finish was tender to the bite and so flavorful!