Trattoria Il Giova

Update for Trattoria Il Giova: We had the pleasure of dining at Il Giova again this year for the first time in a long time and it did not disappoint! I found out that the ownership changed right around the time we left Florence (over 10 years ago!), but another family took over the business and it is running it in the same friendly way.
We enjoyed our meal and conversation with the new owners and some other diners that were obviously regular customers. The room was packed and vibrant, and the food was great - we shared a fritto misto and each had spaghetti vongole. For a fun, inexpensive, and memorable meal, I highly recommend Trattoria Il Giova!
This is our original post about Il Giova, it is quite old but still stands:
We found a great restaurant last night, Trattoria Il Giova. By great, I mean very good food, reasonable prices, and friendly service. Definitely my kind of place - much more of a bistro than a fancy restaurant. It seemed to be family run - we weren't sure but it looked liked just the dad/owner/chef was in the kitchen preparing all the hot food himself. Two more women ran the room - one was mostly the waitress, the other prepared the salads and desserts (it is just one tiny room and we did see some people turned away - calling for a reservation is probably a good idea).
The menu staple appeared to be the filet mignon - it was offered several ways. I had the pepe verde sauce. It was a massive, tender, seared piece of very tender beef, smothered in a rich pepper cream mustard sauce. It was awesome. Ellen had the filetto alla griglia which was also great - hers came with a side of blanched spinach which was fresh and perfectly cooked. Our friend had the pork filet with carmelized onions and a wine poached pear. My first course was crostini Toscano - with the added twist of 2 little bricks of polenta that were deep fried, one topped with liver pate, and the other a razor thin slice of lardo. Again, excellent and unexpected - one of the first times I have had this Tuscan staple with any flair given to the dish. Ellen's first course was a pasta with zucchini flower and truffle sauce which she enjoyed (as did I - the dish was huge and really too much for a first course).
We were having such a good time that we all had dessert too - I would say they were good to very good. I really was too full and should have skipped it. Some of the things we saw that we must go back for - gnocchi in a cream sauce with crsipy pancetta on top, mussels, and a fritto misto of chicken, rabbit and vegetables. I would think that a couple could have dinner here for as little as 30 € with a bottle a wine. The most 2 people might spend is maye 70 €. That is pretty hard to do in this town right now, and it is more amazing at a place that is as good as this.
Comments:
Last update:
What's New?
-
Tracey Emin: Sex and Solitude
Apr 2, 2025
-
April in Florence : Aprile a Firenze
Apr 1, 2025
-
Piazza Signoria Hotels & Apartments
Apr 1, 2025
-
Piazza Signoria Webcam
Apr 1, 2025
-
Florence Airport
Mar 29, 2025
Top experiences in and around Florence:
Some links to external websites may be affiliate links (hotel bookings, guide books, activities, etc.). Using these services helps to support our efforts here with no additional costs to the user (you!).