[Bay Kid]

It is going to be great to have another fine restaurant in The Villages. Enjoy Giovanni's now Roberto's!

[New Englander]

When does it open?

[Sage327]

Originally Posted by Bay Kid

It is going to be great to have another fine restaurant in The Villages. Enjoy Giovanni's now Roberto's!

I wouldn’t call Giovanni’s fine dining. It’s a pizza place with passable Italian food. And since they are brothers I wonder how much better Roberto’s will be.

[TedfromGA]

Originally Posted by New Englander

When does it open?

July 25

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by Kathy327

I wouldn’t call Giovanni’s fine dining. It’s a pizza place with passable Italian food. And since they are brothers I wonder how much better Roberto’s will be.

The Bay Child did NOT call it fine dining.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

The Bay Child did NOT call it fine dining.

So, a restaurant can be fine, but not have fine dining?

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

So, a restaurant can be fine, but not have fine dining?

Absolutely.

[Mleeja]

Giovanni's is a very fine restaurant! May not be the finest of interior to make it fine dining. If Roberto's is as fine as Giovanni's, the folks in the southern climes of The Villages will have a fine choice!

[New Englander]

Originally Posted by Mleeja

Giovanni's is a very fine restaurant! May not be the finest of interior to make it fine dining. If Roberto's is as fine as Giovanni's, the folks in the southern climes of The Villages will have a fine choice!

That's fine with me.

[xcaligirl]

Everybody bragged to me about them so we finally tried it for lunch. I wouldn't say bad but I certainly never returned. I didn't care for it and either did my husband and friends. Knowing they're brothers, I doubt if I will try Roberto's.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by xcaligirl

Everybody bragged to me about them so we finally tried it for lunch. I wouldn't say bad but I certainly never returned. I didn't care for it and either did my husband and friends. Knowing they're brothers, I doubt if I will try Roberto's.

Haven't been there.


Any additional review info???..........what did you both have and was there something missing to the taste??




Thanks

[Chatbrat]

Know your audience, if you come from an environment with zero ethnic restaurants, what you think is fine is mediocre to people with different experiences-

[BK001]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Know your audience, if you come from an environment with zero ethnic restaurants, what you think is fine is mediocre to people with different experiences-

This is so true.

Originally Posted by dewilson58

. . .Any additional review info???..........what did you both have and was there something missing to the taste??

At Giovanni's I'm not crazy about most of the menu items however the fried calamari is excellent, it is hand-cut and breaded at the restaurant and it is far superior to that which we had at Sammy's. Yet the tomato/marinara sauce which is served on the side is inconsistent. Some days it is very good and other days it almost tastes burnt. The salad is always fresh and crispy, and they make their own dinner garlic rolls fresh daily which are served with every meal.

I commented to a waitress that our experiences at Giovanni's are inconsistent and she told us that it all depends upon who is in the kitchen. (She even said to avoid the pizza on Mondays - honestly LOL) .

After 3 years here, our standards are lowering, little by little. If not we would never eat out. One of the side effects of my recent medical treatments is extreme fatigue and quite frankly, I just don't always want to cook).

[B-flat]

Originally Posted by Chatbrat

Know your audience, if you come from an environment with zero ethnic restaurants, what you think is fine is mediocre to people with different experiences-

You said a mouthful there. We are snowbirds who live in an area where there are a large number of Italians, there’s also the Johnson and Wales Culinary school. We have 3 excellent Italian restaurants each about a half mile from where we live. Head out a few miles in any direction and there quite a few more. WE have not found anything in the Villages/Ocala area that come close to what we are used to. We like Giovanni’s it is what it is but cannot compare to what we have where we live most of the year. At home we would never go to Olive Garden but when we’re in TV we go at least a couple of times during our 5 month stay.

[jimmemac]

All of this on a pizza place that hasn't even opened yet!