When the Moon Hits Your Eye

Giovanni's Ristorante in Woodland Hills

Have you ever met one of those Italians who doesn't really like to eat at Italian restaurants? Nothing can compare to their family's cooking and you'll never catch them ordering a red sauce because marinara is far too sacred. To an Italian, places like the Olive Garden are considered blasphemous.  Have you ever met someone like that?

I happen to be one of those picky Italians that I'm talking about.

I've lived in Los Angeles and away from my family for almost 15 years now and I've lightened up a little bit when it comes to scrutinizing Italian eateries (or joints as my dad would say). I still tend to raise an eyebrow when someone insists they know of an "authentic" place that I must try. I'm usually disappointed, but I am too polite to let them know. Besides, they meant well. And they didn't grow up with my dad's sauce. This is why I am happy to share a little gem of a place that we discovered. An authentic, Italian restaurant that will not only make Italians happy, but is also BABY FRIENDLY. My father would be so proud.

Giovanni's Ristorante in Woodland Hills is family owned and operated specializing in cuisine from Southern Italy. The small, dimly lit restaurant with the Dean Martin animated singing doll at the entrance is cozy and their tables fill up quickly. It's best to make a reservation, but chances are they will find a way to make you feel at home even if you just walk in. We called about 20 minutes beforehand to see if they could accommodate four adults and a baby. They graciously accepted our last minute reservation and had our table ready and waiting for us when we arrived. Four adults and a… What's this?? Butcher paper underneath the high chair?? I’m in heaven (if you haven't read my other articles on dining out, I have a thing about messes in public).

There aren't very many restaurants around that make their guests feel as if they are a part of the family and welcomed into their home – babies and all. The owner stopped by our table to tell us the specials and chat as if we were old friends. He also made a point to pay a little extra attention to Ava. Giovanni's warm and friendly hospitality only adds to the incredible cuisine. I'm not going to get into how great their food is. I'm going to leave that to Dave and Bianca over at DiningInLA.com who accompanied us at dinner. All I'm going to say is this Italian was a happy girl. And a happy mom.

Giovanni's Ristorante - Menu
21926 Ventura Blvd.
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
(818) 884-0243