[Invite] – click here

Back in 2023, a chap called Giovanni took over Charlie’s on Burleigh Street to have a go at making his own authentic Italian restaurant.

There are many great independent Italian restaurants in Cambridge. This is great for the people of the city but it also makes it incredibly hard for new Italian restaurants to stand out.

Prior to my first visit, I had walked down Burleigh Street dozens of times without noticing it was there but after a spontaneous and unexpected visit a few months ago, I was thoroughly impressed by their handmade and freshly prepared wood-fire pizzas. So much so, in fact, that I ranked their pizzas very highly on my ‘Simon’s Quest‘ pizza table).

I was delighted to be invited by Giovanni himself (along with many of the other local food bloggers) to his first launch event. I was keen to return for their great pizzas but it was also an opportunity to learn more about the restaurant and see how Giovanni was going to distinguish himself from the other Italian restaurants in the city.

Giovanni’s isn’t just a pizzeria but it also doubles up as a cafe. This gives the place a casual feel when compared to other formal restaurants. It is an ideal place to hang out with friends during the day or go out for dinner at night. It’s a restaurant for all occasions and times of the day.

The large windows running along both walls let in lots of light and the outside seating is perfect for the hot weather. There are a ton of interesting things to appreciate at Giovanni’s that really add character and personality to your experience. Most notably, a giant light up bear and a live Instagram counter that tells you how many followers Giovanni’s has  (it really works too, as I unfollowed them to test it and the counter went down and then back up again when I refollowed 🤣).

We started off with a few nibbles and drinks. Birra Moretti is served on tap and the Aperol Spritz was flowing. If you pop in for a beer like I did last time, you’ll be presented with popcorn and peanuts to snack on, which I thought was a nice touch.

Sardinian wines are also available, adding that personal touch from Mr Giovanni’s roots.

I was far too busy focusing on video recording for the Cambridge Foodies Instagram page to remember that I also had a blog to write 🤦‍♂️ This resulted in me forgetting to take a shot of the antipasti board but you can watch the video  above.

The board came with a selection of Italian cheeses, charcuterie (cold cuts of deli meat) and a rather fetching olive centerpiece. The olives were pipless and quite small but in abundance. Between the 6 of us, we couldn’t finish the bowl. The meat was absolutely gorgeous! As was the cheese. I was particularly fond of an Italian blue cheese called dolcelata that reminded me of the British blue Stilton with a brie texture.

It was great to see an open plan kitchen on full display in the middle of the restaurant. It is always reassuring and great fun being able to watch your pizza being handmade from scratch.

I ordered one of their signature pizzas, the “Dr Johnny”. There are two sizes of pizza available and this was small.

The Dr Johnny had a tomato sauce base, mozzarella fior di latte (a type of mozzarella made with cows milk), smoked mozzarella, black olives, spicy pepperoni and my personal favourite…n’duja (a spreadable spicy sausage). This was then topped off with chilli oil and rocket.

The crust was absolutely perfect and cooked for exactly the right amount of time, leading to a satisfyingly light dough that still had a slight crispiness.

I didn’t think the pizza was overly spicy and the n’duja was more subtle than I was expecting but it had a mild warmth that was still very welcome.

Overall, the pizza was very similar to my previous visit. The ingredients didn’t stand out individually but worked together in harmony to create a whole flavour bigger than the sum of their parts. A true Italian delicacy and a subtlety sometimes lost on many in the UK.

My guest had a pizza with sausage, mushroom and the dolcelata blue cheese from earlier. She thought it was the perfect size for her and said she would happily order it again. I must admit, it looked fantastic!

We ended the evening with a tiramisu presented in a lovely dessert glass. I got the option of having it with coffee or without (which I presume means caffeinated or not?). It was a good take on the classic dessert and a decent portion. It was smooth, subtle, and light.

Conclusion

Giovanni’s offers a fun and relaxed place to share a pizza or a cup of coffee with friends and family. The restaurant appears to take itself less seriously than other Italian establishments, with its quirky interior and easy going atmosphere.

There is one area that Mr Giovanni does take seriously however, the food. The pizzas are made fresh to order right in front of you in their open plan kitchen. This gives you reassurance of quality (and hygiene) but also results in a truly beautiful pizza with an intricate and nuanced balance of flavours.

The staff are incredibly warm and always take the time to get to know you. I got the impression that if I became a regular here that I would quickly turn into one of their regular faces with my very own “usual”.

I look forward to returning again.

Thanks for reading