Casa Giovanni&Marina — Restaurant in Guanajuato

A group of us had been wanting to try Giovanni & Marinas for months, but due to busy travel schedules, illness, etc. we hadn't gotten around to it. We were finally able to dine there this evening and it was absolutely fabulous. From the minute we sat down we felt like we were being welcomed into someone's home in the Italian countryside. Giovanni was the consummate host, seating us and taking our drink orders quickly, but also chatting with us and making us feel at home. While we were enjoying our drinks (mineral water, Italian red wine, and beer for me) we could see Marina making the pasta in the open kitchen--it doesn't get any fresher than that.

Giovanni & Marina's has a set menu every week and reservations are required. This week's menu started with bruschetta topped with homemade ricotta, honey, and fresh herbs. It was incredible, the ricotta was light and rich and the honey blended with it perfectly. This was a perfect appetizer.

The pasta dish was tagliatelle with trentino ragu. It was a rich meat sauce that went perfectly with fresh pasta. We each received a large bowl and it would have been plenty, but Marina brought out a huge bowl and placed it on the table family style. I think everyone in our party had seconds (or more). The pasta dish was accompanied by some delicious focaccia along with olive oil and a rich balsamic for dipping.

The main course was Tuscan chicken. The crispy skin and moist and tender chicken was topped with a wonderful sauce and perfectly sauteed mushrooms. The chicken was accompanied by rosemary potatoes, crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked throughout.

At this point we were all feeling stuffed, but I was eagerly anticipating dessert. It was a panna cotta topped with a rich caramel sauce and served with cute little umbrellas. The texture was light and creamy and and the portion size was perfect.

As we enjoyed our dessert, Giovanni surprised us with some homemade limoncello. We had a group toast and it was a fantastic end to a truly amazing meal.

Dining at Giovanni and Marina's is more like an intimate dinner at a friend's house than a typical restaurant experience. It truly is a magical experience and we are already planning to return soon.

Casa Giovanni is located about 15-20 minutes outside SMA near the little village of Cieneguita. They are open Thursday through Sunday from 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM....

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to have a home-cooked meal in the countryside in Italy, you’ll be on the ‘I get it page’ pronto. Casa Giovanni&Marina is so authentic (both are from Rica Del Garda, Trentino) you’d swear you were in the old country. What's on my mind, ITALY with memories of my friend Umberto Menghi's “Villa Delia di Umberto Hotel & Cooking School” in the picturesque village Ripoli do Lari, in the Tuscany region. Now transport yourself to a modest house and small vineyard twenty minutes outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mx, and BAM! Here you are at Casa Giovanni&Marina - Bella Italia! The wine Morellino de Scansano not quite as refined as my personal favorite, Brunello di Montalcino, but a perfect blend of flavors for this rustic meal of warm Eggplant and vegetables, Devine fresh baked bread, mushroom-ricotta tortolini in butter and parmagano-reggiano, in- paper thin in-home cured beef carpaccio, follows by a fruit costarta and of course a little Grapa to finish. Some who have visited here chefs, and notable food critics have declared this 'The most traditional Trentino meal you will find. And the best Italian ristorante anywhere in San Miguel - molto bene! The PG happily agrees and would strongly recommend you call for a reservation velocemente. Open: 1-8pm Th,Fri,Sat&Sun. Five Silver 🥄🥄🥄🥄🥄’s is what you’ll get in the way of vibe, tastes your mother, if she were Italian would serve, the warmth of familia Giovanni ( San Miguel Jack’s friend aka Mick Jagger, sweet Marina and handsome son Nicholas) in service and hospitality A gastronomical memory that will stay with you for a very long time. Enough said, it’s time for a siesta ~ Dolci sogni d'Italia in...

This is a really cool venue. It's an excellent representation of going for dinner in a country inn should be. The space reminds me of what I saw in Italy or Europe, is intimate, very charming, with an open kitchen where one can see the chef making fresh pasta - really fresh pasta. The smells as the food are being prepared waft your way which graciously creates excitement at what's to come. The few wines on the list are superb and pair well with the meal. For our experience, we had mussels which were delicious. My favorite part here was the bread which was amazing. Dipping that bread into the mussels broth was an experience in and of itself. Second course was fresh pasta - we saw the chef make it for us. It was perfectly cooked and lightly sauced with mushrooms and sausage. The main course was good but let's skip to the dessert. A sort of mousse of Nutella served with a rosemary liquor. Really amazing it was. My takeaway here is that the place is quite charming. The food is really good, although I wish there were at least entree options. Maybe two choices. The wines are quite delicious and well thought out. It's a great value. Ours was $550 pesos for the food plus the wine(s) which were well priced. I would go again in a heartbeat. The only downside if there is one, it requires a car to get to. But that little inconvenience creates a special, unique,...