Dining At Don Giovanni Manchester Restaurant | A Review
In my constant hunt to find the best authentic Italian restaurant in Manchester to remind me of home, I’d always known there was one restaurant situated in the heart of the city that I had yet to try. Recently, on a family night out, I finally had the opportunity to visit Don Giovanni, the well-known independently owned Italian restaurant that has been operating since 1984.
After booking a table for 7 on a cold Wednesday night, my family and I booked a big black cab headed to Oxford Street.
I finally went to the restaurant that prides itself on its ‘cucina italiana’ with high hopes and a deep hunger to satisfy.
Here is my honest Don Giovanni restaurant review.
Inside Don Giovanni Restaurant.
We arrived at Don Giovanni at 8 pm on the dot and were immediately directed to our table by a staff member.
The first noticeable thing was just how busy the restaurant was. It was unexpectedly busy for a Wednesday night which further reinforced just how popular of a spot Don Giovanni restaurant is in Manchester.
The space was elegant and warm, and the atmosphere was initially inviting and cosy. The lights were soft and dimmed very low and while that made for a very romantic ambience, it turned out to be a bit of an inconvenience when my father struggled to read the menu and needed the help of a phone flashlight to do so. Hence, maybe it was a little too dark in there…
The chatter of busy tables and moving plates echoed in the background but so did the music playing through the speaker, which at times during the night felt a little too loud to allow for seamless wholesome conversations amongst ourselves.
The Dishes At Don Giovanni Restaurant.
We took a while to order because we somehow always do and when the time finally came, we placed our order for starters, mains and a bit more. This is what we ordered.
Rachy’s table.
PANE ALL’AGLIO (Garlic bread plain)
CALAMARI
TAGLIATELLE GAMBERONI E ZUCCHINE
PENNE ARRABIATTA
SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
SPAGHETTI E VONGOLE
RISOTTO AI FUNGHI
LASAGNA
RISOTTO DI MARE
CHIPS
ROAST POTATOES
SKY HIGH (Mocktail)
SPARKLING WATER
STILL WATER
When it comes to the food, I can see why Don Giovanni is popular.
Starters like the chips, calamari and roast potatoes were absolutely delicious and were brought to us perfectly hot and won the approval of my entire family.
When it came to the main meals, we all tried to get something different off the menu and almost every single main dish was a hit around the table.
Personally, I devoured and loved my Spaghetti Bolognese. The sauce was perfect and although it seemed small a bit when it arrived, it turned out to be rather filling for me.
The only dish that did not receive a thumbs-up was the lasagna my sister ordered. She goes insane for lasagna and it’s her go-to order at almost every Italian restaurant we’ve been to. At Don Giovanni however, she wasn’t a fan of the taste at all which was surprising.
The Service At Don Giovanni.
When it comes to service received at Don Giovanni restaurant, I can confidently say there is obvious room for improvement.
The members of staff were friendly overall, and it always feels like some kind of reunion when engaging with some fellow Italians abroad, but not everything was as straightforward as it should have been.
I ordered the same drink three times and still didn’t get it by the end of the meal. We found ourselves constantly having to ask staff for the same things over and over again, and when the bill came (which we had to ask for several times) there were discrepancies in the order listed that we had to request be amended. Needless to say, I’ve had better experiences…
Am I going back to Don Giovanni Restaurant?
Yes! I enjoyed the food and would love to try even more dishes from Don Giovanni restaurant. Of course, I’d rather avoid the sometimes too-loud-to-speak music, and I prefer not having to ask for things over and over again. But what can I say, when the food is so good, perhaps you can forgive the bad more easily.
Your restless romantic roamer
Rachy’s Rating:
Want to visit the restaurant?
Head to: 1, Peter House, Oxford St, Manchester M1 5AN or reserve a table on their website