Royal Caribbean There’s no shortage of food on board. But the next time you’re on a cruise and craving lasagna, chicken parmigiana, or a soup that makes you feel like your grandma is sailing with you, stop by the specialty restaurant Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen.
Once there, you’ll always be able to find a great bottle of wine, and everything from penne to steak will have you screaming “Mangia!”
Here’s everything you need to know about the restaurant, the menu, how much you’ll pay for the meal, and which ships serve it.
Note: Menus and prices are accurate at time of publication, but are subject to change without notice.
What is Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen?
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is not the same as Giovanni’s Table. While both are surcharge-free Italian restaurants on some ships, Giovanni’s Table serves a family-style menu designed for sharing. On some ships, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen also has an onboard wine bar.
The atmosphere here is elegant yet has a relaxed dress code, making it perfect for family gatherings, special occasions, or just wanting to be casual — without feeling like you have to dress up.
The kitchen is open for dinner and lunch on beach days. Reservations are not required but are highly recommended.
A special shoutout to the location on the Utopia of the Seas. Not only is the wine bar located inside the onboard restaurant, but the two-story structure of the venue also offers stunning views of the ship’s Boardwalk district, which are especially beautiful after dark.
On some ships, Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen is located right next to the wine bar, while others have combined the two into one outpost.
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Giovanni’s Menu
The only difference between the lunch and dinner menus is that Giovanni’s popular osso buco and filet mignon are only served at dinnertime. (Click This to get PDF menu and kids menu.)
Each meal starts with a garlicky dish, which is absolutely delicious. From there, diners can choose from a variety of appetizers including a mixed meat and cheese platter, Italian sausage soup, salami and mozzarella stromboli, and calamari with polenta. My favorite appetizer, however, is the giant meatball, served with marinara sauce and some crusty breadsticks. There are also house salads, Caesar salads, and truffle caprese in this section.
Next up is the main course; all the options look delicious so don’t be surprised if you have trouble deciding what to order. Choose from chicken parmigiana, fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, linguine with clams or shrimp, salmon with penne, spaghetti carbonara, spaghetti pomodoro and roast beef tenderloin. Dishes designated as “Nonna’s favorites” are marked with hearts and include osso buco, lasagna and steak muffuletta. I ordered the fettuccine without chicken and it was fantastic.
Diners who want a slice of pizza can opt for a whole pie as an appetizer. Choose from standards like Margherita, pepperoni and meat lovers, or go for something a little more daring like mushroom, truffle and egg, or prosciutto. Giovanni’s pizza is excellent. Just keep in mind how much you’re paying to eat there and decide whether you want to satisfy your cheese cravings for free at the onboard restaurant. Sorrento’s alternative location
If you still have room for dessert—and trust me, this is a huge “if”—you can’t go wrong with the ricotta-filled cannoli, the pistachio panna cotta with raspberries, or the chocolate ravioli (fried dough filled with Nutella and chocolate sauce).
Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen also has a kids menu for kids ages 3 to 12. Most of the dishes are just kid-sized portions from the adult menu. These include giant meatballs, pizza Margherita and chicken parmigiana, as well as spaghetti Bolognese. For dessert, kids can choose from tiramisu, Nutella and banana stromboli, and fresh fruit.
While there are some vegetarian options on the menu, vegetarians may have a hard time. If you have any dietary restrictions, be sure to discuss your dining plans with Royal Caribbean in advance.
How much is Giovanni?
Lunch at Giovanni’s is $25 per person, and dinner is $55 per person. For kids ordering from the kids’ menu for both meals, the price is $15. Children 3 and under eat free.
The food at Giovanni’s is always excellent and in my opinion it is well worth the extra money to enjoy dinner here.
Wine and most other drinks are extra unless you have a drink package that includes them.
Which Royal Caribbean ships have Giovanni?
Passengers on the following Royal Caribbean ships can enjoy Giovanni’s Italian Kitchen and Wine Bar.
- Adventure at sea
- Wonders of the sea
- Symbol of the Sea
- Utopia of the sea
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