The longer you look at Giovanni Pizza Bistro’s menu, the harder it will be to choose what to order. The pizza section alone offers 24 deliciously unique pizza options. But this pizza bistro doesn’t just serve up fantastic pizzas. There are salads, pastas, paninis, baked sandwiches and Chef John Collura’s own creation called “baked rolls.” Collura’s baked rolls are essentially pizzas in the shape of a cinnamon roll that ooze with cheese and sauce instead of cinnamon and butter.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with anything you order at Giovanni. About 85 percent of the menu is Italian and many of these dishes are from 95-year-old recipes that were handed down to Collura from his great-great-grandmother from Naples. “My food philosophy is to keep it as simple as possible and create the dishes the way my great-great-grandma intended them to be created,” Collura says. One such creation from his great-great-grandma are rice balls, which are white rice blended with four cheeses, then breaded and deep fried and served with homemade pesto and marinara sauce. Even though they’re listed on the appetizer portion of the menu, they’re almost a meal in themselves.

But the food is not where the dining experience at Giovanni Pizza Bistro ends. The interior design of the space, which was put together by Collura’s wife, of cherrywood furniture, white tablecloths, stonework on the walls and a light blue and brown color scheme create a comfortable, yet upscale feel to the restaurant. “Dining at Giovanni Pizza Bistro is like having a good traditional, old-school experience,” Collura says. “I walk into the dining room sometimes and I see guests eating off one another’s plates. You don’t see that anymore. I haven’t see that for years.”

For sure, Tempe residents have got a winner with Giovanni – a place to kickback, enjoy friends or family, great food and a wonderful selection of more than 60 wines. What could be better?

Chef and Owner, John Collura, describes his truely authentic Italian menu built on the recipes that have been in his family for 95 years.

Close-Up with Chef/Owner John Collura
 When Chef/Owner of Giovanni Pizza Bistro John Collura opened his restaurant seven months ago, he was fulfilling a long-held dream. Of course, Collura was no stranger to restaurants and restaurant ownership. He worked for Ruby Tuesday’s for about nine years. After leaving Ruby Tuesday’s, Collura bought and ran Cosmic Pizza for about eight years until the construction of the light rail system outside his restaurant killed his business.

For sure, this entrepreneur turned this tragedy into his own triumph. You see, he had bought Cosmic Pizza from its previous owner and never had the opportunity to create his own restaurant from the ground up. That all changed when Collura closed Cosmic Pizza and opened Giovanni Pizza Bistro – his dream.

Named after himself (Giovanni means John in Italian), this was Collura’s chance to do everything his way. And he has. From food to drink to décor, this place is as unique as its owner, who says he learned everything he knows in the kitchen from his mom and reading lots of cookbooks. “Eating for us is a total social event,” Collura says of his family upbringing. And this tradition is just one of many that comes across in his wonderful pizza bistro.

Q&A

Q: What do you want Giovanni Pizza Bistro to be known for as far as the food goes?
A: I want the restaurant to be known for wonderful food that comes from Italian recipes that have been in my family for 95 years. I want guests to know that you don’t have to drive all the way to Scottsdale or Phoenix to have a wonderful dining experience.

Q: What makes Giovanni Pizza Bistro stand out from other pizza places in the Valley?
A: We’ve won numerous awards for the dishes that we serve. I am here all the time, and I cook the food myself and also spend time in the dining room. You can’t get that kind of hands-on experience at many restaurants.

Q: What kind of experience do you want your guests to have at Giovanni Pizza Bistro?
A: I want guests to understand that they’re coming into a true mom-and-pop, neighborhood restaurant. I want them to be relaxed and enjoy the extensive wine list. I want them to feel like they’re in a restaurant that’s been here for 20 years.