The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s (sponsored post)

The restaurant of The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s is a gem hidden at the fringes of Darien, Connecticut.  The restaurant marries the subtleties of Italian cuisine with the boldness of an American Steakhouse to create a dining experience unique in its balance and complexity. Each menu selection is made from the freshest of ingredients and designed to tantalize the palette.

A core tenant of The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s is to serve only the best food and the best food starts with the best ingredients.  Vegetable dishes, such as the restaurant’s stuffed zucchini flowers, are made from homegrown and hand picked vegetables to ensure maximum freshness. Seafood is purchased live whenever possible and, in the case of the restaurant’s blue point oysters, sourced locally and brought to the restaurant directly from the Tallmadge Brother’s boat in Norwalk.  Beef, which the Restaurant’s staff butchers and ages in house to produce the best possible flavor and texture, is always prime Certified Angus Beef. This commitment to quality ingredients extends not just to the restaurant’s dining customers but also to the weddings and other events The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s hosts and caters.

Why prime Certified Angus Beef? As Joann Latorraca, who runs the restaurant with her husband Sal explains, “We feed our customers like they’re members of our family, and we’d only feed our family the best.” And in this case the best beef makes for the best steak. Giovanni’s Steak Sandwich, a generous sized carnivorous pleasure served on homemade garlic bread with crispy friend onion rings and melted Gorgonzola, is one of the most popular items on the menu. Eaten warm, the sandwich is the perfect mix of crunchy, creamy, and juicy. Also popular is the restaurant’s 36 oz. double Porterhouse. Broiled to perfection at just over 500F, it’s served with garlic mashed potato, creamed spinach, and friend onion rings on a sizzle platter. The meat speaks for itself with it’s seared outside and warm, juicy center but the side dishes are also standouts.  

The space at The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s includes not just the main dining room but also a beautiful bar area and an intimate private dining room, known as the Cantina di Giovanni. The main dining room, with its cherry wood wall panels, curio cabinets, and oak floors, resembles an old world library where diners can retreat from the world, resting in the soothing embrace of good company and a good meal.  Customers hosting private events, whether they are intimate business dinners or important family celebrations, will frequently retreat to the Cantina di Giovanni. This private dining room is carefully temperature controlled and lined from floor to ceiling with Giovanni’s carefully curated wine collection.

The collection which features many of Wine Spectator’s top voted wines, includes vintages from Italy, France, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Spain, and of course the United States.  Most are sourced directly from the makers who have visited The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s and hosted tasting and wine pairing lessons for the restaurants patrons.  

The driving force behind The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s is Giovanni Gabriele, his daughter JoAnn, and his son-in law Sal Latorraca.  Giovanni, who began his career at Manero’s restaurant in Greenwich, CT, opened his first restaurant in 1977 and quickly became known for always serving the best quality of steaks and seafood. His restaurant was, and remains, a place to bring the family for a simple family dinner or an elaborate celebration. A restaurant you can count on for any of your most important life events from engagement to weddings, to baptism, bar mitzvahs to graduations. This family owned restaurant takes great care in giving everyone an unforgettable dining experience. 

The Waters Edge at Giovanni’s 2748 Boston Post Rd, Darien. 203.325.9979