Giuseppe’s Ritrovo

This neighborhood Italian restaurant has that Italian family feel with high class Italian food. There are slight twists on classic dishes, but you can still order spaghetti and meatballs. The beet salad my wife had was unique and fresh. The bartender is creative and the cocktails are unique and seasonal. The only reason for 4 out of 5 stars is that the food might be slightly overpriced. I recommend getting a reservation on the weekends, especially if there is a concert at Capitol.

I wanted to try Giuseppe’s for my birthday, and it was a lovely and enjoyable place to have dinner. We did not make a reservation (they told us they don’t do them for less than 6 people, but we were welcome to call ahead 30 minutes to check on a wait), but were able to be seated quickly on a busy Saturday night.
Although the atmosphere and clientele lean to the upscale, Giuseppe’s has a variety of pizzas and if you’re here at lunchtime, paninis. Their wine list is varied, and compliments the menu well. I ordered a local craft beer. Ahem.
The food here is seriously authentic, with nicely balanced flavors and textures. Although the menu leans a little on seafood, there is a wide variety of offerings, and their making what you’re looking for seems to be part of the operation. (That «their» is used properly. Go read the sentence again.) I had the arugula salad, and Gamberi Diavola, which must be the nicer way of calling a puttanesca red sauce. It was amazing, close to what I make for myself when I’m craving a big, flavorful, salty sauce. The spouse had fettuccine calabrese with sausage, and finished every bite. (Me, not so much. It’s a lot of food.)
After the awesome dinner, we looked at the dolce — but could not partake. Such sadness. Gives us good reason to come back, those drinks and desserts!
Service was excellent; there were several people servicing our table, but it was nearly seamless and our server was impeccable with his timing, even with a busy dinner service. The tables are situated thisclose together, and there is some overlap of chat, but it was not hard to hear across the table, no need to raise voices.
We had a great night, and would recommend this place for a great evening out.

This restaurant is a neighborhood fav! My family loves to go here because it’s cozy, and they have gluten free pizza and pasta. The selection of pastas is huge! Food is always amazing. Favorite items are the arugula salad, carpaccio which is topped with arugula and parmisiano reggiano, Dover sole with Julian veggies, the beet salad and the bolognese. Always is open late and then very close to graeters or jeni’s ice cream for an after dinner dessert.
The portions are generous for all primi and secondi dishes. Contour I dishes are average size. The restaurant is always super busy so we end up going later in the evening so we don’t have to wait for a table. The wait can be over an hour on weekend.

My family and I came to Giuseppe’s for the first time last night for my grandmother’s birthday; what an amazing experience! Going out to eat is usually such an ordeal with two vegetarians, my boyfriend with Celiac Disease, a very picky six-​year-​old, and my equally picky fourteen-​year-​old sister, but our waiter was so attentive to our needs and knowledgable about the food and drinks.
My mother (who should know better as she has previously owned restaurants) demanded I ask our waiter if there is anything they can do for my grandmother’s birthday (I told him we’d pay for it, I just wanted her to feel special) … he surprised us with a super piece of chocolate cake complete with candle: tears in my grandma’s eyes, I kid you not. I hope all of the wait staff is as incredible as ours, he made our night just by doing his job.
My boyfriend with Celiac Disease is often «poisoned» in restaurants and ends up on the toilet after, but ALAS! Our gluten free flatbread was indeed made on a gluten free crust! Those of you who humor your loved ones’ ailments understand gluten free usually is synonymous with higher prices, crunchy bread, and reduction in taste; however, this was a delightful exception! We ordered the star of our dinner: a prosciutto arugula flatbread: delicious, enormous portions, and not remotely crunchy!
I couldn’t be happier with our experience! A++, would go to again, highly recommended!

One of the best dining experiences in Columbus, hands down. Intelligent and warm staff. Sean, the bar manager is extremely talented and knowledgeable. The antipasto and Terra pizza was delicious and fulfilling. Not only did it live up to the hype, it exceeded my expectations. A must-​have experience in town.

A friend of mine from Nationwide is from Italy so I asked where the best Italian Resturant was his immediate reply convinced me to check it out. Had the wedge salad and chicken parm not on the menu the pasta and sauce awesome. The chicken was delicious nice size and savory. I was very impressed and will definitely come back next time in town

I noticed this restaurant on Unilocal several years ago, thus was glad to finally try it out when friends picked it for their last meal in town before moving to Philadelphia. I noticed that it doesn’t have the «best» of reviews — a lot of mixed experiences. However, after reading Giovanna’s review, I was glad to join them!
I love the simple, yet eclectic décor. The wooden wall behind the bar caught my eye! Cloth napkins. Fresh yellow rose bouquets on every table. Swanky and posh, but down to earth (no need for formal dress!). Oh, and their front patio is nice — great owning and flowers. It would be a plus if they could make it bigger. But, hey, no complaints!
Nothing on the menu was jumping out, so I asked the waiter, nice polite gentleman btw, if they can concoct. Yes. Yay! So I went with the Gnoche, topped with veggies, mushrooms, chicken and their Alfredo sauce. The sauce was not what I was expecting. It was more… almost «tart». But not exactly. Not bad at all. And I know I’m just used to a more creamy, cheesy, get it out of the jar at Kroger kind, so this, in hind sight, was a great change of pace and flavor profile. The julienne-​cut veggies and plenty of mushrooms were just icing on the cake!
I can totally see myself coming back here — maybe not as much as I’d like because of the price points, but definitely a great special-​occasion establishment!

Just went for our first time tonight. It was wonderful. It is small and busy but that did not detract from the meal. I had smoked chicken ravioli. It came with a delicious creamy white sauce. It was so good, and I wasn’t even that hungry. My husband had a dish with red sauce and peppers and onions and agreed it was great. He ate it all. Chocolate cake for dessert (it was my birthday after all) was dense and tasty. No real children’s menu, but they can make various pasta types with sauces. My picky 10 year old gobbled hers up.
The bill was reasonable at $ 76 for the three of us. We were seated immediately at 6 pm on a Saturday. Food came out super speedy. With two kids who would rather be at Wendy’s that is appreciated! Our server asked if we had been there before and we said no. She then said she would help in any way possible to make our evening the best.

The food of Giuseppe’s is excellent but the service is a bit uppity. The antipasto and carpaccio were excellent starters that were full of flavor. The red sauce in my pasta was packed with herbs and delicious.
To me, the service just felt like he was proving the prestige of the restaurant instead of providing good service. Truly not a bad restaurant but I just didn’t get the attitude of the server. I had a similar experience when I called the hostess for reservations and was told of the call ahead policy and then more-​or-​less hung up on. It just felt amateurish at the end of the evening.

My husband took me here for dinner on my birthday. I love pizza and this place had great reviews. We were both very unsatisfied and highly disappointed with the pizza. Thin, flimsy and not much taste or toppings and $ 18.00. The service was just ok. They seemed to be much more focused on their regulars. The seating is tight, they have crammed as many seats and tables in as possible. The people watching was the best part of our dining experience.

Went there to try their food and the spaghetti and meat balls were terrible. The meat balls tasted like it was filled with crackers and the texture was too soft. I personally had the penne with salmon and it was too salty… the pasta was undercooked.
The portions were very small. I will not go back. I have had better at local pizza shops.

One of my favorite places in Columbus. Pizza is my favorite in the city. The crust is light and crispy. The Da Scilia is my favorite.
Bartender Sean is the best. Order once from him and he’ll remember your preferences. Also, if there’s not a drink on the menu that looks good to you, tell him what you’re after and he’ll whip up something perfect.
Burrata, Seared Octopus, and Carpaccio are other stand-​outs. If you’ve never been, go!

I went to Giuseppe’s Ritrovo based on the comments here. Well, to me it is just another Italian restaurant. Solid dishes but nothing spectacular.
The insalata caprese was nice but why dont you use fresh buffalo mozarella on it?
If you serve the bread, you have to servce olive oil as well to swap the bread in it. The spaghetti amici was ok, I just missed the typical Italian seasonings and herbs in it.
So, overall, if you want to eat Italian, it is a good location with a nice atmosphere but if you want to taste authentic Italian kitchen, look elsewhere.

Good food in an upscale setting. I would not be afraid to bring friends & family from out of town, show them not everything around here is meat & potatoes.
Dinging it for the small portions for a large price. I don’t mind the cost, just don’t make it so small.
Also, the seating was a little tight during a weekend dinner. Glad everyone used Dial.

I love the atmosphere. You feel like you’re in a big city. The food is just ok. My second time here and just not impressed. Better this time than last.
I had pepperoni pizza as appetizer. Pretty good but crust too thick. Then Mediterranean salad (really liked!). For my entrée had gnocchi with chicken/​olives/​capers in a red sauce. I wasn’t expecting a ragout and was disappointed. Chicken tasted old. My husband had spicy shrimp linguine in a cognac cream sauce. His was just ok.
I like that they source locally and use free range chicken.
Previous visit: I had veal Marsala sub veal for chicken and it tasted more like a beef stew flavor. Was very disappointed.
I will go back for salad and soup and the atmosphere. Won’t order an entrée.

My favorite Italian restaurant in Cbus, mainly due to their fantastic red sauce. I’ve been ~5−10x/year the past 5 years and have never had a bad experience. Very good price as well for a quality meal experience.
Service is always professional, albeit slow when they’re packed but that’s expected to a degree. I am never in a rush here, as eating is more of an event rather than a quick dinner.
My wife and I typically spend a couple hours minimum. She is Italian herself, and is one of her favorite places to go.
Salads have always been fresh. Main courses always terrific. Pizza is fantastic with a crisp crust and plentiful toppings. Grab some grappa to finish the eve :)
Highly recommended on all fronts!

Another incredible evening at Giuseppe’s! Of special note, while my friend and I were at the bar before being sat at our table, I happened to notice that Sean (the aforementioned fab and handy bartender) is ALSO handsome! And watch out ladies, he has an even raspier voice than the Trivago guy!
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So I have seen a few reviews on here complaining about it seeming like a party at Giuseppe’s that they aren’t a part of. I won’t presume to know the circumstances of these peoples experiences, but I will relate mine:
I am pretty much known by the second or third time I frequent anywhere, especially a special place like Giuseppe’s. The main reason is because I make an effort to get to know everyone that comes up to me on the first time of my visit. I ask their name, about what they do in their free time, their families, etc. I am a curious person, and show interest in their lives. When I walk out my door, I don’t look at people as my help, because at the end of the day, we are all someones help. And when I return to a place, I ask them about their lives, in detail. And this goes from the owner to the busboy. Everyone is important to me.
In all, I am saying that one must make an effort first. If I want instant affirmation, I will go to Panera down the street, or to a Ground Round. Or a Foot Locker for that matter.
I am used to living in cities where the best clubs and restaurants make you work a little to get the secret handshake. We have a culture here in Cbus that needs to be shed. It’s the assumption that you are a winner, just for showing up. It’s a really shallow expectation. We don’t make relationships in 5 minutes. I hate to break the news, but the gal serving you at Panera doesn’t give a shit about you. She cares about her $ 7.25/hr job and not getting fired by a manager who insists on her smiling and over-​greeting everyone who walks in the door, because Panera wants to move rolls. It’s not about relationships, it’s about rolls.
Giuseppe’s is a different kind of place. Giuseppe is creating a space for fostering relationships, set upon the tapestry of his love of food and fellowship. If you want to feel like you are part of the family at Giuseppe’s (or anywhere else including Panera), be patient, be curious, and be persistent. It’s worth the effort, believe me.

Giuseppe’s is the bomb! When I want authentic Italy this is the place.
Giuseppe is a masterful chef and great person. He goes out of his way to make us feel at home every time we visit. He all most always takes the time to visit our table to say hi and discuss the food. The staff has always been fun and taken great care of us.
The food is amazing. I love the pappardelle and homemade sauce. The antipasto’s are amazing. We have friends who don’t like meat and Giuseppe created two special antipasto plates so there was no meat touching anything on one of them. My wife usually gets the seafood and has never been disappointed.
Great bar as well. The bartender turned me on to my favorite summer cocktail, The Negroni. So good! We love sitting on the patio after dinner to have expresso and desert.

Giuseppe’s is my favorite place for business lunches and dinners, probably have been there at least ten times, great service each and every time. By great service I don’t mean having a particularly entertaining waiter or bartender, but the unintrusive type of service where there is not a lot of interaction with the server other than when initially placing the order, maybe asking a few questions about menu items, such as getting a dinner item in a lunch portion, etc. but always having refills and everything you need without having to ask and/​or without much interruption to the conversation.
I read some of the other reviews and was a little surprised by some of the vibe issues, the Bexley elite judgement issues. I say a little because I am somewhat oblivious so it is quite possible that it’s there and I just never noticed. I frankly have never asked myself what folks at other tables thought of me or of anything for that matter, so if anyone ever expended any energy giving me the evil eye there it must have been a pretty frustrating effort on their part. If I had noticed such a thing I probably would find it quite amusing!
As far as food goes, everything I have tried here was delicious, my favorites being the beet salad, the spinach salad with pignoli nuts, gamberi diavola (spicy!), and last but not least, probably my favorite gnocchi in the city, which is made to order with any sauce you choose. The wine list is fantastic, as are their cocktails. Other huge pluses for Giuseppe’s: they locally source, their chicken is free range, almost anything on the menu can be requested as gluten free, and there are plenty of choices for our vegetarian friends, making it a great choice for an eclectic group. They have a small but really nice patio, inside the acoustics are perfect, even when packed I have never found it to be loud. I will go back many times, I am sure, and highly recommend trying it or trying it again!

I’ve been in Bexley for over two years and *finally* checked this place out!
Some friends and I were looking for a night cap and dessert late on a Saturday night, and Giuseppe’s popped right up on the Unilocal app. The bartender stopped us as we entered let us know that only the bar was open, so we headed over to the bar and cozied in.
The bartender was fantastic. He was a wonderful balance of nice and sarcastic. The drinks were all good, and most of us liked our desserts. By most, I mean everyone but me. I ordered the gluten-​free chocolate cake, and it was fine… just not great. But kudos for having a GF dessert!
I think my biggest issue with Giuseppe’s is actually pretty hard to articulate. The whole place just seems very clique-​y and like a cool kids club… and I was *not* one of the cool kids. I know this might not make any sense, but all four of us felt like this! Nobody was rude to us, but we definitely got the feeling that we didn’t belong.
I’m not gonna let this stop me from going back to try dinner though! Every place deserves a second chance.