Giovanni's has been on Main Road in Green Point since the early 1990s, and the formula has not changed: an Italian deli counter of good cheeses, cured meats, fresh pasta and olives alongside a coffee bar that opens early and serves until the afternoon. The morning crowd is largely made up of joggers and dog-walkers from the nearby Sea Point promenade; by midday it is busy with office workers from the surrounding neighbourhood.
The deli counter is the main draw — it is one of the better places in Cape Town to put together a picnic, and the staff know the products well enough to advise on combinations. The café tables on the pavement are useful for a quick espresso and pastry, and the main road location makes it an easy stop when walking between the V&A Waterfront and Sea Point.