I've been going to this restaurant for years, and can honestly say that I have never been disappointed. I am always impressed by their meals, so incredibly good. The customer service is impeccable, and the restaurant is cozy. The owners are friendly and make you feel like family. The patio is enchanting, making you feel like you've stepped out of the husle and bustle of things, and are relaxing at a wonderful Italian restaurant away from it all. I absolutely love this restaurant and recommend it to everyone who enjoys a fine Italian meal. Bon Appetit!!! read more

This is a fairly small family owned restaurant but with huge Italian flavors. The owners, husband and wife greet you at the door with a warm welcome. The meals that we ordered were bursting with flavor and freshness. Then we ordered dessert and cappuccino, just superb. I highly recommend this restaurant, you will not be disappointed. read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Great food ,great Atmosphere! Great service!! We definatley recommend this place!! Our waiter was very nice as well!!

What a lovely place! One of the best Italian restaurants , if not the best, around. Sweet mom and pop owners who clearly take pride in what they serve their loyal guests.. Attentive service and delicious authentic food. Cozy inside and beautiful enclosed patio in the back, perfect for a warm night. Worth the drive from SB. read more

This Italian restaurant is a favorite of ours in Carpinteria. The food is fresh, nicely plated and the menu is creative and delicious. The owners are friendly and great to talk to and the back patio they have set up is a lovely place to have a meal in nice weather. I highly recommend giving this restaurant a visit if you are anywhere near Carpinteria. read more

One of the strangest/awkward/terrible dining experiences I have ever had. We walked into an empty restaurant, grabbed a menu and sat down. The male server said under his breath, but loud enough for us to hear. I guess they couldn't wait. He then ripped the menus out of our hands and said you grabbed the dinner menus here is lunch. My partner said we should go, I said we have been driving for hours and starving it can't be that bad..... wrong! We ordered lobster ravioli, which my partner took one bite of and did not eat, the pasta itself was very thick and the filling was the texture of baby food. I had the chicken Parmesan on gluten free penne. It was very small and the pasta had some sauce thrown on the top. It looked like my 11 year old made it. Whatever, we were starving so I gave some to my man since he didn't touch his. The bill came and we were charged $37.00 for chicken Parmesan! When I asked the server if that price was correct he very rudely said yes. I guess I ordered the dinner portion. He then proceeded to continue talking to himself very loudly about us. The entire time. It was the strangest thing I have ever witnessed. I grew up in an Italian restaurant, I could never in my life imagine talking bad about patrons. Especially considering the subpar food at $98.00 for lunch! 1 glass of Prosecco, side salad, chicken Parmesan and lobster ravioli that was not touched. After speaking to locals apparently the male server is known in the area for being particularly rude to patrons and they feel bad for the older couple that own the restaurant because he is driving their business into the ground. My hope in writing this review is that they see this and find caring servers that want to see their business thrive. We all understand the restaurant business is hard and service is everything! read more

A truly fabulous dining experience! Nestled off Linden Ave in Carpenteria is this quaint authentic Italian gem. All of the staff are very friendly and the food was stellar. I can't pronounce the name of the dish I ordered, but our entire meal was mouthwatering. I highly recommend Giannfranco's for a true Italian cuisine. A+ read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Ciao Bella! - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Amazing Italian restaurant ! Worth coming to Carpinteria just to eat here! we have Been coming to Carpinteria the last 30 years. one of our favorite beach resorts. This now tops the charts. We cannot stop talking about it. The food was all incredible. 6 of us, everyone very happy with their meal. Bruschetta the best! gianfrancos chopped salad so good. Entrees; penne with sausage, ravioli, steak, fish, chicken , all delicious! ! The chef Giovanni, came out . Anna , owners were so friendly and gracious. Great service. making sure everything was perfect. We will be going back as often as we go to Carpinteria or Santa Barbara. Very highly recommended . read more

My husband and I visit Carpenteria a few times out of the year to get out of the hustle and bustle that is the valley. Our tradition consists of walking around Carpenteria and visiting the small candy store located in town as we were walking down to the beach. We smelled the delicious aroma coming out of this restaurant and decided to eat lunch there we were greeted by the sweetest, I assume maybe the owner and the waiter they were very helpful and suggested dishes that we may like depending on our preferences and suggested the garlic bread for a starter. We are suckers for great garlic bread and this paired very well with the hot marinara sauce that was very flavorful. I had the Positano, which had this amazing delicate wine, garlic, lemon sauce that paired very well with the seafood. The seafood was not fishy at all and tasted perfect. My husband had the chicken Parmesan over a bed of delicious angel hair pasta instead of a sandwich and my my was that serving large and delicious for lunch portion. I could not get my hands off of going in between my dish and the chicken Parmesan. I cannot wait to go back and eat there on our next visit to Carpenteria. My only regret is not getting the names of the people who helped us at the restaurant because they were very genuine and helpful. read more

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Stopped here to beat the traffic and had the best Italian food!!! The lobster ravioli was home made and delectable. The staff were welcoming and so attentive. This is truly a gem! Old school vibes with homemade delicious food. The Franco was a perfect traditional dish that left us feeling nostalgic and complete. These family run spots are a dime in a dozen which make us savor every bite. Ps. Limoncello yes please!! read more

Very nice Trattoria. Great food. Valentine's dinner was very nice. Music was good and the rose at the end was lovely.

Owners should read up on the ADA laws. I'll provide a link for them - owner asked me what service my dog provided and then after I let her know I was denied rather rudely. I'm not one to take this any further but this is very upsetting that a business would deny anyone with a service dog - She said she does not make the rules, this is not a rule.. they should know - this is a federal law. Please see attached photo as well. https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html My intention is never to hurt a business so I will remove this post in a few weeks - hopefully that gives the owners time to consider educating themselves and hopefully this won't happen again to someone else. There was even a sign on window saying they allow service dogs ‍ Has a happy ending we went down to little dons seafood and was welcomed with open arms read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - The service my dog provides which I nicely explained and was denied service :( - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Authentic classic, freshly prepared Italian food. The Guancialewas the perfect blend of spicy and salty, the pasta was cooked to perfection. It was the perfect sized portion where I didn't leave hungry. We were served by the owners who were friends and, of course, extremely knowledgeable about their menu. Make sure you get a seat out on the patio for the most perfect dining experience. The restaurant was clean, and we were greeted by the kitchen Stagg on our way to the patio. read more

The best and freshest Italian food In carpenteria! Hands down. Family owned and run. Mother and Father run the front, sons the chef! Nice relaxing patio in the back. Great service. Very relaxed and clean restaurant. Daily specials never let us down. My wife has gotten food to go which is delicious, but to really enjoy the food you have to sit and eat at the establishment! This time my wife had, the daily special, butter nut squash ravioli, sauce is delicious. We had a appetizer, Burrata, which my wife loved, delicious fresh mozzarella, tomato, sunflower seeds with oil/ spices.. of course we had dessert, chocolate cake along with a delicious double espresso. Yes it's pricey, but pay for quality and fresh food. We are regulars when we visit. They made us feel we were eating at a family member's house. read more

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Mom is super sweet as she checks in with every patron!! Hospitality! I watched others get their food before us BUT the waitress assured us that the chef was diligently working Peking on pure dinners which were the chicken parmigiana and the Puttanaseca penne pasta minus tomatoes of course read more

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I enjoy coming here whenever I travel north. This is a family business, everyone is courteous and friendly. You're made to feel comfortable. The ambience is spectacular especially the back garden area. There is no bad place to sit here. The food is excellent and there is a large selection of excellent Italian dishes to pick from. I recommend that if you're anywhere near Carpentaria you should not miss the opportunity to stop here and enjoy a wonderful meal with a beautiful atmosphere and a very friendly staff read more

Outstanding service, really authentic Italian food, and just a lovely little restaurant you should visit! Cozy and delicious. The nicest waiters and owner. read more

We came for lunch today and ate on their pleasant back patio. We had an array of paninis, which were good, if a little small. We also had two pasta dishes, and they were also good, but not noteworthy. The bread that they bring for the table could also be better (and there could be more of it). The service was good and their "Happy Hour" rose hit the spot on a warm day! read more

Must be doing well enough to turn business away, which is surprising with the Coronavirus situation. They are advertised to be open until 3 PM for lunch. At 2:40 we were turned away. They said the kitchen had already shut down. Oh-kay. Not impressive. Again, I guess they are making enough money and don't need ours. Quite disappointed, and may not choose to return. First impressions, and all that. Dear Hubby just noted that they didn't seem very remorseful. Agreed! On to find a business that does welcome patrons. read more

My family and friends have been coming here for over 15 years , I just love that Anna and Franco made there son's dream come true . The food is great and we love how Anna and Franco are there every night . The service is always on point and they treat their customers with love! Stella G read more

Went for the usual excellent meal this Friday. Had a reservation, sat down and waited 1 hour to place our order. Worse than slow. Good food but not worth the BS. Asked for espresso and it never came, cannoli shell soft even though they said it is freshly filled. Full price though. Bottom of my list now. read more

Have been going here for years Drive from the Valley for their food. Anna and Frank are wonderful. Food and service are consistently great. A true gem in Carp. read more

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Outstanding restaurant! This was our first visit and we were so impressed with the service, staff and the food was outstanding. The owner took the time to make us feel very welcomed and gave us a tour of the restaurant and the back patio seating. I cannot say enough nice things about this restaurant and looking forward to going back soon. read more

The ravioli is homemade and incredible! I had a light sauce with shrimp! Oh my! The beet salad was the best Ive ever tasted. Beautiful decor with old movie star framed photos and sparking hanging light. No loud music! At the beach service in all places is a slower pace... just how it is. I used to live here and that hasn't changed . All worth the wait. Servers were very gracious. read more

Super pricey and very little portions. Food is decent, not the best Italian though. Drinks really expensive and very small. Have had to ask a few times to get water refilled. Nice patio area. Unfortunately though, there's no reason to want to go back. read more

Walked in as a family of 7. Everything seemed good until the waitress came up to us & started talking in Spanish (assuming we were Spanish speaking & we are not). She proceeded to tell us that the wait for food would be 20 mins, we said ok we'll order now to get it in right away. She said I can't take your order now, we said why not, she said there was a wait for orders. Simply put they DID NOT WANT TO SERVE US because we had multiple children in our party & looked for every excuse. We could have easily spent over $250. NOT A KID FRIENDLY PLACE or maybe they didn't want to serve us cause they didn't like the way we looked ‍ read more

The moment we were seated they announced they were backed up and it would be awhile until they would be able to take our order . We had a group of 9 including young children- Not once did they check in on us. The incompetence of the owner and his staff were overwhelming and the prices were a rip off . Best to stay away. read more

The best restaurant in town and one of our favorite Italian restaurants anywhere. The food is always great and the atmosphere on the back patio is charming. It's a family business and you feel that right away. Sometimes if they're busy it can be a little slow so maybe don't come if you're in a hurry. But for a nice glass of wine and good food you can't beat it. read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

I made a phone reservation w/ a very pleasant co-owner, Franco, our order was taken by co-owner, Anna. The chef is their son and the food was delicious: lobster ravioli, pasta w/sausage and an excellent wedge salad; followed by tiramisu & cannolis It was all delicious!! read more

Great food, but don't count on them honoring your reservation. I have never in my 62 years been treated over the phone they way I have just been treated. And not by some employee, but by the two owners, Frank and his wife. I feel I should share what happened while it's fresh, so others who might be expecting ethical behavior when booking a reservation for this restaurant can judge for themselves if it's likely to be safe for you to book a table and expect them to honor the reservation, especially if it's for a special occasion. On Saturday, June 10, 2023 I called the restaurant at 12:10, said I wanted a table for either 5 or 6 people, but wouldn't know for sure until later today, as I was waiting for some friends I texted to confirm if they wanted to join us. When asked, when I might know for sure, I said I couldn't say because I didn't know how long it would take them to respond, but I was pretty sure we'd get all 6, and I could let him know for sure around 5pm. I thought we were set. I had 4 confirmed with 15 minutes, but it took a while to get a response from the 2 extra I first had in mind, and I wanted to wait for them to respond before I offered it to the other 35 people who are in our group of friends. Once I heard from one they couldn't make it, I sent another request to the larger group. I got a phone call from Frank, who later I found out was one of the owners, at 3:01pm, telling me they were filling up, and asking if I knew if it would be 5 or 6. While on the phone with him, a friend confirmed the 5th spot, and I said I have 5 confirmed now, but it was still likely I'd get all 6, but I just sent out the text so I might now know for sure for another hour. I said I thought it was OK based on our initial call to let him know at 5. I then had a woman who was his wife (can't recall her name), who was pretty nasty in saying that if I didn't show up with 6, she would be mad. I couldn't believe how she was talking to me! I started to say I had never in my life been spoken to by a restaurant demanding something like this and she HUNG UP ON ME. I got another phone call from them at 3:06pm, where they were saying they needed to cancel my reservation. I said that I don't understand, I reserved a table for 5 and I have 5 people coming, and that if it's that big of a deal, I will just limit it to 5. But, she said she didn't want a scene - despite the fact it was her yelling at me and trying to back out of their reservation commitment that started any unpleasantness, so she was going to cancel it anyway. Then ended the call again. I got yet another call, this time from Frank, at 3:12pm, where he again said they needed to cancel my reservation. Frank seemed more reasonable, so I told him, calmly, that I felt it was unethical for him to cancel my reservation, since I had upheld my end of the deal, and had the 5 people I committed to already planning to be there at 7pm, and I was fine with keeping it to 5, so why would he cancel this once we, his customers, had made plans based on the reservation they confirmed for us earlier in the day. I asked how can you give our table to someone who was apparently trying to reserve a table after they had given it to us? But, just like his wife, he said they didn't want any trouble, and he was canceling the reservation. I told him that I felt his behavior was not ethical, and I would be reporting this incident to Yelp, as well as sharing this story with everyone I know in Santa Barbara. What sort of owner acts this way towards customers? read more

Not huge portions but the food is good and the ambiance on the back patio is really nice.

Great family owned restaurant! Warm feel, good food, fair prices. I definitely recommend and will be back! read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Bruschetta and Insalata di Anna - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Part of me feels bad writing this, because COVID has clearly been hard on them and I want them to succeed as a family restaurant in Carp. But, hopefully this inspires them to improve. The food was excellent, but the service was strange. Our server started out sweet but soon became patronizing and made us uncomfortable. For example, we were told we can't have Parmesan cheese for the table because "the cheese is from Italy" (okay, what does that have to do with anything?). Then when she did stand over our plates spooning (not grating) the cheese into our dishes, she scolded us for wanting too much. Even if she was joking, we all felt weird. Also, when we made our reservation, THEY asked us if there was any special occasion. I said "yes, actually, a 10 year anniversary" - they even said happy anniversary to us when we arrived. But then...nothing happened. Which, whatever, but why do you ask if there is a special occasion if you're not going to do anything?? There were a few other weird things but not worth going into. The server was the part owner, and maybe she was just out of her element and filling in for servers. But her table-side manner could be better. On a positive note, the food was excellent and the other staff members were very friendly. read more

As we passed this spot, We were a little weary at first because there didn't seem to be many people in the restaurant, but later found out that they have a lovely area in the back to eat outside. We asked Franko (one of the owners) if we could dine there with six people and our two dogs, and he set up a table for us on the front sidewalk and they took such good care of us! We especially enjoyed our visit with Anna, the owner. She is lovely and kind. Arnold was our waiter, and he was WONDERFUL! Every bite of food we were served was amazing, and we all sampled each others meals (we are family...it's ok!) We shares the Positano and the Saccheti. Both dishes were finger-lickin' good! I highly recommend them and this lovely restaurant! read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

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Food was awesome everybody tried something different off the menu it was the best so delicious

Fabulous family-owned restaurant. Do yourself a favor and start with the bruschetta. The canelli beans are a welcome addition. Everything we had was fresh and homemade and the service was perfect. Can't wait to come back again. read more

A restaurant is judged by the care and quality put into the least expensive dishes. The Ciao Bella I recently are there with" chicken" listed as the first ingredient was poor as I had to hunt for bits of chicken amongst some broccoli bits snd mostly pasta for $20. Total rip-off Additionally an older couple who were going to sit a table next to me first thing asked " gave you been vaccinated? " WTF? None ya read more

Outstanding food, great staff!! Setting is perfect for a trattoria. A favorite of ours.

I order the lobster ravioli and I'm speechless. The aroma of the ingredients smells so good. The flavor and the taste of this item makes me hungry again. The customers or people walking by don't know what there missing with authentic Italian food. I'll be back and you should too read more

Giannfranco's Trattoria - Lobster ravioli - Italian Near Me - Carpinteria, California

Absolute Worst Service and Rip OFF!! These people are so Rude, the owners as well as the worker, they made me feel very Unwelcomed and their food was Very Expensive and not even that great. I will not recommend or Return here. 4 Tortellini w few slices of bread-nothing special, were $25!! For Lunch. I was not even 1/3 full. Total Waste of my money. read more