About Giannino
Giannino is a family-run seafood restaurant on Ul. Augusta Ferrija, a narrow lane in Rovinj's old town. The Pellizzer family opened it in 1972, and a member of the family still runs the floor, which is part of why regulars treat it as the town's default for a serious fish dinner.
The kitchen follows the daily catch. The signature is Adriatic brodetto — a slow fish stew served with polenta — alongside whole grilled fish, seafood pasta, and classically prepared lobster, sea bass and sole. Most fish is sold by weight: a fish platter for two runs about €75, and seafood pastas start around €18, so the spend tracks the size and rarity of the catch.
The wine list is the quiet headline. Giannino carries roughly eighty labels with real depth in Istrian and Italian bottles, and the Falstaff International Restaurant Guide scored the restaurant 86 points in 2025, with a wine score of 17 out of 20 — a useful signal that the cellar, not just the kitchen, is the draw.
The room is small and traditional, with a handful of tables on the lane in summer. Service is unhurried and family-led; a dinner here is meant to last, which is the point in a town where most of the competition is hotel dining.
Why It's Right for a First Date
Giannino works for a first date because it is warm rather than formal: a small old-town room where the daily catch and the wine list give two people plenty to talk about, and the pacing of a by-the-weight fish dinner never feels rushed. The Pellizzer family's service is attentive without hovering, and the 80-label list gives a confident opener for the evening.
Who It's Not For
Giannino is not for a quick business lunch or a fixed-price tasting-menu crowd — the menu follows the daily catch and most fish is sold by weight, so the final bill is hard to predict in advance. It is not for vegetarians wanting a dedicated menu, and not for diners after a sleek, modern design room; this is a traditional neighbourhood fish tavern, not a hotel dining room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Giannino in Rovinj?
Giannino is owned and run by the Pellizzer family, who opened it in 1972 on Ul. Augusta Ferrija in Rovinj's old town. A family member still oversees the dining room, and the restaurant has stayed a family-led neighbourhood fish house rather than a hotel operation across its more than fifty years.
What is Giannino's signature dish?
The signature is Adriatic brodetto, a slow-cooked fish stew traditionally served with polenta. Beyond it, the kitchen leans on the daily catch: whole grilled fish, seafood pasta, and classically prepared lobster, sea bass and sole. The menu changes with what the local fishermen bring in each morning.
How much does dinner at Giannino cost?
Most fish is sold by weight, so the bill varies with your order. As a guide, a fish platter for two runs about €75 and seafood pastas start around €18. Premium whole fish priced per kilogram will push a full dinner higher, which is normal for an Adriatic catch-of-the-day restaurant.
Does Giannino have a good wine list?
Yes. Giannino carries around eighty labels with strong depth in Istrian and Italian wines. The Falstaff International Restaurant Guide gave the restaurant 86 points in its 2025 Croatia edition, including a wine score of 17 out of 20 — one of the better cellars among Rovinj's old-town restaurants.
Is Giannino good for a first date in Rovinj?
It is well suited to a first date: a small, warm old-town room rather than a formal hotel dining room, with an unhurried by-the-weight fish dinner and a deep wine list that gives two people an easy way to share the evening. Book ahead in summer, when the lane tables fill quickly.
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