Home Sweet Home

Da Gianni is more than just your typical Italian restaurant.

- Marella Ricketts

Upon entering Da Gianni located in Westgate Alabang, you will probably notice one of two things first: 1.) the mouthwatering smell of their dishes wafting past you, and 2.) its quirky interiors that make the Italian restaurant truly one of a kind. As your eyes dart from one detail to another—from the framed photo of Brigitte Bardot located above the bathroom sink to an impressive collection of Altoid mints set up on a wall—you start to feel right at home.

“Everything you see here, from our recipes to the little details, that’s all Nonno. He really was a character,” proudly shares Matteo Guidicelli of his family’s restaurant. Nonno, in case you’re wondering, is what they lovingly call his grandfather—the heart of Da Gianni.

“Three years ago, when my Nonno passed away, we opened Da Gianni in Cebu. It was always a dream of ours to open in Manila and we finally pushed through with it earlier this year,” he tells us. Located at a comfortable nook in Westgate, Alabang, the restaurant is as homey as it looks. And why Alabang, one might ask? “Both of our families are very comfortable here, so it was a no-brainer for us to open in the area,” says Guidicelli’s business partner Pisha Abrille, quickly adding, “Of course, with the mindset that we’re going to expand.”