Giovanni Febbo and his family run Giovanni’s Continental Cuisine in Montgomery, which serves authentic homemade Italian food.[/caption]

Giovanni’s Continental Cuisine has served homemade Italian dishes to customers since 1993, and the restaurant’s popularity continues to grow over time.

Owner Giovanni Febbo, a native of Calabria, Italy, said he grew up in the restaurant business and learned to cook from his mother. After attending culinary school in Italy, he continued on the family tradition of cooking and working for restaurants. Febbo runs the restaurant with his wife and son, Giovanni Jr.

“We’ve been open for 22 years here and the people know [I am] full-blooded Italian,” Febbo said. “I grew up in the restaurant business and Giovanni’s has good food and [pays] attention [to customers].”

Febbo said healthy and fresh food has always been the No. 1 priority in his restaurant.  To prepare meals he uses vegetables grown in the restaurant’s patio garden, such as broccoli, eggplant, cucumbers, bell peppers, cabbage and parsley. Febbo said he starts his own seeds in a greenhouse around February through March so the plants are big enough to plant in the patio garden come spring.

“This is not a place for fried food,” Febbo said. “We are dedicated to good, healthy food. We have our own vegetables and herbs from our garden, and nothing is precooked.”

Febbo said the restaurant has seen a steady flow of customers. As his restaurant’s popularity grew over the years, Febbo added an outdoor flower patio with a gazebo and gardens, a nightly fresh oyster bar and a martini bar and lounge.

Giovanni’s serves a variety of appetizers, soups and salads, meat, chicken and veal entrees, pasta selections and seafood dishes. Desserts are available as well with tiramisu and homemade cheesecake being popular favorites.

Giovanni’s offers carry-out and local delivery within 7 miles of the restaurant. The restaurant is also available for parties and weddings. The venue offers a private banquet room, an outdoor lake-view patio or the flower-adorned gazebo for weddings and events.