Neighbors raise more than $34K for fire-ravaged Giovanni’s in South Slope

By Brian Braiker

Photo of fire damage courtesy of Giovanni Tafuri

Giovanni’s Brooklyn Eats, a beloved Italian restaurant in South Park Slope with one of the best bottomless brunch deals in the borough, is asking neighbors for $50,000 after it “sustained significant damage” from a kitchen fire.

“As everyone knows, Giovanni’s is more than a restaurant, it’s an integral part of the Brooklyn community, where families celebrate landmark events and musicians spontaneously gather to play jazz classics,” the fundraiser’s organizer wrote on its GoFundMe page.

“It’s a roller coaster of emotions of worries and concerns for the business, my family and, even more so, my staff,” owner Giovanni Tafuri tells Brooklyn Magazine. “It’s affected so many people. It’s something one would never ever ever think would happen.”

At around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Tafuri says the kitchen’s deep fryer unexpectedly went up in flames, which quickly grew out of control. Response from emergency crews was swift, but Tafuri says the kitchen was completely destroyed.

“The adjuster was here, and he says you’re pretty much looking at a total loss,” Tafuri says, though he remains determined to re-open, even if it takes months. “I’m going to rebuild it because I’m pissed off. That’s going to give me the energy I need.” 

The GoFundMe page notes that the Covid-19 “threatened to drive this iconic establishment out of business”; however, the staff and Tafuri, a Bensonhurst native, bounced back “feeding off the good will of the community and creating a post-pandemic environment more vibrant than before.”

So far, more than $34,000 has been raised to support the 12-year-old establishment. Donations ranging from $10 to $5,000 poured in over just 48 hours, as well as notes of support and love for the family-run restaurant.

“We are grateful to have an establishment like Giovanni’s in the nabe — high-quality food at affordable prices … always friendly staff. here’s to rebuilding!,” one person wrote. “This establishment is a Brooklyn institution and a place my family and I simply cannot imagine no longer being around,” another added.

The scene on Prospect and Eight Avenues Saturday was chaotic as more than 100 firefighters arrived to battle the blaze. Officials said that the fire engulfed the ductwork of the building and the cause is under investigation.

“I want to rebuild. This is my life,” says Tafuri, who is also one of the original owners of Sotto Voce in Park Slope and ran Sette for 10 years on Seventh Avenue. “I love this place. I love the neighborhood. The response I’ve been getting, there’s no words to describe.”