There are a million reasons to dine at Joanne, the trattoria that has evolved into more than a neighborhood Italian spot that opened 15 years ago by Joe and Cynthia Germanotta — Lady Gaga’s parents.
By 7 pm, the dining room at Joanne begins to sound less like a restaurant, but more like a small concert. Plates of Sicilian-inspired dishes move between tables as live performers steal the night. The nightly performances are an ascendance of 2011, which marks its anniversary this fall.
When first opening, Joe Germanotta said the restaurant was “completely different from what it is today.”
“Now, Columbus Avenue wraps up around 8:30 pm, while before COVID, people used to stay out until 2 a.m. around here,” he notes.
Even with the restaurant’s name itself, he says, he had no part in it; it’s actually due to his daughter, Stephanie Joanne Germanotta, also known as the music idol, Lady Gaga, who inspired him to rename the restaurant after his beloved sister, Joanne Germanotta. His sister’s name pays tribute to the restaurant, where love, entertainment, and community can come together.
Gaga’s million-dollar idea is revealed throughout the restaurant’s decor, with images from her albums over the years, particularly the Joanne album released in 2016.
In the kitchen, a different concept is at play. Many of the dishes come from a family cookbook, Joe Germanotta says, making guests feel at home.
“A lot of these dishes are what my parents made growing up, like the artichoke chicken my mother made that every Thursday or Friday night, and eggplant parm, my father loved that,” he says.
In fact, the dishes are named after family members, such as “Papa G” and “Nona,” as reflected in the images on the walls around the restaurant.
Guests won’t have trouble finding something they enjoy, as the menu is extensive and flexible. From arancini to chicken parm, served in both traditional marinara sauce and vodka sauce, the customization options guests can request are another reason they are guaranteed a top-tier dining experience.
Nonna’s meat lasagna, voted guests’ favorite, arrived in layers of pasta, ragu, and mozzarella, folded in either a classic tomato or vodka sauce. The first bite you take is the ragu, rich and savory, followed by the creaminess of the mozzarella cheese. Germanotta recommends a perfect pairing with the lasagna—the chicken parmigiano, which is also served with either traditional tomato or vodka sauce, with a side of linguine with marinara sauce. It’s good in the way your grandma’s secret recipe hits every family dinner.
For guests who want to experience the pre-fix menus along with the show, The Full Joanne Experience, Germanotta has the perfect list. Start the night with meatballs, calamari, or arancini, then the chicken or eggplant parm. For pasta: lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs, or bolognese. For fish, the whole roasted branzino is the way to go.
And dessert? “Hot banana bread pudding,” he adds.
The prix-fixe offers one selected cocktail, glass of wine, or beer, one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert. Prices range from $50 to $89, depending on meal preference types.
The best part of the prix fixe is the show. After COVID, Germanotta realized the challenges of New Yorkers wanting to go out and needing entertainment, but many businesses were shut down, so Germanotta saw this as a chance to take advantage of. Flash forward 6 years, and the performers and live music stayed.
“I decided to put together a concept where you can have dinner and a show, and go home all for the same price,” and “it’s like the same concept as going to the movie theater, plus dinner,” he says.
Looking ahead, Germanotta hopes to still be open at Joanne’s for the 15th anniversary and to expand the restaurant beyond New York City.
“I’d really like to take Joanne to another major city and give it a shot, I think maybe Las Vegas would be a great fit for it,” Germanotta says.
Joanne Trattoria is located at 70 West 68th St. For more information, visit: https://joannenyc.com/
