We were a party of 8 celebrating two birthdays. Â Our server was excellent and our meal was served with plenty of time between courses. Â Our party had the Tuscan Beef, a Ribeye, Black Pepper Salmon, Pork Tenderloin and a pasta dish. Â They were all excellent. Â We all had the Italian Salad which was large and tasty. Â Two of us shared a bottle of Pinot Grigio, Luce Luce. Â It was excellent. Â For an appetizer we had the Artisan Piatti also very good. Â After dinner we walked the grounds, stopped and bought wine and had an enjoyable evening.
Review Source:This review is for the new Crush at the Gervasi vineyard.  We went 10/313.  Very cool wine bar, casual eatery on the Gervasi property. There are two stories.  The first floor has the bar.  There is also veranda seating.  The views are great.  Its hard to believe that you are in Canton, because it looks so Tuscan.  I had a wonderful gorgonzola maple salad.  It was big and so very delicious.  My dad got the Italian meat salad.  My mom thought mine  was better.  We all ordered pasta bowls.  I had the short ribs with orzo. It was so good.  My mom got the shrimp and chorizo  sausage bowel.  The chorizo was not spicy, which was fine with my mom.  However, having been to Portugal and Spain, I didn't even know they made un-spicy chorizo.  The sausage was ground into very tiny pieces, so small, that we had to ask the staff if that was indeed the chorizo.  We were used to link sausage that would be cut on the bias.  Dad ad the greek pasta bowl with chicken.  He seemed to love it.
I ordered a gelato for dessert: Â mocha and Frangelico liquer gelato. I loved it. Â You have many gelato options. Â The gelato flavors can be paired with any wine or liquer, so the options are aplenty if you use your imagination. Â They have parings on the menu in case you don't want to task your brain and just pick something. Â
I had a chard and a red wine, which were great! Â
The decor is very upscale and as usual for Gervasi, very expensive. Â The sinks in the bathrooms have little red lights in them. Â Very cool!
Seating is first come, first serve. Â We walked right up to a great table on second floor with views of the bar action.
Went today for the first time with my husband. Love to experience new wineries.
This place was recommended to us.
It was a beautiful fall day. Ate outside at the piazza . Did not like having to order & pay before my food arrive. Waitress delivered our food. My husband wanted water, didn't think we had to get up & get it ourself.
The food was priced adequately & the wine was decent. Very overpriced by the glass.
The grounds were beautiful. Hard to believe  it's owned solely by one owner. It sniffs out many owners or corporations.
Great atmosphere, beautiful scenery, cute and romantic! Wines were good and we had a great time.
However.. I probably wouldn't come back for the food. Everything we ordered was super super salty!! My friend loves salty food and can not get enough of salt but even agreed that everything was super salty!
First off I am going to say that this is a review based purely on the reviews of others. I have thought about trying Gervasi since hearing about their opening in the Repository a few years back. I have driven by the Demesne several times- I use the term because you can tell the grounds ooze the Million$+ poured into it. The owner- allegedly local- apparently made his mega millions as head of some Miami-based corporation and is now back investing his megabucks in this questionable venture. For a passerby the place oozes a certain air of pretentiousness. Starting around the mid-1990s or so it became chic to be Italian and this owner-who's name is Swaldo (doesn't sound very Italian) claims to be of Italian descent. From what I've seen of the online menu and the reviews it appears this place(and perhaps the owner) is trying overly hard to be something it isn't. I know the type of establishment which is why I hesitate to go. Overpriced and stuffy with mediocre food at best. The grounds look gorgeous, I admit, but you can just as easily admire them from your car driving down the road. Not saying I wouldn't go at some point down the road but a recurring theme pervades a lot of the reviews- this place isn't really all it's packaged to be. Maybe a lot of other reviewers were right in thinking the place is primarily catered to weddings and other large events. The place has garnered my suspicions since I first read about them.
Review Source:Gervasi offers lovely grounds but I found the food mediocre and the red wine, particularly the Sangiovese, awful. Overall, a overrated overpriced experience. I should add that after our party was reduced from 6
To 3 we were stuck in the basement under the stairs as if to say we were the red headed step child. Staring at the wet floor sign under the stairs did NOT add to the expensive experience. The only reason I awarded 2 stars was for excellent service.
The venue and views were excellent. The Bistro which is a converted barn was very well done first class all the way. My group had a fun time here but I did not go for the five stars because my lasagna was burnt at the bottom. It tasted fine but that should not be served that way. The potato pirogies were a notch above store bought but not quite to the Chicago Polish ones I have had.
Review Source:Beautiful vineyard in an unexpected location.
This was the most recent venue for my fine dining group. Â At the time, Gervasi's was offering its 2013 Spring Menu.
Pros - The bistro has lovely views of their lake. Â The restaurant exudes a warm, old world charm. Â We were seated next to a lovely fireplace. Excellent service overall though the staff did forget to refresh my utensils once between courses. The wine flight is a great way to sample the various wines Gervasi makes. They also have round tables for bigger groups (long rectangular tables makes conversation flow challenging).
Must Taste - Pepi di Vitello. Â These are banana peppers stuffed with risotto, veal, caramelized onions, and tomato sauce. Â This is a delightful blend of textures, sweetness, and acidity. Â One could make this a meal in itself.
Also worth mentioning were osso buco and short ribs.
Why I Did Not Rate It 4-Stars - (1) My entree was disappointing. Â I ordered the Gnocchi with beef tips, pearl onions, morels, asparagus and cherry tomatoes with a rosemary veal sauce. Although the combination looks smashing on paper, in execution it leaves much to be desired. The gnocchi was not as light as I would have liked, and the beef tips were surprisingly dry.
(2) Limited dessert choices. Â The Nutella Pizza plays to my preference for salt-sweet foods but the vanilla gelato accompaniment bore little resemblance to the delicious concoctions I savored in Italy (or Little Italy for that matter). The gelato trio was equally disappointing in its selection. And, of course, with so many Italian bakeries in NE Ohio, the dolce piatti suffered by comparison.
(3) This menu played it safe. Entrees were served with mashed potatoes, fingerling potatoes, or seasonal vegetables. While they were delicious and had excellent flavor, the surprise factor was missing.
Overall, I would recommend Gervasi for family dinners, business meals, and even first dates (truly a romantic venue!). Â However, if (1) you're a foodie looking for that wow-factor in your dining experience or (2) you're in search of authentic Italian you may be in for a disappointment.
This place is a great surprise in Canton! The wine was pretty good and the food was good too. The prices are fair. The atmosphere was definitely my favorite thing about it. There really is a reason every Saturday for the next three years is booked for a wedding! I would love to stay overnight here sometime, I almost forgot I was in central Ohio! The outdoor area is really cool. My family enjoyed playing bocce ball. It had a country club feel to it and the landscaping was impeccable. Will be back, hopefully for more than just dinner.
Review Source:The atmosphere was great. The food was average at best. Overall if you are going there for the atmosphere and the wine but not the food its worth it.
My advice is go to Youngstown, Detroit, Chicago or the east coast for Italian food and come here for drinks and kicking back on the patio and soaking in the overall atmosphere to relax.
They desperately need a new chef for those of us that are Italian or Sicilian because the food is nowhere near up to true Italian par. Â Service was great though overall.
This was our second visit and it was much improved from our first shortly after they opened. We had dinner in the Bistro both times, which is a well thought out space with lots of light, nice tables and only a few TVs (which could ruin it).
We both had the wine flight - I had three reds, my wife three whites - and all were tasty. I like bigger, bold reds and found a few that hit the spot.
The stuffed peppers with risotto and veal were extremely tasty. I could have made a meal of them entirely! We ordered the crispy eggplant (breaded and covered with cheese, red sauce and basil), and the shredded Brussels sprouts (looks like coleslaw but tastes much better) as sides to share (more than enough for the two of us). My wife had the Sicilian pasta and loved it while I tried the shrimp and scallop dish that was pretty good itself. The risotto with edamame and peas was a great accompaniment.
For dessert, we shared the hazelnut brownies and had coffees. Could have been more than perfect if they were warm, but this did just fine!
We had a really good time. The atmosphere was relaxed - dinner was a bit better than 2 hours and we never felt rushed - and beautiful. We finished with a stop in to the market and a stroll around the winery. It was a great early evening.
One thing to mention is there were a fair amount of children here, which was a good thing for us as next time we'll bring our son (8) along. We had reservations for 3 PM this time, so it must be partly due to the time of day.
I was with a group that was considering using Gervasi as a location for an upcoming fundraiser. Â We decided to go down for lunch to get a feel for the location and the food. Â The Bistro is amazing from the moment you walk up to the enormous doors. Â Everything is beautifully decorated, very rustic yet refined. Â Views from throughout the room of the grounds are breathtaking, and the room, though busy, was not loud. Â Our waiter was was wonderful, he took the time to explain the menu and gave his recommendation for selections in each category. Â He went through the wine list very thoroughly and did a good job of answering our questions. Â You can buy wine by the glass, by the bottle, or by a 3-glass flight. Â You can pick any combination of wines (white or red or both) and they bring a 2 ounce glass of each. Â Since we had not had any of the wine there before, the flight was a great option.
As you are waiting for your food they bring out a basket of bread. Â But this wasn't any bread - it was hot, garlicky, cheesy crostini slices that were to die for. Â Just the bread itself would have made me a happy lady, that is, until my meal arrived. Â I ordered the Lobster Formaggio - a huge dish of freshly made gemelli pasta in a light cheese sauce with large, discernable chunks of lobster. Â It was steaming hot (I hate when my meals seem to have sat under a heating light) and so delicious. Â The pasta was light with just the right amount of creaminess, and the lobster was fabulous. Â The serving size was big, by the time I was done with lunch I still had a substantial amount of leftovers for an additional meal at home.
We decided to splurge on dessert and had the Nutella pizza. Â Picture a warm pizza crust covered in melty Nutella and chocolate chips and hazelnut chunks. Â It was heaven on a plate. Â Throughout the meal our wait staff did an incredible job refilling glasses and checking on us. Â Just enough to be right, and not too much to be annoying. Â
We had such an enjoyable meal and we all plan to return on our own, as well as for our event. Â Such a fabulous find!
Being the owners of a landscaping company we loved the grounds. Â Being wine aficionados who have set a goal of visiting every Ohio winery for tastings we were very disappointed. Â It's not really a true tasting room - more of an overpriced, pretentious restaurant. Â The prices were inflated and I felt like I couldn't really try the wine and learn more about it. Â It was nice for a one-time visit to check off the list but I don't plan on going back.
Review Source:From the moment my fiance and I pulled onto the grounds we were impressed. Everything from the landscaping to the architecture had a lot of thought put into it. We ate in the Bistro for dinner. I had an Italian salad and the bolognese and my fiance had the Caesar salad and the bone-in rib eye with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach. We also shared a bottle of Lambrusco. My fiance has lived in large cities all over the country and is half Italian. He rated this rib eye in the top two of all he has ever eaten. He even said it was better than the rib eye at Del Monaco's in The Venetian in Las Vegas. I will have to say I favored his meal over mine and I'm not a big meat eater. My pasta was cooked to perfection and the sauce on point. His salad was delicious! I also favored that over my Italian salad, although, it too, was very good. The Lambrusco was crisp and refreshing and not too fruity. I'm not a wino by any means but I thought it tasted fantastic! We finished the bottle off and bought another to take home. Our waiter was very attentive and made great suggestions. I have nothng bad to say about our experience. I can't wait to go back!
Review Source:this place amazes me.  For Canton this is quite a change.  the atmosphere is quiet. the service was perfect. The wine is not bad for this area.  Prices are on par with others in the area.  My wife and I tried it on  a fluke and we will go back.  the food comes in huge portions but they allow half orders which were plenty for us.
The Caesar salad was a little strange looked like a loaf of bread?? has anchovies but the critter is on the side of the plate. Â dressing was nothing special. Â The Salmon was great. Â Maybe a little salty but I had a huge workout earlier so I needed the extra salt. Â the grounds would be great for a weekend retreat. Â My wife and I decided we would book a night at the attached villa and get away from everyone. Â
THE OTHER thing I can't over emphasize is this is not a chain!!!!!!!!!
If you go and don't like it send me a note. thanks!!!
This review is for the bistro. i hve not used the patio outside or the hotel.
Nice ambiance and the prices are reflective of that, but I believe it was still a good value. The best is the wine flight, built as wine tasting, but they charge $7.50 for 3 small samples, all together it would be 2/3 of a wine glass, but the wins were good.
The food was well prepared, and well presented, you certainly noticed the pasta was freshly made. The  service was real good. But we visited in he off season...I bet it would be crowded during summer time.
The grounds are really nice, and phenomenally well kept. I would go back.
We recently had our wedding and rehearsal dinner here and everything was amazing.
The location cannot be beat. The beauty of the grounds and buildings is amazing, something you might expect in Napa or Sonoma but is unexpected in Canton.
The wedding was outside, and the reception was in the outdoor pavilion. Everything was mazing. The staff was awesome and helpful all the way through the process, not just on the wedding dy but with everything leading up and all of the planning. You felt like they were going the extra mile and not just "doing another wedding".
Food and drinks were great, service was excellent. Every single person that was impressed with the location and the food.
Great Job.
Lovely, lovely grounds, unlike anything that one would expect to see in Canton. Â There was great vision and first-rate planning that went into this first-class winery. Â For the grounds and the facilities themselves, I'd give this five-stars.
As for the food and the wine, it's a different story. Â I ate on the Piazza downstairs, outside. Â One orders at a counter and the food is brought out to the table. Â There is no waiter service. Â It's not a great system, as all the food is brought simultaneously, so if one orders appetizers and entrees, all the food would arrive at once. Â The remedy for this issue? Â Order the appetizers first, on a separate ticket, and then order the entrees later on a different ticket -- which would mean paying twice, as not everything would be on one bill. Â Yes, it's stupid and ill-organized.
The food wasn't great. Â There were a few items on the menu for vegetarians: Â a couple pizzas, salads, and one pannini. Â The woman who took my order suggested that the pizzas would be the best bet. Â They were average at best. Â The crust wasn't refined, the toppings not full-of-flavor, the tomato sauce so subtle it could barely be distinguished. Â By all means, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't memorable.
I sampled several of the wines at the counter before ordering. Â Full disclosure: Â I live near Napa Valley and Sonoma County, two of the best and most mature wine growing regions in the United States that consistently produce world-class wines. Â These wines weren't that. Â To be fair, I did not find them "horrible"; yet, they were thin. Â They tasted watered down -- which is not to say that they were -- but the flavors weren't subtle or bold, aromatic or spicy -- they were diluted by the wine-making process. Â It's not that I wouldn't recommend the wine, but I'd suggest that people be prepared for what they're getting. Â It's not complex wine, but this is still a young winery. Â Give them some chance to mature and grow in their process.
Given my proximity to Wine Country in California and being well-adapted to the costs, I did not find a $9.50 glass of wine or a $12 pizza (and it was small) to be excessive. Â Value is something that other Yelpers seem to be concerned about with respect to Gervasi. Â Yes, it's a notch or two more expensive than the ordinary run-of-the-mill place. Â That said, the ambiance is spectacular. Â One forgets that one is in Canton, Ohio. Â I've never seen anything like it and couldn't have imagined.
Overall, I give my four stars because of the builder's vision and well-thought out and well-constructed vineyard. Â They have villas for overnight stays, a Pavillion for outdoor weddings, and a conference room for indoor meetings or weddings. Â There is a beautiful pond and the view from the Piazza is lovely. Â The food and wine are not four stars; they are three stars at best, and 2.5 stars is more likely the most accurate description. Â Still, it's different, it's romantic, it's quality in layout. Â I'd recommend people to go at least once to see what can be done in this normally sleepy and boxed/chain restaurant locale in Northeastern Ohio. Â One can bring style to Stark County, and Gervasi succeeds on that front in spades.
I do believe some people worship Gervasi but I sure don't have my heads in the cloud on this place. It's OK based on the food and drink prices and awesome on the atmosphere.
VILLAS:
I spent 2 nights in the Sorrento Villa on a Wednesday/Thursday night. I arrived fairly early on Wednesday morning, around 10AM to check-in and they did have a room ready for me. Check-in was quick and the lady was so friendly and helpful with explaining everything.
We had the entire villa to ourselves and it was the closest to the water so it was so peaceful to eat breakfast, lunch or just relax outside. The villas do share a common space but because we were the only ones we have no complaints on noise. The fridges are stocked with all kinds of juices, sodas, waters and also some yogurt and fruit you can take. Also every morning they leave a breakfast for you of pasties and other assorted muffins.
First night we did the 2 floor king suite and it was nice but since we were the only ones in the villa on the 2nd night we switched to the regular room across the hall. The only complaint I have is noise. Even in the 2 story suite we could still hear every door shutting despite being upstairs (they come in the middle of the night to pick up/drop off breakfast around 7am).
FOOD & DRINK:
I have only eaten on the patio and personally I think you pay for the atmosphere because the food really isn't anything amazing. I have had the cheese panini for $9 and it was something I could make. NOT worth $9 at all for being OK. I have also had the burger which was overcooked and dry, again not worth the price. Everything is just so overpriced for basic food, nothing special.
Drinks are also costly. $9 for a glass of wine, really?? The pitcher of sangria is worth it though as it goes along way for $22 and it is very good.
SO, I'll be back but maybe try the inside for dinner but it's not on the top of my list.
Just here for the first time today, on a company event. We were at the Pavilion. Cold buffet and desserts. Nothing special. A couple of cheeses, smoked cheddar, goat and something else I couldn't identify. Mozzarella and balsamic vinegar with some tomatoes, cold cuts! Some noodles and vegetables. Again, nothing special. Desserts included a mousse, brownie cone with a spit of chocolate syrup, cannoli, chocolate strawberries, etc. Nothing special there either bit the mousse was tasty. I have not been here for dinner so I can't review the "real" food. I was underwhelmed with this visit though. The parking staff also send us to the wrong place after we were already in the right place! Wasted our time. Can't comment on prices either since I didn't pay.
Review Source:If real estate is all about location, location, location ... then this place is all about ambiance, ambiance, ambiance. Â I've dined here several times and it was an exquisite experience each time. Â A number of reviews here comment on the prices. I figure if I want a cost-conscious meal w/wine, there are a few hundred establishments between the BV Mall and The Strip where I can get that. NONE of those places has an atmosphere anywhere close to the one at Gervasi.
Having said that, I've found the Bistro at Gervasi to be a very good value. Salads, pizzas and appetizers are all reasonably priced. The wine is indeed pricey, and I've had better tasting experiences at wine tastings, but this is a fairly new winery that is just beginning to build its steam. I'm sure award-winning wines are in its future...
This review is for the patio they call the Piazza. Â
OK, the good:
The buildings, the grounds, the gardens, and the atmosphere are amazing. Â The owners spent a fortune on this place, turning it into a very classy place (that was once an abandoned old tree farm). Â Kudos for investing in a Plain Township based business, where I live. Â This is where I run out of nice things to say.....
The bad:
1.) Â The place and it's clientele are very pretentious. Â If you didn't arrive in a Mercedes or BMW, and wear $600 outfits, you were instantly out classed. Â The place wreaks of money. Â Not a common man's place to eat at all.
2.) Â We had to wait 45 minutes for a party of 5, and when we were seated, they sat us at a square wrought iron table built for 4. Â Very cramped and awkward.
3.) Â The prices are ridiculous! Â $10 glasses of wine that were small in size and filled with mediocre tasting spirits. Â Expect to pay $10 - $24 for a sandwich, chips and a pickle spear. Â These meals anywhere else would be under $9 and would exceed Gervasi's portions and taste. Â
I ordered a bottle of wine. Â That was a mistake. Â They gave me something called a half sleeve. Â Guess what it was? Â A half bottle of wine! Â Yeah, 375ML of wine for the price of a full 750ML bottle! Â Rip off.
4.) Â When we were finally seated by the hostess, we quickly learned that there are no waiters or waitresses! Â You literally have to walk up to an ordering station, place your order and pay for it. Â I felt like I was eating at the county fair. Â Thankfully the kitchen was kind enough to bring the food to our table. Â Unbelievable - no wait staff? Â Really?!? Â If this is an upscale place to eat, they lost my vote. Â For these kinds of prices, I expect to be waited on.
5.) Â You had to tip at the time you paid for your meal. Â Really?!? Â Tip for something that I haven't received yet? Â And tip for what? Â Where's the wait staff? Â It just felt like greed.
6.) Â No full service bar. Â Wine and soda only. Â (A member of our party didn't like wine, and wanted a mixed drink)
7.) Â I'm not sure how to control it, but the walking grounds are filled with Canadian Goose crap. Â It's everywhere. Â If you walk the grounds, expect to get bird crap all over your shoes.
All in all, I spent $125 for a party of 5. Â We all walked away very disappointed, and vowed to never return. Â I actually felt ripped off. Â We could have spent half the money elsewhere and received twice the value. Â
I never mind spending a little extra money for an upscale place to dine. Â However, I do expect to see value for my hard earned money. Â The Gervasi Piazza failed in every way.
Dear Dana from Arlington; Canton is the home of innumerable Italian eateries large and small, so it isn't all that crushing to see critiques of Gervasi's food. But as a showstopping shrine to wine culture, Gervasi is a must-visit. You'll enjoy the tasting flights and the ambiance. It's the perfect place to take a first date or to take your Nonnina to see her weep with nostalgic joy. Pure flamboyant fun.
Review Source:This is a world class place tucked into the quiet little suburb of North Canton. If the design and decor don't blow you away the staff and the amenities will. I'm no foody so I can't speak to the cuisine, but the grounds and the ambiance are enough to make anybody's night, and we've received excellent service each time we've gone.
Review Source:We've eaten here several times on the patio, once in the dining room with a group of 10 friends.
The place is stunning. Even though the space is nearly new, it looks like an old italian villa with lots of old exposed beams and stucco and brickwork, beautifully lit and furnished. The property is beautifully landscaped, and the patio area is a great space.
Most of the wines we tried were enjoyable. I'm not a wine snob, so crisper younger and sweeter wines are fine by me. I'd give them 5 stars compared to other ohio vineyards. Their grapes i'd guess are sourced from California while they get their own vines up and producing in the coming years. What they've been able to produce so far is commendable.
The food unfortunately was hit and miss. Mostly miss. I ordered a pretty typical seafood pasta dish that should be hard to screw up and it was crap. My wife had lamb that was pretty good though. Dessert was tasty. Others in our party expressed the same opinion. specials were pretty good, the rest was bad. On the occasions we opted for the patio, the appetizers were pretty terrible across the board. The meat and cheese plate was an insult to cured meats and dairy products. It was like cold cuts and rubbery cubed cheese leftover from an office luncheon. The pizza was warm-ish, but still edible.
I don't set the bar very high for Canton and i still left disappointed every time. I won't even complain about the price other than to say if it met expectations it would be a good value. I want to love you, I really do Gervasi. I want to bring out of town friends here who will leave impressed and satisfied. Until the food steps up to the level of the awesome decor we'll have to go downtown for our Italian fix.
Gervasi was the highlight of my visit to the Canton area. We arrived a little past opening on a weeknight and found seats at the end of the community table over looking a tranquil view of the water.
Our server was super patient and was happy to describe everything on their wine list. My girlfriends and I opted for a sampler of three wines each and a pizza to share. Our wines shortly arrived with dainty cards, indicating our selections. The Creme Anatra pizza tops the list of most interesting pie combinations I've ever had-- pulled duck, fig jelly, mushrooms, spinach, ricotta and provolone. While seemingly bizarre sounding, the combo was a surprising delight-- savory yet harbored a buttery richness. The two white wines I picked (piove and malvasia bianca) were my favorites of the evening.
Overall, I loved the cozy, dark wood interior. Even though it was a weekday, reservations were booked three hours well after our desired time. Try your luck anyway and nab some seats at the community table. It's first come, first serve and for our group of gabbers, dinner was a nice touch of casual yet dressy in a warm, festive backdrop.
I honestly am shocked to see anything except less than stellar reviews of Gervasi. Â After living in DC for years, I am used to GOOD restaurants. I mean GOOD. Â I may even border on calling myself a food snob. Â ...But Gervasi didn't disappoint. This place hit a home run where it matters most: food quality, service, ambiance, price.
The food was outstanding. My table all shared our dishes, and I can say without reservation that the crispy calamari, roasted apple mista salad and gelato trio are not to be missed. I had the pork braciola for dinner which also was excellent, albeit a bit fatty. Â However, the polenta and spinach dish were tasty beyond words and the pork itself was cooked to perfection. Â Additionally, the wine choices were unique, reasonably priced and paired well with the food.
Furthermore, the ambiance was stunning. Â I loved the combination of old and new. Â The restaurant uses salvaged beams and flooring from an old barn but adds to it a lot of modern twists that give the impression of luxury without pretentiousness. Â I happened to visit when the restaurant was decorated for Christmas, and done so beautifully. Â No offense to Ohioans, but it was hard to believe that such a beautiful restaurant and property were basically smack dab in the middle of residential Canton.
Finally, the service. Â All in all, the service here is what I would describe as "above and beyond". Gervasi aims to please - and they succeed. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Â The management is also fantastic. Before arriving, I sent an email inquiry regarding what dishes could be modified to be gluten-free. I got a prompt response informing me that not only could dishes be modified, but Gervasi offers a separate gluten-free menu. Winning! Â I'm surprised they don't advertise this, because this is a real selling point. Â The owner's wife has Celiac Disease and because of this, the staff is well-trained to serve patrons with food allergies. Â When I mentioned to my server that I am gluten-free, he quickly offered to bring me bread rolls made from tapioca flour. Â What?! GF bread in a restaurant? I was in heaven. Â As if that wasn't enough, the arrival of my gluten-free crispy calamari (again, a rare treat - this one was made with rice flour), I had something of a religious experience.
Long story short, this place is as good as it gets and I will return to Gervasi whenever I get the chance.
After a return visit, I was disappointed to find that again our table wasn't ready and we waited for over a half hour to be seated and again received a complimentary pizza.
Our meal was great though, service was excellent. I contacted the owner about my aggravation with the wait time and he was very receptive of my criticism and offered his apologies.
I will go again next time I am in the area not only because of the food, ambiance and wine (all great), but because of his timely response and dedication to customer service.
Be prepared to wait, relax and have some more wine. And a designated driver!
Im going to try really hard not to sound like a big city snob here, but this place was a real disappointment. Â It's like eating decent wedding buffet food with awful wine. Â I'm sure this is a lovely place for a wedding....and it would be a grand experience. Â But for a dinner with lively conversation, excellent food and an impressive wine list-this is most certainly not the place. Â Having said that...I think there is potential here, and would rate it a 2.5 if the option was available. Â
We had a 9 pm reservation, so parking wasn't really an issue, but if the weather had been at all inclement, it would have been a nightmare. Â The landscaping is exquisite, and the buildings are gorgeous. Â For some reason though, there's a real shortage of bathroom facilities. Â
Our party of 10 was seated in the lower level that's laid out in German beer hall style. Â The noise was out of control. Â I started with a Riesling that was sweeter than Kool Aid, not at all my style. Â I switched to the "velvet" Pinot Noir...marginally better than the aforementioned Riesling, but that's not saying much. Â I don't consider myself a full blown wine afficionado, but I know a bit about wine and food pairings and different vintages. Â I think the Gervasi owners are trying too hard to be something they're not. Â The best advice I can give them is get some name brand wines in here. Â
Some of the appetizers I tried were the caprese salad-meh; the bruschetta-meh; one of the brick oven pizzas-quite good.  I had the short rib entrée, which is considered one of their signature dishes.  The server brought mine out and it was huge-she said it was a double order by accident, but "they wouldn't charge me for the mistake".  The Parmesan mashed potatoes were cold-tasted great, but cold-so were the carrots.  The short ribs were warm to hot but, nothing special-they tasted like my pot roast-which is delicious, to be sure, but nothing out of the ordinary.  A couple of my table mates got the brisket/filet combination, which wasn't presented well and won no praise from either of them.  My brother in law was very disappointed in the pork chop which he reported was very dry. Â
If this place is profitable, then good for the owners. Â Their overhead must be enormous though. Â I'm guessing there were around 500-1,000 people on the grounds when we arrived. Â But I'm not convinced they were all there for food, it seems like some people were there just to take a look around and ooh and ah over the architecture and grounds. Â Based on some other reviews, I probably have higher expectations than a lot of locals. Â I just don't think you can create made-to-order, quality meals for crowds that size...unless you have an army of chefs. Â I'll concede that our late arrival time may have accounted for some of the lapses in service and food quality...it doesn't excuse it, but I know that it's not unusual for quality to suffer at the end of the evening. Â Would I give it another chance? Â Yes. Â But I'd probably stick with a pizza and some wine on the patio before indulging in a big meal again.
Oh my. Where to begin?
I suppose I should start with driving up to the restaurant to park for a dinner (with reservations). Â I was turned away by the parking attendant who indicated I needed to go park in a field a good walk away from the restaurant. It was 90+ some degrees and I was wearing a sport coat. I have had a lot better luck in finding closer parking in Tremont and downtown Cleveland. Â I later learned that the folks that were at Gervasi to attend the farmers market had the same parking priority in the restaurant's parking lot as people that came to the restaurant with reservations. Â That's an interesting philosophy.
I walked over to the lower level host, informed her we were there for dinner and had reservations.  Apparently they can't handle reservations at the lower level, so I was directed to walk up and around the building, go into the upper level and ask them. Grumble.  I walk up and around and through the main doors, and was greeted nicely by the host. I explained who we were and that we had made reservations for 8 to 12 people. She then escorted me downstairs and pointed to our table - which seated six.  Um, anybody see a disconnect here?  She then said  "Well that table over there should be ready to leave sometime soon; we will pull that table over when they leave."  Really?  This is what arriving on time with reservations gets you?  Meh! I sat down and realized I was right by a door that goes outside to the lower level host.  Geez!  So far, all this place has going for it is ambience: beautiful grounds, amazing buildings, and top notch interior decorations and lighting.  A+ on Ambience.
We were in the middle of a conversation and the server actually interrupted multiple times and spoke over top of us to start explaining the specials. I guess we are in a hurry now. Â We placed our appetizer order (GV Artisan Piatti, Â Bruschetta Trio, Marinated Vegetable Antipasto) and wine order. Note: there are no cocktails here -just their own house wine and limited beer. I had the red wine flight (Velluto, Truscano, and Abbraccio). Â Ok, so I think Velluto translates to Velvet, and that is the name they gave their Pinot Noir. Â Oh man, this wine and velvet don't belong in the same sentence unless the sentence is "This wine is definitely not like velvet!" Â This Pinot came across as fiery, bitey, and lit up the sides of my tongue. Â The Truscano and Abbraccio were approachable. Â Just give them some time to breathe; they taste young. Â The appetizers were all good, nothing exceptional though. Â The appetizer presentation was very good.
The server did a good job of giving us a bit of time after appetizers and wine were served prior to taking the dinner order. I had the Grilled Pork Chop (16oz Grilled Pork Chop, Sage Potato Cake, Sauteed Squash, Orange Chili Glaze). I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into a nice thick juicy 16oz pork chop. When my meal arrived, I just sorta stared at my pork chop.  I've never been served a pork chop that looks like that before; I uploaded a picture to  the site.   What was worse though is when I cut into it.  It was undercooked - picture uploaded!  Ah come on now, Gervasi!  There are only a couple of ways to get an F from me on food, but serving undercooked pork or chicken is a foundational level restaurant no no.  If I were a certain UK chef, I might have jumped up, dropped a few f bombs, run into the kitchen, called them a bunch of donkeys, and told them to shut the place down before they poison someone.  Instead I just sat there and shook my head; I'm not going to disrupt every one elses dinner to send it back.  The squash was thinly cut and overcooked, almost mushy, and there was no seasoning - completely bland.  Visions of shredded potato with sage seasonings possibly browned in olive oil manifested itself on my plate as what I can only describe as dried out crushed potatoes compressed into a hockey puck that soaked in oil; it was yellowed not browned and was also completely bland.  I tasted no sage. They must not taste before they serve here.  I left the pork chop - with the rare side showing - on my plate.  The server cleared it with the others plates without even noticing the undercooked pork or asking why I left it on the plate.  Minus another point on service.  I think the kitchen staff completely blew this meal and service certainly didn't make up for it.  Maybe the place grew in popularity faster than they could handle it. Â
I'm betting I would have had a completely different review had I arrived for the farmers market, strolled around the grounds with a date, and had a couple of glasses of wine on the patio with appetizers or a pizza. Â And I may try that in a few weeks. Â But purely as a restaurant dining experience, this is a two star for this visit.
ATMOSPHERE- A+
SERVICE - C-
FOOD - F (under cooked pork and bland over cooked sides)
PRICE - C (you can't ask these prices for this kind of service and food
We went for lunch yesterday, on Sunday right when it opened. Â The atmosphere is very lovely!
The bread was very good and warm, garlic bread? Â We ordered the lunch special - $30 for a big salad, one pizza you can choose, and one lasagna. Â We also ordered the lobster alfredo pasta. Â This was the perfect amount of food for 4 people.
The salad had mixed greens, goat cheese, strawberries, pistachios, and raisins (craisins?) with a balsamic dressing. Â It was absolutely delightful, everything melded together wonderfully.
The lobster pasta was a tad heavy and rich, but with a lot of big chunks of lobster. Â Very good.
The lasagna was ok, I've definitely had better. Â I don't know if it was the meat or what, but again, I've had better.
We ordered the veggie white pizza and we all thought it was great - the perfect amount of cheese, vegetables, and there wasn't too much crust. Â It is a thin crust, which I prefer.
All in all it was a wonderful experience. Â I even bought a bottle of wine next door at the Marketplace, but haven't had the chance to try it yet.
Very easy to make reservations on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a>! Â Will definitely return next time I'm in the area!
I used to be a DJ and have done a TON of weddings. Â This is a perfect place for someone in the northeastern Ohio area to get married. Â The facility is brand new and high quality, the food was wonderful, the scenery pristine...all good stuff. Â
If you're just looking to get away, as soon as their villas are done, I think this will be a perfect "Staycation" location. Â Great wine, plenty of places to relax, read, and look at the water, bocce ball & other games, etc. Â I'd definitely consider coming here with my wife for a long weekend.
Three stars for location and atmosphere. Â Location is excellent. Â Food and wine is less than impressive. Â We had their lunch menu. Â Â Artisan Piatti was excellent. Â The rest of our meal was not memorable. Â We were very disappointed with their wine. Â We tired 6 different ones, all were less than impressive. Â Great place to go for the atmosphere, just not sure you will get a meal worth the price you pay.
Review Source:I've been to Gervasi a few times, and while it's a great option if you're just looking for a place to enjoy a glass of wine with some friends, I wasn't impressed with the dining experience there.
The wines are good, and fairly reasonably priced. The lunch menu is pretty basic-- some appetizers, salads, pizzas and pasta dishes (about 3-4 options per course), and seems a bit pricey for what you get. I had a the Sicilian salad with chicken, and while the chicken was cooked nicely, the other listed ingredients were pretty sparse. My dad got the buccatini with meatballs, and he enjoyed it, but didn't rave about it. My mom absolutely loved the asparagus soup, and nearly licked the bowl clean. She also got a beet salad, but it was a tiny portion.
I love the outdoor area of Gervasi when the weather is nice, and the Bistro has a nice lodge-like feel. In general, a nice place to go for drinks, but probably not the best option for a meal.
Loved this winery. Both inside & outside were beautifully decorated. Â We had several different kinds of wine & all of them were wonderful.
Service was a tad slow. (they were pretty busy, but we had to have the bus boy get our waitress...) Our appetizer took 20+... our meals came about 10min. after that. All our food was hot & tasted excellent!
We will come back to this place when we're in town!
Wow. Â Second time to Gervasi was pretty bad. Â We had to send the pizza back because it was undercooked. Â What's worse is how rushed the service was. Â If we hadn't told the waitress to slow it down, we would have been in and out of there in under 30 minutes. Â Not cool. Â Also, if a table orders a bottle of white and a bottle of red and you're a WINERY, you should offer both white and red wine glasses. Â One style of stemware doesn't do the trick.
Review Source:So I've casually called this place a few times hoping to grab dinner and every time there were no reservations available. Â Finally I had a 30th birthday and we needed somewhere to go, so I called and got the only time they had available, which was 8:00pm. Â We arrived about five minutes early and weren't sat till almost 8:30. Â Not a huge fan of that, especially since we had a reservation, but I digress.
Once we were seated, we got the nights specials and such from the server, and then we didn't see her for literally 15 minutes. Â In her defense, she got sat with another four top, as well as a nine top that she was handling all on her own, so I don't fault her. Â I was a little surprised that such an upscale establishment didn't have a larger, more dedicated wait staff. Â Again, I digress.
We placed our order and then they brought our wine ($9 glass Reisling) , water, and their bread. Â It was Italian bread, cut thin, then baked in some EVOO and spices from what I could tell. Â It was a little too crusty for us, so we asked for some butter, which was brought out from the freezer apparently, as it was rock hard. Â So far, not terribly impressed, but this is where things got better...
I ordered the acorn squash soup ($7) and split a wedge salad ($6) with the misses. Â The soup was an A+, sweet, creamy, and the toasted pumpkin seeds gave just the right amount of salty and crunchy to compliment the sweet textures. Â The wedge was also good, with a nice blend of cream, bleu cheese crumbles and balsamic. Â The sundried tomatoes were a nice touch as well.
I ordered the Short ribs for my entree ($22) which came with carrots and mashed potatoes, as well as mushrooms. Â The meat was extremely tender, but it was really more of something you would get in a pot roast. Â Maybe I just didn't realize what short ribs were, but I was expecting something else. Â Regardless, I was pleased with the meat and the jus it was cooked in. Â The carrots were slights above average, nice al dente crunch. Â The mushrooms were also good. Â The mashed potatoes left a little to be desired in my opinion, but most places don't really have the skin on, home made mashed potatoes I love. Â That's personal preference. Â Overall, a good solid meal B+
The atmosphere was interesting. Â This place is an old barn that was restored to the restaurant. Â It had a nice warm feel, very open, and homey at the same time. Â The lighting was just right, and the ambiance was good. Â My only complaint was that for some reason they had little 40" flat screens on the walls every 30 feet or so that were playing a tourist video of Italy. Â It just seemed really unnecessary to me, and kind of mucked the classy ambiance ever so slightly. Â Also, they had a few too many knick knacks for my liking (i.e. worn signs that were actually brand new)
Overall, it's nice to see that Canton has a place that's got people excited again, and I'll certainly give them another try in the future. Â I would recommend you do the same
Gervasi is exactly what Canton needed. This area is flooded with chain restaurants that are nothing but average. The last time I was in town we stopped by for a late dinner and everything was perfect.
My husband and I split the family style lasagna which was cooked to perfection. With three trips to Italy under my belt I'm quite picky about Italian foods and nothing disappointed. Our table split the nutella pizza for dessert and it was heavenly. We're still talking about how good it was.
The location and decor are over the top. In my opinion a bit off on authenticity - everything's new and mass produced. It was missing the worn but warm character that you find in older Italian restaurants. I still give them a lot of credit for almost nailing the mark - and their food makes up for it.
I'm dying to go back and try the patio - but it probably won't be until next summer. Perhaps by then things will be a bit worn.
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