Aalborg favourite turns 38: Serving Italian classics since 1988

Carbonara, lasagne and Italian traditions have been part of the restaurant for decades.

And today, there is a very special reason to raise a glass at SanGiovanni.

Exactly 38 years ago – on September 15, 1988 – the Danish-Italian couple Benthe and Giovanni Volpi opened the doors to the restaurant for the very first time.

At the time, SanGiovanni opened in the former Konditori Kristine.

Since then, the restaurant has grown, and today it covers 1,100 square metres.

But even after 38 years, the ambition is not to change everything.

Quite the opposite.

For the Volpi family, it is about keeping up with the times without letting go of their Italian roots.

Patina – but never outdated

Mikele Volpi was just 12 years old when his parents opened SanGiovanni.

Today, he is the owner of the restaurant himself, and he has a clear idea of what it takes to keep SanGiovanni relevant.

“We want to have patina, but we just mustn’t become outdated. It should be vintage,” Mikele Volpi tells MigogAalborg.

The family therefore keeps a close eye on what is happening on the restaurant scene, both in Aalborg and around the world.

But they stick to one guiding principle:

Everything should be rooted in Italy.

“We have never been trendy. We have been ourselves,” says Mikele.

He explains that over the years, SanGiovanni has had several things on the menu that only became popular much later.

One example is Aperol, which according to Mikele has been part of SanGiovanni since 1988.

And the dishes have not all been changed simply for the sake of change either.

According to Mikele, people from Aalborg still order classics such as carbonara and lasagne, just as they did in the restaurant’s early years.

From one generation to the next

It is not just the Italian classics that have remained the same.

Some of the guests who came to SanGiovanni as children now return with their own children.

“That’s what’s so fun about it. Those who came here as children are now coming back with their own children. A lot of water has certainly flowed under the bridge,” says Mikele.

Today, another generation has become part of the story, as Mikele and Jeanette Volpi’s daughter is also involved with the restaurant.

Mikele’s mother lives above SanGiovanni, and so does his daughter.

When family and restaurant are so closely connected, however, it also requires a certain balancing act.

“You have to be careful when you’re sitting at a birthday party on a Sunday that we don’t end up talking about the restaurant,” he says.

Although SanGiovanni is celebrating 38 years today, there will not be a huge celebration just yet.

The restaurant is marking the occasion with a competition on Instagram, where you can win both classic and newer dishes. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, September 22.

The big celebration is being saved for later.

When SanGiovanni turns 40 in two years, the plan is to make more of the anniversary.

Until then, the family is sticking to the philosophy that Mikele himself puts into words:

There can be patina.

Just not dust.

SanGiovanni is located at Vesterbro 46, with the entrance from Vingårdsgade 25 in Aalborg.