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• Geovanti’s goes full service

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Geovanti's on Green Street. Photo by Rebekah Nelson.

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Geovanti's »
Address: 401 E. Green St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 344-4600
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Already an establishment that wears many hats, Geovanti’s has long been a campus go-to for lunch, dinner, and late-night excursions. Featuring a menu that includes everything from pizza and wings to pasta and sandwiches, in addition to a fully stocked downstairs bar, it’s the last place one would think to head to for a hearty breakfast. However, the bar and grill has recently added a full breakfast menu and extended its hours of operation to a full 24 hours a day, making it a one-stop-shop for anyone’s gastronomic needs at any hour.

No one could have expected such a combination of food and fun at Geovanti’s, not even long time manager Ian Joaquin. “We started as just a restaurant in 2003, with a few booths and chairs,” he said. “In May 2004, we opened up the bar downstairs.” And so it has remained for the last five years, until some unexpected news prompted the decision to add morning fare and hours.

A rumor had been circulating that their current neighbor, IHOP, had not renewed the lease at their current location. Seeing the opportunity to fill the post-party and/or early morning hunger niche, Geovanti’s jumped at the chance to implement their new ideas. The restaurant quickly launched their breakfast menu and changed their hours to around the clock.

Although it remains to be seen whether or not the IHOP rumor is true, Geovanti’s is excited to try their hand at breakfast regardless of the existing pancake mecca’s presence. Hired specifically to run the new morning shift, Star Watson said, “There aren’t really a lot of places to get breakfast on campus anyway.”

The menu includes old favorites as well as some new twists on traditional dishes. “We have the best biscuits and gravy,” Watson said. “We also have our ‘G-Stack’, which is like a real man’s breakfast,” she laughs. This Geovanti’s original includes biscuits and gravy topped with a chicken strip and hash browns. But the menu doesn’t stop there: from pancakes and eggs to sizeable breakfast sandwiches, Geovanti’s is bringing the heat to surrounding breakfast joints.

The primary breakfasting hours are listed as 4 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., accommodating the late-night snackers and afternoon risers alike. However, one can order breakfast all day long, making pancakes for dinner a happy reality.

Watson hopes that their inclusive hours and new menu will bring in not only more business, but also a more diverse customer base. Usually featuring a highly student-dense clientele, the changes are starting to bring in various other regulars. “We’ve had a lot of U of I employees coming in for breakfast,” she said, “but I think the students are starting to take notice, too.”

Aware that the idea of pizza, pasta, beer, karaoke and scrambled eggs may be a lot to take in, the Geovanti’s staff is staying tuned to customer feedback to ensure that they are offering just what the patrons want without overwhelming them. “We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback from customers already,” Watson said.

“A few subtle changes have been made already based on customers’ suggestions,” said Watson. For example, the portion size of the G-Stack has been modified, its previous serving size being deemed a little too intimidating. They’ve also altered the menu to allow for more personal customization of certain dishes, ensuring everyone can get what they want, how they want it.

So whether it’s an early morning breakfast, a quick lunch between classes, or pizza, drinks and karaoke with friends, Geovanti’s is serving up something that’s sure to please morning, noon and night.