Jianna

Jianna, modern Italian cuisine and oyster bar in Greenville

Jianna is a modern Italian restaurant with an oyster bar located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, overlooking Falls Park. Its offering combines an Italian-inspired menu with freshly shucked oysters, artisanal spirits, and wines that embrace the flavors of Italy and the United States. Chef and owner Michael Kramer starts with classic Italian cuisine and adds a creative twist.

A modern osteria with an open kitchen

The venue presents itself as a modern Italian osteria, with an open kitchen in view and an approachable, unpretentious style. The kitchen works with seasonal ingredients from farmers, artisans, and suppliers in the region. Pasta is made daily in the restaurant itself: in addition to linguine or fettuccine, hand-rolled pastas and extruded shapes such as casarecce or tonarelli are prepared.

What the menu offers

The menu brings together Italian classics and seafood preparations. Among the items cited are burrata, char-grilled octopus, potato gnocchi, Italian cheeses, and spaghetti, along with various preparations of fresh fish and seafood. The bar, about 40 feet long and considered the venue's signature feature, allows guests to sit indoors or outdoors to enjoy freshly shucked oysters or prosciutto di Parma sliced to order. The bar team prepares craft cocktails, proseccos, and a selection of wines from Italy and the United States.

Chef Kramer's cookbook

The restaurant sells Chef Kramer's cookbook, with more than 100 recipes including restaurant favorites, cocktails, and desserts. Among the recipes are Spaghetti TBG, char-grilled octopus, and potato gnocchi, with contributions on Italian wine and cocktails by Andrea Royko and desserts by pastry chef Alison Legg.

The origin of the name

The restaurant's name refers to a San Francisco establishment called Jianna, owned by Marc Valiani, who was one of Chef Kramer's culinary mentors and died of ALS in 2011. When looking for a name for his new project in Greenville, Kramer turned to that memory and asked Valiani's widow for permission to reuse it, which she granted. The anecdote, as the restaurant itself recounts, gave rise to the idea that its Jianna would have its own personality and story.

Reservations and service

Reservations can be made by phone or through the Resy platform. The restaurant offers lunch and dinner service with different time slots depending on the day, and includes an afternoon slot on Saturdays and Sundays. It also has an email list and gift card sales, and receives job applications and guest, marketing, and sales inquiries by email.

Location and contact

600 South Main St. 2nd Floor, Greenville, SC 29601 · Phone: 864.720.2200 · Email: info@jiannagreenville.com · Hours: Tuesday to Thursday: dinner from 5:00 pm, last seating at 9:00 pm. Friday: dinner from 5:00 pm, last seating at 9:30 pm. Saturdays: lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; Piccolo from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm; dinner from 5:00 pm, last seating at 9:30 pm. Sundays: lunch from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm; Piccolo from 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm; dinner from 5:00 pm, last seating at 9:00 pm.