Casanova has the facilities and staff to help you put together an unforgettable banquet or special event. Our Milagro Room (capacity 35), Havana Terrace (capacity 25), and Harvest Room (capacity 85) are the perfect setting for wedding receptions, corporate dinners, or any special occasion.

We also plan events at our Carmel Valley locations the Corkscrew Café, the Old Adobe Gardens, and the Milagro Chapel at the Georis Winery Vineyard. These locations offer a unique combination of fine food and wine in a romantic country setting.

About Casanova

My partners at Casanova, Denise, Michel, and Walter all come from the same small hometown in Belgium. Denise and Walter are my brother and sister. Michel is a relative and friend.

Somehow destiny led us all to Carmel in the 70’s. One evening the conversation turned to the great country restaurants of Europe we all remembered where great meals were served in a casual atmosphere with a good bottle of wine and a cup of espresso. As we were all getting homesick for such experiences which were not available in Carmel, Michel (who was a chef in Europe) suggested the concept for a small bistro that would only serve one meal a night, family style. Were we interested?

Within a couple of months we opened our first restaurant "La Boheme" which was unlike any other restaurant in California. It was an immediate success but with only 32 seats it was soon too small for the lines of people waiting to get in. In 1977 we bought an old house and turned it into what is now Casanova. Michel was the chef, Walter was the Maitre’D, Denise was the hostess and I ran the office for the first few years. In 1981 chef Didier Dutertre joined our team.

Looking back over the years we realize now what a trend setter Casanova has been and continues to be. Casanova had the first real cappuccinos, lattes and espressos in our area (we had an old manual Gaggia that no one could service except for a Polish technician from Oakland who charged us by the number of cigars it took him to travel to Carmel and fix the machine). "Café au lait" served in bowls seemed revolutionary at one point.

Casanova introduced flavored dipping oil for bread to the California restaurant scene back in the 1980's. It has now become standard in Italian restaurants in the US. We played contemporary European music in our dining rooms when people only knew of Maurice Chevalier and Edith Piaf. We made fresh pasta when most guests did not know the word "pasta" and asked us to explain what "fettuccine" meant. (Is that possible?!)

The Casanova style and décor also became widely imitated. Casanova has influenced not only numerous other restaurants but also the look of many private houses in Carmel. Walter, the designer of our group, has been the design consultant for several residences and restaurants over the last few years. Guests often bring their designers and their architects to capture the Casanova look. I have actually seen guests pull out cameras and measuring tapes between the appetizers and the main course! Naturally, I understand them because I have done the same thing during my travels throughout France and Italy.

Michel, Denise, Walter, and I have enjoyed our guests of the years. It has been a lot of work but also a lot of fun to create a world class restaurant with a faithful local and international clientele. And now our children are involved as well. On week-ends and during vacation time they help in the kitchen, the office, and the dining room. As of this year one of our sons has taken over the daily operation of the restaurants. But we still enjoy coming to work regularly. And, we still sit together and enjoy our meals in a great atmosphere with a good bottle of wine and a good cup of espresso.