Olive Garden is officially back in Ontario! Here are all the menu items worth ordering
After months of anticipation, Olive Garden has officially opened its first Ontario location in Vaughan, giving Toronto foodies a new reason to head north for unlimited breadsticks and creamy pasta!
The Italian-inspired restaurant previously expanded across Ontario in the 1990s, getting diners hooked on its iconic bites, but its restaurants ultimately closed province-wide by the end of that decade. The Vaughan location is the first of three Ontario openings this summer (restaurants in Ajax and Ottawa are expected to welcome guests shortly), and Toronto foodies are already raving about the nostalgic, cheesy eats.
Every entrée comes with Olive Garden’s famous Never-Ending First Course, which lets you choose between the signature house salad or one of the restaurant’s homemade soups, all served with unlimited warm breadsticks, of course.
The classic Chicken Alfredo is one of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers, while seafood fans can opt for Shrimp Alfredo or Seafood Alfredo, packed with shrimp and scallops. If you’re feeling extra indulgent, the Chicken Tortelloni Alfredo layers Asiago cheese-filled tortelloni with Alfredo, grilled chicken, Italian cheeses and toasted breadcrumbs.
Soup lovers can choose from faves like Zuppa Toscana, Chicken & Gnocchi, Pasta e Fagioli, or the vegetarian Minestrone, while the classic house salad comes tossed with tomatoes, olives and the chain’s signature Italian dressing.
If you can’t decide what to eat, try the Tour of Italy. The popular combo entrée packs three signature faves on a single plate: Chicken Parmigiana, Lasagna Classico, and the restaurant’s signature Fettuccine Alfredo.
Before the pasta arrives, there are tons of cheesy shareable starters worth adding to the table, like the Stuffed Ziti Fritta (think crispy fried ziti stuffed with five cheeses), Lasagna Fritta, featuring Parmesan-breaded lasagna served with Alfredo and marinara, Fried Mozzarella, Calamari, and the new Calabrian Hot Honey Chicken Bites if you like a little heat.
And Alfredo is only the beginning: the menu is packed with classic Italian comfort dishes! The Lasagna Classico is prepped fresh daily, while the Five Cheese Ziti Al Forno, Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Cheese Ravioli, Chicken Scampi, and Stuffed Chicken Marsala all make for amazing main courses.
There are also newer additions at the Vaughan location, like Calabrian Shrimp & Braised Beef Bucatini, Spicy Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni, and Creamy Mushroom Ravioli.
If you’re feeding a crowd, Olive Garden also offers several family-style meals for takeout, including a Family-Style Lasagna Bundle that serves four to six people, and a special kids menu, with options like cheese pizza, chicken fingers and mac and cheese.
Pair your meal with something sweet like the Chocolate Lasagna or Sicilian Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping. Top it off with a house-made sangria or a non-alcoholic Strawberry-Passion Fruit Limonata, and call it a night!
Whether you’re stopping by after a day of shopping or making it part of a post-Canada’s Wonderland trip, it’s worth adding to your summer bucket list, especially if you’re looking for a little nostalgia.
Olive Garden is now open at 1 Bass Pro Mills Dr. in Vaughan, near Vaughan Mills shopping center. Hours: Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. For now, it’s operating on a first-come, first-served basis, so reservations aren’t currently available. Diners can choose from dine-in or takeout, but delivery hasn’t launched yet.
Follow @olivegarden_canada for updates.
