Retail analyst Bruce Winder says people are excited for the new location, but it will have to offer ‘good value’ to keep the Canadian customer base.
Toronto will soon be home to its first Olive Garden location, a popular Italian-inspired restaurant that’s returning to Ontario this summer.
Recipe Restaurant Group International (Recipe), Canada’s largest full-service restaurant company, made the announcement after its acquisition of all eight existing Canadian restaurants in Western Canada and a deal with U.S.-based Darden Restaurants.
The restaurant company stated in a news release that the first new Olive Garden location will open at Vaughan Mills in Vaughan, Ont., followed by a second location in Ottawa’s Westboro neighbourhood.
Recipe stated that both restaurants are currently in active development, and they are expected to open in summer 2026. The two locations will be the first Olive Gardens outside of Western Canada. Other locations are currently in various stages of planning, the company said.
Recipe Restaurant Group International‘s portfolio includes brands like Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Montana’s, New York Fries, Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse and East Side Mario’s, among others.
“With these upcoming openings, we’re taking an important step in expanding Olive Garden’s footprint into new Canadian markets,” Frank Hennessey, chief executive officer of Recipe Restaurant Group said in the news release.
“This expansion reflects our confidence in the brand, the strength of our partnership with Darden, and our ability to execute thoughtfully and strategically across Canada.”
Recipe added that additional announcements regarding future restaurant openings will be shared in the coming months. Olive Garden, which left the province in the 1990s, is popular for its never-ending servings of breadsticks and its Italian–inspired soups and pasta.
Retail analyst Bruce Winder of Bruce Winder Retail told CTV News Toronto on Tuesday that it’s a difficult time for restaurants due to the rising cost of food and unaffordability in Ontario that is driving consumers away.
“There’s a nostalgia and legacy there so it’s something people are interested in,” he said. “[But] they are coming during a really tough time and I think they have to be very careful.”
“It’s a really tough time to manage restaurants right now because of the consumer issues and the rising cost of food, labour, utilities, rent and insurance. It’s pretty tough to make a buck in the restaurant business.”
Dining and Cooking