Recipe Restaurant Group International says it will open its first new Olive Garden restaurants under its control in Ontario this summer, marking the next phase of the brand’s expansion in Canada after acquiring the existing locations in Western Canada.
The Vaughan, Ont.-based company said the initial openings will be at Vaughan Mills in the Greater Toronto Area and in Ottawa’s Westboro neighbourhood, with both restaurants currently in development and expected to open in summer 2026.
The planned openings follow Recipe’s recent acquisition of all eight Olive Garden restaurants operating in Western Canada and the signing of a national development agreement with U.S.-based Darden Restaurants Inc., the owner of the Olive Garden brand.
Expansion beyond Western Canada
Recipe said the Ontario locations will be the first new Olive Garden restaurants to open under its expanded national mandate, representing a shift from a regional footprint to a broader, countrywide development strategy.
“These locations represent the first new openings under Recipe’s expanded national mandate and mark an important milestone in growing Olive Garden’s presence beyond Western Canada,” the company said in its release.
Recipe said additional Olive Garden locations are in various stages of planning across the country as it works to establish what it described as a long-term development pipeline for the brand in Canada. No specific locations or timelines beyond the two Ontario sites were disclosed.
The company framed the expansion as part of a broader growth strategy tied to its operational control of the brand in Canada following the acquisition and development agreement.
Management commentary
Recipe chief executive Frank Hennessey said the upcoming openings reflect both confidence in the brand and the company’s ability to execute on a national strategy.
“With these upcoming openings, we’re taking an important step in expanding Olive Garden’s footprint into new Canadian markets,” Hennessey said. “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.”
Yianni Fountas, chief operating officer for Olive Garden Canada at Recipe Restaurant Group, said the company is focused on consistency and operational execution as it introduces new locations.
“Backed by the expertise of our operational teams, these new restaurants will welcome guests like family, delivering the consistency and value that guests expect from Olive Garden, while establishing a strong foundation for the brand’s continued growth in Canada,” Fountas said.
Development timeline
Recipe said both the Vaughan Mills and Ottawa Westboro restaurants are in active development. The company did not provide details on restaurant size, investment levels or employment impacts associated with the openings.
The company also said it plans to provide further updates on future restaurant openings and development milestones in the coming months as the Canadian expansion continues.
Brand and company profile
Olive Garden is an Italian-inspired restaurant brand that began operating in 1982 and is known for full-service, family-oriented dining. The brand operates under Darden Restaurants Inc., which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker DRI.
Recipe Restaurant Group International is a Canadian-based restaurant operator with a portfolio spanning full-service, quick-service and fast-casual brands. The company operates nearly 1,100 restaurants across Canada and also has an international presence in the United States and the Middle East, according to the release.
Its portfolio includes Swiss Chalet, St-Hubert, Harvey’s, Montana’s, Olive Garden, New York Fries, Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse, East Side Mario’s, Original Joe’s, State & Main, Anejo, The Burger’s Priest, The Landing Group, Elephant & Castle, Fresh Kitchen + Juice Bar, The Pickle Barrel, Blanco Cantina and Bier Markt.
Recipe said it will continue to share details about its Olive Garden development plans as they progress.
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The Olive Garden used to be in Ontario and Toronto. There was an Olive Garden in The Atrium on Bay for years. You don’t mention this fact and what happened last time The Olive Garden had a presence in Ontario.
I used to go to the Reenders Olive Garden near the Winnipeg Tax Centre & Kildonan Place. We used to order the bottomless bowl of soup.
Ordering pre frozen bags of pasta that are simply heated up in a microwave will certainly do well in the markets of Vaughan and other markets that clearly have no concern on their quality of food over what they can post on social media.
I imagine this brand to do well in the markets that dont value good cuisine like they do in the states and in Alberta, where they are so popular.
Much like Denny’s, Canadians in markets that value spending money on our valued diversity in cusine, this type of restaurant will be at Dundas square and not much farther.
Other than making an “olive garden like” salad a few times with friends, this type of food is a sodium infused bag of processed slop, and should be avoided.
Much like the shopping centres it seems to think it will do well in.