The American dining chain Olive Garden is continuing to grow in Ontario, with a new location on the way in Waterloo.
Olive Garden Canada announced the news on Instagram, and while they didn’t provide an exact opening date, the post mentions they’re aiming for a launch in “late spring 2027.”
Local residents and food lovers have filled the comments section with excitement, expressing how long they’ve been looking forward to enjoying unlimited appetizers and their favorite pasta dishes.
After all, who wouldn’t want endless servings of soup, salad, and breadsticks?
“I can’t wait…been wanting Olive Garden for yearssssss now,” someone said. “You are playing with my emotions! Can’t wait!” another wrote.
This new Olive Garden will take over the spot currently occupied by Swiss Chalet at The Boardwalk, which is an open-air shopping and service center featuring a great variety of businesses in the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Renovations are already underway at the former Swiss Chalet site, making it more likely that they will be ready for a spring 2027 opening.
The Italian restaurant brand first made its way into Canada in the 1990s but had trouble gaining popularity among diners and eventually reduced its presence here. Only eight Olive Garden restaurants were left, all located in Western Canada.
Things began to change in 2025 when Recipe Restaurant Group International, Canada’s largest full-service restaurant company, officially took over all eight existing Olive Garden locations and revealed plans to expand into select cities in Ontario.
In 2026, they started putting those plans into action by opening new locations in Ajax, Ottawa, and Vaughan.
