Olive Garden Coming to Vaughan Mills

The well-known Italian-inspired eatery, Olive Garden, is making its way back to Ontario, with its first spot in the Greater Toronto Area.

Recipe Restaurant Group International (Recipe), which is Canada’s largest full-service restaurant company, has just shared its plans for this expansion.

This news follows Recipe’s purchase of all eight existing Olive Garden locations in Western Canada and a national development agreement signed with Darden Restaurants Inc.

Where will the first Olive Garden be in the GTA?

According to their plans, a new restaurant will open at Vaughan Mills, located at 1 Bass Pro Mills Dr. This will mark the first Olive Garden operated by Recipe.

A second location is also set to open in the Westboro area of Ottawa. While both restaurants are actively being developed, they are expected to welcome guests in the summer of 2026.

Recipe Restaurant Group’s vision for Canadian growth

With more spots at “various stages of planning as Recipe continues to build a long-term, sustainable development pipeline across the country,” these initial openings represent an “important milestone in expanding Olive Garden’s presence beyond Western Canada.”

“With these upcoming openings, we’re taking an important step in expanding Olive Garden’s footprint into new Canadian markets,” said Frank Hennessey, chief executive officer at Recipe.

“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.”

Across Canada and internationally in the United States and the Middle East, Recipe operates nearly 1,100 restaurants. Their portfolio includes brands like Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Montana’s, Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse, New York Fries, The Burger’s Priest, The Pickle Barrel, and of course, Olive Garden.

Famous for its endless servings of baked breadsticks and salad since 1982. Olive Gardens have become a favorite among many.

According to Yianni Fountas, chief operating officer of Olive Garden Canada at Recipe,“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.”

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