Olive Garden enters India with its first restaurant in Aerocity, New Delhi

American-Italian restaurant chain, operated by Gourmet Investments in India, Olive Garden opens in Delhi NCR in April, bringing its signature pastas, breadsticks and casual dining format to the region

In April, Olive Garden, is making its Indian debut on Gurugram’s vibrant culinary landscape. Part of Darden Restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant company headquartered in Orlando, Florida, Olive Garden has been championing Italian-American classics since 1982. In India, the restaurant will be run by Gourmet Investments, the company that has introduced India to premium global restaurant brands including PizzaExpress, Chili’s American Grill & Bar, and P.F. Chang’s.

Ramit Bharti Mittal, the executive chairman of Gourmet Investments | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Ramit Bharti Mittal, the executive chairman of Gourmet Investments, says that the more concrete conversations with Gourmet Investments and the Olive Garden team began around five years ago, pre-Covid, and have since evolved thoughtfully. “As one of the world’s most loved American Italian restaurant brands and part of the Darden Group, Olive Garden was a natural addition to Gourmet Investments’ portfolio of iconic global dining brands. We have plans to expand the chain across Delhi -NCR in phases,” he says.

Salad at Olive Garden | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

With over 900 restaurants in more than 12 countries, including Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, Olive Garden’s foray in India points the country’s post-pandemic shift towards casual-dining restaurants. “Olive Garden occupies a distinct space in the dining landscape as a casual dining restaurant rooted in decades of legacy, rather than a fast-food format. While India has several Italian offerings, Olive Garden is globally loved for its authentic American-Italian cuisine, from freshly prepared pastas and classic sauces to its iconic never-ending soup or salad and bread sticks. It is designed as a relaxed, sit-down dining destination that encourages shared meals and family gatherings, which resonates strongly with Indian diners,” Ramit explains.

Pizza at Olive Garden | Photo Credit: Special arrangement