10 Of The Most Expensive Italian Restaurant Chains In The US

Sometimes you just need a big bowl of pasta, an affordable glass of wine, and a side salad to balance it all out. In those moments of deep craving, many people head to a chain Italian restaurant. There are tons of different chains across the U.S., some concentrated in certain areas, and some spread throughout the country. Many people tend to think that because something is a chain restaurant, it'll be somewhat affordable. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case.

Today, we're going to take a look at 10 of the most expensive Italian restaurants in the United States. As a reference, we first looked at the prices for the country's most well-known Italian chain: Olive Garden. On average, a bowl of pasta from Olive Garden costs between $13 and $23, entrees cost around $20, and appetizers range from $10 to $13. With these prices in mind, we searched through popular chains around the country and compared their prices to the affordable prices of Olive Garden.

All 10 of the chains we chose have at least 10 locations, their prices are much higher than Olive Garden's, and they all advertise themselves as Italian institutions. Please note that prices may vary depending on the location of the chain. Now, grab your forks, and let's dig in!

Over on the West Coast of the U.S., primarily in California and Nevada, you'll find an upscale Italian restaurant chain called Il Fornaio. Each location looks slightly different, unlike many other chains that look like carbon copies of each other. The common throughline on the inside tends to be dark wood and white walls, warm lighting, and white tablecloths. The main website even says that each location is designed for the specific neighborhood that it's located in, so the menu can vary from spot to spot as well.

The chain actually dates back to 1970 in Italy, where it started as a baking school and bakery. Then, Il Fornaio bakeries began opening in California in the '80s, and by 1989, multiple full-service restaurants were opened in the state. Fresh ingredients are always used, and the restaurant continues to use traditional Italian cooking techniques in every location.

Il Fornaio has some of the highest menu prices that we've seen for chain Italian restaurants. For example, an appetizer could cost you anywhere between $16 and $22. Most pasta dishes land in the high $20-something price range, and more expensive pastas like a seafood linguine will cost you $33. Items from the grill are even more expensive, with a range from $34 to $55.

Hopping to the other side of the country, we have one of the most popular Italian chains in New York City, Serafina. The origin story of this Italian restaurant is an unbelievable one: Two friends named Vittorio Assaf and Fabio Granato were sailing on a small boat when they became stranded at sea. To keep their spirits up while waiting to be rescued, the two talked about creating the most perfect pizza. They promised that, if they survived, they would open their very own Italian restaurant together, with a goal of serving the best pizza and pasta in the entire world. Well, the pair survived, and they opened up their first Serafina location in the Upper East Side of New York City — and today more than 30 locations exist worldwide.

Each Serafina location has a distinct yellow and red color palette, a ton of greenery incorporated throughout, and an open and airy atmosphere. If you're going to dine here, be prepared to spend a bit more than you would at an average Italian chain. Just for appetizers, the prices start at about $16 for plates like bruschetta, however, many fall into the $26 to $28 range with things like artichokes and burrata to tuna tartare.

For pasta, you can expect to pay between $22 to $32 per dish. If you're in the mood for an entree, you would pay around $34 for a salmon, $48 for a filet mignon, and $65 for veal. Serafina is also known for its pizza, and the pies range in price from $23 to $31.

For a chain that spreads wider across the United States, there is Magianno's Little Italy. This chain has been around since 1991, opening its first location in Chicago. Now, there are over 50 Magianno's locations across the country, including in states like California, Florida, and Texas. Many Magianno's look similar on the outside, with a red brick and off-white exterior, black awnings, and its signature logo. On the inside, you can expect a traditional Italian-American style of decor, with varieties of red leather booths, dark wood accents, and warm light fixtures.

Magianno's is definitely designed to appeal to families, with larger tables and a ton of seating in every location. One great option when dining here is to opt for family-sized meals, which could save you a bit of money. If you're paying per dish, however, you'll be spending a tad more money than you would at a regular chain.

To get started, appetizers range from $15 to $25, with options like fried mozzarella, crab cakes, and calamari. Pastas start at $23 for a basic spaghetti marinara, and go all the way up to $31.50 for shrimp fettuccine Alfredo. Chicken dishes, like chicken parmesan or chicken Francese, cost about $29. If you want to get a bit fancy with a pasta seafood dish, the lobster carbonara is $40.

North Italia is a chain that has about 55 locations across California, Florida, Texas, and many other states. It's actually owned by The Cheesecake Factory, and has been open for over 20 years. According to the restaurant's website, the chain's two main focuses are on great hospitality and traditional Italian dishes. While the menu is rooted in tradition, the decor of the restaurant locations leans more modern. Many locations have light wood strewn throughout, modern chairs with pops of color, and light fixtures made of clear glass.

When visiting one of the North Italia locations, you'll notice that the menu is much more expensive than an average chain restaurant. Most appetizers range from $15 to $19, including dishes like cacio e pepe arancini, Italian meatballs, grilled artichoke, and white truffle garlic bread. The pastas stay in the $23 to $26 range, and feature dishes like spicy rigatoni vodka, braised short rib lumache, and ricotta cavatelli. If you're more in the mood for an entree, the most expensive option is the New York prime tagliata, which costs $46. The cheapest would be a chicken parmesan at $26. Overall, the prices at North Italia are a little bit cheaper than some of the other chains we've covered, but the prices are still way more expensive than a classic Olive Garden.

With over 50 locations across the United States, there is Brio Italian Grille. This chain primarily focuses on the flavors of Tuscany, with a large amount of land and sea offerings to compliment the classic pasta dishes. The design of Brio Italian Grille gives off a very upscale energy, where most exteriors of the locations are adorned with a white or yellow stucco. On the inside, white tablecloths, warm lighting fixtures, and accents of greenery and pops of color fill the space.

When eating at Brio Italian Grille, you will have a lot to choose from on the menu. Starting with appetizers, they range in price from $16.99 to $17.99. The cheaper options include spinach & artichoke dip and calamari, while the more expensive options include gorgonzola lamb chops. For pasta, there are many classic dishes like spaghetti pomodoro, sausage carbonara, and lobster and shrimp fettuccini. These range in price from about $20 up to $40. Lastly, the land and sea entrees are the most expensive, costing about $31 to $56. These mouthwatering dishes include Tuscan grilled pork chops, chicken limone, and center-cut filet mignon.

Felice is an Italian restaurant chain that is mainly in New York City, but it also has a few locations in Connecticut and Florida as well. This is the type of chain where if you walked by it on the street, you wouldn't think it was a chain. Most locations are fairly small (compared to your average chain restaurants), have unique and exciting decor, and feel very eclectic and chic. The first location opened in 2007 in the Upper East Side of New York City, and since then it has expanded to dozens of locations.

At Felice, the dishes are Tuscan-inspired, but what's really special about its offerings is the wine. The restaurant actually produces its wine at an organic vineyard located in the countryside of Tuscany. When you dine at Felice, you'll be able to drink authentically Italian wine made just for the restaurant, and can choose from Felice chardonnay, sangiovese, and rosato.

As for the prices, they are a tad expensive. If you'd like an appetizer like ricotta bread, arancini, or tuna tartare, you can expect to pay between $16 and $31. The Tuscan-inspired dishes include pastas like mezze mancini carbonara, ravioli della casa, and linguine frutti di mare. You will pay between $24 to $34 for one of these dishes. Lastly, there are the main courses. These actually aren't too much more expensive than the pastas, but they could still put a dent in your wallet. Chicken parmigiana, a prime sirloin steak, or branzino will cost you between $36 and $55.

One chain restaurant that most people have heard of is Carrabba's Italian Grill. With over 200 locations in the country, it's a fairly common restaurant for people to come across. This popular chain was created by two Sicilian men who were born and raised in Texas. They grew up on the food from their ancestors, who immigrated from Sicily. In 1986, these family recipes were put to use at the very first Carrabba's location. The cuisine is described to be a fusion of American (including creole and southern) mixed with classic Sicilian.

If you love going to chain restaurants that feel the same no matter where you go, Carrabba's is one of them. Most locations are large, standalone brick buildings that have the classic bright green logo over the front entrance. The interior tends to be decorated with dark wood tables and neutral colored walls, keeping a casual but nice atmosphere.

Particularly when comparing Carrabba's to Olive Garden, it is much more expensive. For example, the pasta dishes are about $5 to $10 more dollars than the Olive Garden counterparts.The cheapest option would be a plate of spaghetti with Pomodoro sauce at $15.99, and the most expensive is the filet and shrimp toscana which is $29.99. For chicken, seafood, or steak dishes, they cost between $23 and $38.

Across the Midwest of the United States, you'll find the Italian chain called Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano. The restaurant first opened in 1999 in Bloomington, Illinois. It actually was started because the founder, Todd Hovenden, had to write up a business plan as a part of his masters in business program at Northwestern University. In the plan, he created Biaggi's, and it went on to be a success with about 15 locations open in the Midwest today.

The design of Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano is very welcoming, yet refined. The exterior of each location is usually designed with a mixture of neutral colored brick and light yellow stucco. The Biaggi's logo is sleek and black, and usually has recessed lighting to light it up in the evening. Today, most of the interiors of Biaggi's are sleek and contemporary, featuring modern-looking leather booths, unique lighting fixtures, and some even have outdoor patios with bistro lights strung across the ceiling.

The menu offerings at Biaggi's are on the lower end of prices in this list, but you'd still pay much more for a meal at Biaggi's than you would at Olive Garden. The pasta dishes range in price from $17 to $27, with the most expensive being a shrimp and crab cannelloni. For a classic entree like piccata or chicken marsala, the prices fall between $22 and $27. As always, the most expensive options are the beef dishes. The filet mignon at Biaggi's costs around $50.

Bravo! Italian Kitchen is described by the company to be a casual, upscale restaurant. It has about 15 locations, all of which are scattered throughout random states in the U.S. Its very first location opened in Columbus, Ohio in 1992. The cuisine is inspired by classic Italian dishes, but there is a contemporary twist added to them. Everything at Bravo! is made from scratch.

Just by looking at the logo itself, Bravo! Italian Kitchen has a sort of energetic, zany vibe to it. Most of the buildings are a vibrant yellow color, feature the distinct logo above the entrance, and blue striped awnings over the windows. The interiors vary from location to location, but most have white tablecloths, large arched ceilings, and an open layout.

Checking out the menu, Bravo! does have a slightly more expensive price range than usual chain restaurants. Many of the appetizers, like calamari and crispy shrimp Napoli are on the higher end, costing $17.99 and $18.99, respectively. For pasta, the lowest price is $17.99 for a simple spaghetti pomodoro, and the most expensive is lobster and shrimp fettucini, which is $37.99. All of the other pasta dishes fall in between those two numbers, most leaning towards the $22 price range. If you would like an entree instead of pasta, be prepared to spend between $23.99 and $46.99.

In New York, New Jersey, and Florida, there is a small chain called Patrizia's. This Italian restaurant was founded by two brothers who were born in Naples, Italy. When they were young children, they immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, where their father had a pizza shop. By 1991, they had opened their very own restaurant, one where they wanted to honor the traditional cooking from Naples. They named it Patrizia's, and there are now close to 20 locations of the chain in the U.S.

Many of the Patrizia's locations feel like a very classic New York-Italian spot. Simple decor, wooden tables and chairs, and red accents fill up each space, making it a comfortable spot for families to dine. It's a casual restaurant, but the prices are more expensive than you might think. Appetizers alone can cost you anywhere between $16 and $25, featuring classic dishes like fried calamari and eggplant parm. Pasta is quite pricey here, with the cheapest options costing $24. The prices for the pastas go all the way up to $34, and a few lay somewhere in the middle. Surprisingly enough, chicken entrees are around the same price range.

Things get more expensive when we move over to steak and seafood. The seafood dishes range from $29 to $36, and include things like stuffed salmon, spicy lobster fettuccini, and shrimp Francese. For steak, you will be paying between $38 and $42.