The Cheesecake Factory Has An Italian Sister Chain Many Don't Know About

With more than 200 domestic and 36 licensed international locations, you'd think that The Cheesecake Factory's footprint would stop there. There are actually more than 12 other restaurants owned by The Cheesecake Factory, many of which you might be familiar with, which increases the company's holdings to 375 restaurants domestically. The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated, the company that owns the popular chain, acquired both Fox Restaurant Concepts and North Italia in 2019, greatly expanding its collection of eateries across the United States. Although you might not have heard of the Italian chain, North Italia has actually been operating for more than 20 years. 

Although it's not quite as robust as The Cheesecake Factory's, North Italia's menu is extensive. Depending on the location, the restaurant offers lunch, dinner, brunch, dessert, kids, happy hour, and even some seasonal special menus. A few highlights include grilled artichokes, Italian meatballs, a large charcuterie board to share, and substantial salads like seasonal vegetable and grilled steak panzanella. Most menus also feature a selection of pizzas and fresh pastas made daily, like spicy rigatoni vodka and braised short rib lumache. Most importantly, we consider North Italia to have one of the best spaghetti and meatball dishes among chain restaurants. Along with food, North Italia's menus feature cocktails and an Italian-focused wine list, along with beer and zero-proof beverages. 

North Italia focuses on food made from scratch served with great hospitality, and the employees focus on creating a homey atmosphere for guests. The restaurant and dining spaces lean more modern, with dark finishes, warm wood tones, and large windows that allow plenty of natural light to flood the large rooms.  

Mostly prominent in Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas — with a multitude of locations in each state — the chain also has a few restaurants in Alabama, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. I personally have dined in both of the San Diego, CA, locations and had pleasant experiences, from the bright, spacious dining rooms and the welcoming service to the food and drinks.

If there's no North Italia location near you, fear not, as The Cheesecake Factory still has plenty of pasta dishes to satisfy your craving for Italian cuisine. In fact, you can skip Italian restaurants entirely with a Cheesecake Factory ordering trick: order the Crispy Chicken Costoletta with extra lemon sauce and angel hair pasta instead of asparagus.