Carrabba's Italian Grill facts for kids
Carrabba's Italian Grill, often just called Carrabba's, is a popular American restaurant chain. It serves delicious Italian-American food. This company is owned by Bloomin' Brands and has its main office in Tampa, Florida.
 |
|
A Carrabba's Italian Grill in Durham, North Carolina.
|
|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | December 26, 1986, in Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | 2202 North West Shore Boulevard, Suite 500 Tampa, Florida, U.S. 33607 |
|
Number of locations
|
217 (2022) |
|
Area served
|
|
|
Key people
|
Pat Hafner (president of Carrabba’s) |
| Products |
|
| Revenue | US$ 699.7 million (2022) |
| Parent | Bloomin' Brands |
Contents
History of Carrabba's
Carrabba's Italian Grill was started on December 26, 1986. It was founded by John Charles "Johnny" Carrabba III and his uncle Damian Mandola. They opened their very first restaurant in Houston, Texas.
Early Restaurants and Growth
Soon after, a second location opened in Houston. This restaurant later became known as "Rosie Carrabba's." It was named in honor of Damian's sister, Rose. Johnny Carrabba and his family still own and run these two original restaurants today.
In 1993, Carrabba's teamed up with Outback Steakhouse, Inc. This company is now known as Bloomin' Brands. Together, they opened 10 new Carrabba's restaurants in Houston and Florida. Just two years later, Outback Steakhouse gained the right to open Carrabba's restaurants all across the United States.
Expanding to Airports and Other Countries
In 2008, Carrabba's opened its first restaurant inside an airport. This was at the Tampa International Airport. By 2013, Florida had more Carrabba's restaurants than any other state. This makes sense, as Bloomin' Brands' main office is in Florida.
Carrabba's also started opening restaurants outside the United States. In 2015, the first international location opened in Brazil. It was given a new name there: "Abbraccio." In 2020, Carrabba's expanded into Canada. They opened a restaurant in Moncton, New Brunswick.
In 2021, Bloomin' Brands took full ownership of the Carrabba's chain. The founders, however, kept their two original restaurants in Houston.
Carrabba's Menu and Recipes
Many of the delicious recipes used at Carrabba's come from Damian Mandola's family. His mother, Grace, and his sister, Rose, created many of these dishes.
Recipes on TV
These family recipes were even shown on a cooking TV show. It was a PBS show called Cucina Sicilia. Both Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola hosted the show.
Famous Dishes
One of the most popular dishes at Carrabba's Italian Grill is called Chicken Bryan. This dish features a grilled chicken breast. It is topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and a special lemon-butter sauce with basil. The dish is named after the city of Bryan, Texas, where the Carrabba family settled.
