According to public records and regulatory filings, the upcoming Olive Garden is planned for the former Bank of America space located near the San Ysidro Premium Outlet Mall. While no official opening date has been announced, the filings indicate early-stage development activity as the company prepares the site for a full-service restaurant conversion.
Founded in 1982, Olive Garden has grown into one of the most recognizable names in American casual dining. The brand helped popularize Italian-American comfort food at scale, building a loyal following around generous portions, approachable pricing, and a menu designed to appeal to families and groups. Signature offerings like unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks became synonymous with the brand and remain central to its identity more than four decades later.
Locally, Olive Garden already operates multiple locations throughout San Diego County, including restaurants in the Sports Arena area, Chula Vista, La Mesa, Santee, Carmel Mountain, Escondido, and Carlsbad. The addition of a San Ysidro outpost extends the chain’s footprint further south, placing it near one of the busiest border-adjacent commercial zones in the county and within close reach of both local residents and cross-border visitors.
The Olive Garden menu continues to focus on familiar Italian-American classics, including Chicken Alfredo, Lasagna Classico, Fettuccine Alfredo, Chicken Parmigiana, and the long-running Tour of Italy combination plate. In recent years, the chain has also expanded its off-premise offerings, with family-style pans, bundled meals, catering trays, and delivery options playing a larger role in its business model.
Olive Garden is owned by Darden Restaurants, one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in North America. Darden operates more than 2,100 restaurants under a diverse portfolio that includes LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Capital Grille, Seasons 52, Eddie V’s, Bahama Breeze, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, and Chuy’s. Despite that breadth, Olive Garden remains Darden’s flagship brand and a major driver of its overall performance.
While construction timelines and an opening date have yet to be confirmed, the planned San Ysidro location reflects Olive Garden’s continued confidence in San Diego County as a growth market. With its proximity to retail, tourism, and one of the busiest land border crossings in the world, the new restaurant is positioned to serve a steady mix of locals and visitors once it opens.
Olive Garden is expected to open in 2026 at 4319 Camino De La Plaza in San Diego's South County city of San Ysidro. For more information, visit olivegarden.com.
Originally published on December 12, 2025. Information first reported by Joey Reams of WhatNow.
