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17 Best Carrabba’s Menu Items to Try

Carrabba's is an American restaurant chain

Savory adventures await you as you explore the delicious world of Carrabba’s Italian Grill, where mouthwatering flavors and dishes with Italian influences await discriminating palates. This article explores the tasty menu of Carrabba’s and highlights the dishes that best represent the restaurant’s commitment to serving traditional Italian food. The menu at Carrabba’s, which is well-known for its dedication to using premium ingredients and conventional cooking techniques, honors the spirit of Italian culinary tradition. A symphony of robust flavors and textures can be found on Carrabba’s menu, which features everything from flavorful seafood creations to succulent wood-grilled meats and rich, comforting pasta dishes. We’ll highlight the menu items that stand out at Carrabba’s, highlighting their unique flavors, inventiveness, and authenticity—all of which make them a must-try for any fan of Italian food. Come along as we make our way through Carrabba’s delicious menu, pointing you toward the best selections that ensure you’ll have a memorable time dining at this renowned Italian restaurant.

Tuscan Grilled Pork Chops

Tuscan Grilled Pork Chops
Source: Instagram

While you might be craving pasta when you go to Carrabba’s, you don’t want to write off their non-pasta dishes. Their Tuscan grilled pork chops are divine. When you’re ordering, you have the option of getting one or two pork chops, depending on how hungry you are (or if you want leftovers the next day!). The best part? You have customization options! My favorite way to top the chops is with Scicillian butter, but you can opt for marsala sauce, which is delicious too. The dish comes with three sides – Ceasar salad, mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli – but you can substitute them for something else if you choose. This hearty meal is delicious and reasonably healthy.


Calamari with Marinara and Ricardo Sauce

Calamari with Marinara and Ricardo Sauce
Source: Instagram

One of the tastiest appetizers from Carrabba’s is their calamari. It’s hand-breaded before fried to crispy perfection. They serve this appetizer with their homemade marinara sauce, Ricardo sauce, and lemon wedges. Most people love the marinara with fried calamari, but their Ricardo sauce is delicious.  The Ricardo sauce is a lemon butter and pepper sauce. Since the dish comes with both sauces, you can alternate back and forth. The calamari is so good, you may have difficulty saving room for your entree.


Cannoli Cake

Cannoli Cake
Source: Instagram

If you find yourself with room for dessert while at Carrabba’s, their cannoli cake is delightful. This large piece of cake is perfect for two people, but no one will judge you if you want the entire slice to yourself. Be warned, though – it’s incredibly sweet and rich.  The cannoli cake is three layers of vanilla cake with cannoli filling in between every layer. The chefs top the cannoli cake with crushed pistachios and a sweet chocolate sauce. If that sounds amazing to you already, there’s more. The cake comes with a chocolate chip crust as a familiar, comforting finishing touch.


Chicken Bryan Pizza

Chicken Bryan Pizza
Source: Instagram

The Chicken Bryan is a popular chicken dish at Carrabba’s, and now you can combine two great dishes into one. Everything you love about the original dish is put on top of a pizza, making it the perfect handheld yet elegant dish.  Chicken Bryan pizza has Carrabba’s house-made marinara sauce, pieces of chicken, lemon butter sauce, basil, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. It’s delicious, but unfortunately, you can’t get this dish at every Carrabba’s location. Before you arrive and get your hopes up, you can search their website for locations near you to see if they have this pizza.


Fettuccine Alfredo

Fettuccine Alfredo
Source: Instagram

You can’t go wrong with a classic dish like fettuccine alfredo at Carrabba’s. This traditional dish is one of their most ordered items for a reason. You can order it as an entree or even as a side dish for another entree.  Carrabba’s makes their fettuccine alfredo with a heavy cream sauce and hefty parmesan and Romano cheese. It’s a simple dish that tastes incredibly complex. They top it with extra cheese by request, as well as fresh herbs. You can add a protein of your choice, like chicken or shrimp, but even without protein, it’s a rich meal.


Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto

Grilled Asparagus with Prosciutto
Source: Instagram

While you wait for your entree and sip wine, a great appetizer to enjoy is Carabba’s grilled asparagus with prosciutto. If you’ve never had prosciutto wrapped around asparagus, you’re missing out. It’s something different and a bit lighter than traditional pasta fare, making it a perfect appetizer that won’t weigh you down. The recipe is simple. The chefs grill several pieces of asparagus with salt, pepper, and a little bit of lemon before wrapping it with thin slices of prosciutto. It’s the perfect combination of savory and salty. 


Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup
Source: Instagram

If you want something lighter to start your meal or as a side, Carrabba’s minestrone is delicious. It’s hearty, warm, and comforting – even on a hot day. They cook their minestrone in chicken broth, so this isn’t a dish for vegans or vegetarians.  Their minestrone has small noodles, chicken, and plenty of veggies. If you’re planning on ordering a cup or bowl of this soup, make sure you have bread on the table for dipping! 


Simply Grilled Mahi

Simply Grilled Mahi
Source: Instagram

Carrabba’s has several great seafood dishes on their menu, but one of their best is their Simply Grilled Mahi. The dish is simple, healthy, and delicious. You get a sizable cut of Mahi grilled in lemon juice and their perfect combination of seasonings.  This fresh and delicious grilled Mahi comes with three sides – broccoli, mashed potatoes, and a Cesar salad. As with their other dishes, you can substitute your sides for other options. Their grilled asparagus and parmesan truffle fries are excellent substitutes if you want something different. 


Steamed Asparagus

Steamed Asparagus
Source: Instagram

If you’re looking for a great veggie to add to your meal that’s not broccoli, Carrabba’s steamed asparagus is a wonderful option. It’s steamed with minimal seasoning so that you can take in all the flavors of the vegetable.  The best part about their steamed asparagus is that you can add it to almost any dish, and it’ll pair well. It goes great with their salmon, Mahi, steak, chicken, pork chops, and even on the side with pasta dishes. Regardless of which dish you choose to add the steamed asparagus to, you’ll love it, and you’ll feel good about adding something green to your meal.


Traditional Cannoli

Traditional Cannoli
Source: Instagram

Cannolis are a classic Italian dessert that you can get at almost any Italian restaurant, including Carrabba’s. While their cannoli cake is another great option for dessert, if you want something smaller but just as tasty, their traditional cannoli is excellent and a lot of fun to eat.  The dessert comes with two cannolis, which you can share or keep all to yourself. The chefs crisp the pastry shells before stuffing them with their fantastic cannoli filling. The filling is a sweet ricotta recipe that contains chocolate chips. The cannolis are then topped with pistachios and powdered sugar for a perfectly-sweet crunch.


Tuscan Grilled Chicken

Tuscan Grilled Chicken
Source: Instagram

One of their most popular items at Carrabba’s is their Tuscan grilled chicken. It’s similar to their Tuscan grilled pork chops – but, obviously, with chicken. The chefs cook the chicken to perfection with Carrabba’s signature grill baste, olive oil, and herbs. While most people are worried about grilled chicken tasting a tad bland, this dish is anything but.  The Tuscan grilled chicken comes with sauteed broccoli and a Ceasar salad. You’re able to substitute these sides for others like French fries, fettuccine alfredo, and more. Some sides come with an upcharge, but you can’t go wrong with the included sides, especially if you’re trying to keep your meal healthy.


Tuscan Grilled Sirloin

Tuscan Grilled Sirloin
Source: The Latina Homemaker

If you’re craving steak, then Carrabba’s Tuscan grilled sirloin is the perfect dish for you. Their sirloin comes in a seven or ten-ounce portion, and they’ll prepare it to your preferred doneness. Like their pork chops, you can order it simply grilled, topped with Sicilian butter, or marsala sauce. The butter is rich and perfect for steak.  When you order the Tuscan grilled sirloin, you’ll get three sides – mashed potatoes, sauteed broccoli, and a Caesar salad. You’re able to substitute one or all three sides if you choose, but I wouldn’t substitute their mashed potatoes for anything! 


Whole Grain Spaghetti with Pomodoro Sauce

Whole Grain Spaghetti with Pomodoro Sauce
Source: Instagram

Another great classic dish at Carrabba’s is their whole-grain spaghetti with Pomodoro sauce. Their whole grain spaghetti noodles are a great alternative if you’re looking for a slightly healthier pasta option. Don’t worry –  they taste just as delicious as their traditional spaghetti noodles.  They serve their whole-grain spaghetti with their classic Pomodoro sauce. The sauce is simple, made with olive oil, tomatoes, and basil. You have the option to add their homemade meatballs, but it’s spectacular without them too. The dish comes with a Cesar salad, but you can substitute it for either a house or Italian salad or a cup of soup.


Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala
Source: Instagram

For those who love an excellent chicken marsala, you’re in luck. The chicken marsala at Carrabba’s makes this list of the best dishes for several reasons. They cook their chicken on a wood-fired grill, so it gets those perfect black char marks without tasting burnt. Then, they top the chicken with their famous Lombardo marsala sauce. The chunks of mushrooms are easy enough to remove if you don’t like them.  They allow you to get the marsala sauce on the side if you prefer to add it to your chicken yourself. You’ll also get a side of Cesar salad, garlic mashed potatoes, and sauteed broccoli when you order the chicken marsala. 


Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan

Source: Instagram

You can’t go wrong with Chicken Parmesan at Carrabba’s. It’s incredibly filling and delicious, and an Italian classic! You’ll get two pieces of chicken that are coated in their Mama Mandola’s breadcrumbs before being lightly fried. They’re crispy and delicious. They top the chicken with their Pomodoro sauce and melt plenty of cheese on top.  You get two sides with the entree, and I can’t recommend their penne Pomodoro enough. Since most chicken parmesan entrees come with pasta, this is the best side to this classic dish. You can always add a side of their fettuccine alfredo if you want something a little different. You’ll also get a refreshing side salad for some crunch, and to add a bit of freshness to the rich meal. 


Lobster Ravioli

Lobster Ravioli
Source: Instagram

If you can’t decide between seafood and pasta, you have to try Carrabba’s lobster ravioli. The chefs carefully stuff their ravioli with plenty of romano cheese and tender lobster chunks before adding their creamy white wine sauce on top.  The dish is then topped with fresh herbs and diced tomatoes. You can always ask them to leave the tomatoes off if you aren’t a fan, but they add a bit of brightness to the final product. The lobster ravioli comes with your choice of a side salad or a cup of soup. Most people opt for the Caesar, but the Italian and house salad are just as delicious.


Shrimp Parmesan

Shrimp Parmesan
Source: Instagram

A unique take on a familiar Italian dish is Carrabba’s Shrimp Parmesan. It’s everything you love about chicken parmesan but with tasty shrimp. They prepare their shrimp either fried or grilled before topping it with their classic Pomodoro sauce. Then, they sprinkle parmesan cheese on top before melting it down.  Like their other entrees, you’ll be able to choose from several sides to go with your meal. The penne Pomodoro and fettuccine alfredo are great side dishes, but their sauteed spinach or sauteed broccoli are wonderful options if you want something a little healthier. Don’t forget to decide what kind of salad you want to start your meal off with. 

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Written by Kyle Green

Kyle lives never passes up the opportunity to try a new restaurant. As a former New Yorker of 7 years, he enjoys regular trips to NYC to visit friends and enjoys all the restaurants and activities the city have to offer. He also spends time on the road tasting and reviewing other restaurant scenes around the country.