13 Restaurant Chains With The Best Bruschetta Ranked Worst To Best, According To Customers

Bruschetta may just be the perfect appetizer. The combination of juicy tomatoes, herbaceous basil, and crunchy bread is light enough to whet your appetite, but also incredibly satisfying on its own. A classic tomato bruschetta recipe typically calls for grilled or toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with a mixture of tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and salt. Different takes on the dish could include additions like mozzarella, red onion, and balsamic vinegar. Some people even switch up the formula altogether and forgo the tomatoes for ingredients like roasted eggplant, mushrooms, or artichokes.

With its simple, but delicious ingredients, it's easy to see why bruschetta is a staple at many Italian restaurants. You might think that it's pretty standard across the board, but the truth is some restaurants outshine others in terms of flavor, freshness, portion size, and overall value. To find out which restaurant chains serve the best bruschetta, we combed through hundreds of reviews to see which versions impressed diners the most. From classic bruschetta to innovative creations, these are the restaurants that serve the best versions of this beloved Italian appetizer.

Read more: The Most Overrated Chain Restaurants In The US, According To The Mashed Staff

13. Romano's Macaroni Grill

Don't make the classic Italian restaurant mistake of filling up on bread at Romano's Macaroni Grill. It might be hard, considering the restaurant gives each table an entire loaf of warm rosemary bread to share. However, you can also get that same bread in delicious bruschetta form. Romano's takes its bruschetta to another level by grilling its signature rosemary bread and serving it with whipped ricotta and a mix of Roma tomatoes, garlic, and basil. At around $10 (depending on location) or $6 during happy hour, it's a pretty sweet deal.

Reviewers have lots of good things to say about the bruschetta at Romano's Macaroni Grill, although some are not sure about the DIY serving style. One Yelp reviewer said, "So the bruschetta is self-assembly, comes with tomatoes in a tomato sauce, super fresh, and a delicious ricotta spread, topped with thin slices of Parmesan. The bread was cut into nice oval-shaped halves, toasted nicely and very flavorful." Another diner on Tripadvisor said, "First time I have ever had bruschetta bread where they bring the diced tomatoes in a bowl with some pieces of bread and you put it together."

12. Buca Di Beppo

Casual Italian chain Buca Di Beppo first opened in 1993 in the basement of an apartment building in Minneapolis. The name translates to "Joe's small place," which is a nod to its humble beginnings. Now there are multiple locations scattered across the United States, each offering eclectic decor and Italian-American dishes. Most of the dishes are served in family-sized portions that are meant to be shared. This includes the bruschetta, which is served deconstructed in a giant martini glass with Parmesan crostini on the side.

Overall, many diners like the combo of fresh Roma tomatoes, red onion, and mozzarella infused with basil olive oil and balsamic vinegar. One TripAdvisor reviewer said, "The bruschetta was my personal favorite — fresh, delicious, and it was basil forward." However, some customers comment on how overwhelmingly big the portion size is. A reviewer on Yelp commented, "Ordered the bruschetta for an appetizer, no one explained that it would be enough for 10 people (literally) so we have some for the next few days."

11. Piola

Piola was born in Treviso, Italy in 1986. Brothers Dante and Stefano Carniato wanted to take the traditional Italian pizzeria concept and modernize it to create spaces where diners could enjoy classic Italian food along with great ambiance and excellent service. There are now branches around the world, including seven in South Florida and two in Houston, Texas. Thin-crust pizzas are the main focus at Piola, but the restaurants also serve pasta, salads, and appetizers like authentic Italian bruschetta.

There are no gimmicks involved with Piola's bruschetta, just fresh bread made in-house that is baked until crispy and topped with fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The dish gets good reviews from diners, with many commenting on the fresh flavors and generous portions. Customers also like the crunchiness of the bread. One Yelp reviewer said, "The toast for the bruschetta was perfect, nice and crispy on the outside edges and chewy in the middle. Yum."

10. Hard Rock Cafe

Classic Italian cuisine may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Hard Rock Cafe. After all, the chain is known for its rock 'n' roll-themed restaurants that serve classic American fare like burgers, sandwiches, and steaks. However, the menu also has some internationally-inspired options, including a bruschetta that gets good reviews. The Hard Rock Cafe's bruschetta features Roma tomatoes marinated in balsamic vinegar, drizzled with basil oil, and sprinkled with Romano cheese. It's served as a DIY dish with crostini and shaved Parmesan cheese on the side.

While purists may prefer their bruschetta served atop bread, some diners like the Hard Rock's separate components. A reviewer on Yelp said, "We love that it comes in a deconstructed format (which means a bowl full of yummy and well-seasoned tomatoes with a serving of toasted crostinis with a side of shaved Parmesan cheese). This service style ensures every crostini is crisp and the amount of bruschetta per was ours to decide, and there was plenty of bruschetta mix to share."

9. Pinstripes Bistro

Bowling, bocce, and bruschetta? You can do all three at Pinstripes. This unique chain of entertainment centers offers bowling lanes, bocce areas, and bistros. The first location opened in Northbrook, Illinois in 2007, and it's been expanding ever since. Game centers aren't often known for their great cuisine, but Pinstripes deviates from the typical lackluster bowling alley fare. According to the Pinstripes' website, the chain makes all its Italian-American dishes from scratch and in-house, including wood-fired pizzas, pasta sauces, and starters like the bruschetta.

Diners have great things to say about the bruschetta, which comes with fresh tomatoes, arugula, and balsamic vinegar on slices of grilled baguette. One Yelp reviewer commented, "We started with the bruschetta for an appetizer. It was delicious! All of the ingredients tasted very fresh and the bread was perfect. The bread was still soft and tasted fresh, yet had just enough crunch!" Another equally satisfied diner on Yelp raved, "We ordered the Bruschetta for an app and I could have had another for dinner. Outside of Italy, it was one of the best I had."

8. Il Fornaio

Founded in Barlassina, Italy in 1972, Il Fornaio began as a bakery school and later grew into a chain of upscale Italian restaurants with branches in California and Nevada. The menus vary depending on the location, but most have Bruschette Assortite in the Antipasti section. The colorful dish includes three different types of bruschetta, each with a base of grilled ciabatta bread. Toppings include roasted cherry tomatoes, caponata (a fried eggplant mixture), and tartufata (a mushroom spread) with stracciatella cheese.

Many of the Il Fornaio locations get 4 stars or more on review sites, which is a pretty good indicator of how much people enjoy the food. Patrons often comment on how tasty the bruschetta is, especially the tomato version. One Yelp reviewer commented, "The bruschetta was pretty good, tomatoes and cheese tasted pretty fresh and the bread wasn't too hard." Another reviewer on TripAdvisor said, "The bruschetta app was the star for me. Extremely satisfying."

7. Johnny's Italian Steakhouse

If you're in the Midwest and craving bruschetta, Johnny's Italian Steakhouse comes highly recommended. The Iowa-born chain aims to bring back the glamor of the '40s and '50s with upscale restaurants that feature vintage touches. Johnny's Italian Steakhouse menus focus on steak, seafood, and Italian classics like the much-praised Betta Bruschetta. The chain's version of bruschetta features grilled focaccia topped with fresh Roma tomatoes, basil, and olive oil. The appetizer also gets a tangy twist with the addition of goat cheese.

Many diners say the bruschetta at Johnny's Italian Steakhouse is a must-try. Reviewers on The Woodlands Texas food blog said, "The ingredients are fresh and plentiful, the flavors balanced, and the portion is satisfying. We could be very happy nibbling on this dish and sipping cocktails all night." A customer on Yelp commented, "The bruschetta at the top of the service was actually the highlight in my opinion." If you haven't been to one of the restaurants yet, keep an eye out for them in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.

6. Postino WineCafé

If sipping on wine and snacking on bruschetta is your jam, then Postino WineCafé is your spot. The chain has a slew of trendy wine bars in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. Each offers eclectic artwork, curated wine lists, and the brand's famous bruschetta boards. The boards include four pieces of bruschetta with your choice of toppings. You can choose from 12 different toppings, including classic tomato, mozzarella, and basil, as well as innovative mixes like the Mexican street corn with feta or ricotta with dates and pistachio.

The bruschetta boards are a big hit at Postino, with more than one diner using the term "flavor explosion." Patrons love that there are so many different flavor combos and that the bruschetta comes pre-cut into portions, making them perfect for sharing. The bruschetta also gets top reviews for its ample size and generous amount of toppings. We recommend swinging by on a Monday or Tuesday evening after 8 p.m. when you can grab a bottle of wine and a bruschetta board for just $25. The Board & Bottle deal is an ongoing promo available at most locations.

5. Brio Italian Grille

Brio Italian Grille is an Italian restaurant chain that serves Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. If you want to start your meal on a high note, start with the bruschetta sampler. The dish includes three types of toppings: roasted red pepper with mozzarella; roasted tomato and ricotta; and sliced steak with gorgonzola, charred tomato, and arugula. The first two are drizzled with balsamic vinegar, while the steak bruschetta has a balsamic glaze.

To say diners like the bruschetta at Brio would be an understatement. Most reviewers who mention it rave about it, and some call it the highlight of their meal. For example, one Yelp reviewer said, "Our table ordered the bruschetta sampler and it was LIGHTS OUT amazing!!! I ordered something for my entree which was decent but I honestly don't even remember what I got because I couldn't stop thinking about the bruschetta." Another diner left a Google Review saying, "Absolutely delicious. Got to try the sliced steak bruschetta. Don't go without getting it."

4. Maggiano's Little Italy

Founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1991, Maggiano's Little Italy is often listed as one of the best Italian restaurant chains in the U.S. In fact, it earned the No. 1 spot on our ranking of Italian chain restaurants. People love the chain for its delicious Italian-American comfort food served in huge portions. The menu is pretty substantial with a wide array of starters, salads, pastas, steaks, and seafood. One starter that many diners say you shouldn't miss out on is the balsamic tomato bruschetta.

Maggiano's takes classic tomato bruschetta and adds roasted garlic, balsamic glaze, and pesto to give it extra kicks of flavor. The end result is an appetizer that one TripAdvisor reviewer called "beautiful and divine." A diner on Yelp said, "The bruschetta for starters was not too soggy or chewy to the bite and had nicely balanced balsamic tomatoes and fresh pesto on top." Maggiano's offers the bruschetta as a single portion, double portion, or as a party-sized pan that you can take home to share (although based on many of the reviews, you might just want to keep it all to yourself).

3. Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse

There are only six Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse restaurants, five in New York and one in Florida. If you're not in either of those states, it may be worth a road trip to sample the Bruscetta Pomodoro because diners say it's to die for. One Google reviewer said, "The flavor of the bread and the tomatoes -- it was like they made it on the grill. That flavor was amazing. I can't even describe it!" Another reviewer said on Yelp, "The bruschetta is 11/10."

So what is it that makes patrons drool over Delmonico's bruschetta? Many say it's the layer of melted provolone cheese under the fresh mix of tomato, basil, garlic, and olive oil. A TripAdvisor reviewer described it as "Like a garlic cheese bread topped with bruschetta toppings." Others comment on the hefty portion size and the fact that the bread is softer than some other traditional versions of bruschetta. It's not your classic bruschetta, but if you're looking for something cheesy, flavorful, and filling, many say you can't go wrong with this dish.

2. Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano is another Italian restaurant chain that gets great ratings on review sites. The first restaurant opened in Bloomington, Illinois in 1999, and there are now 16 locations in eight states (most of which are in the Midwest). The chain offers a good mix of classic and contemporary Italian cuisine with traditional offerings like calamari fritti and fettuccine alfredo alongside creative dishes like the baked ziti with shrimp, chicken, and pancetta in a lobster cream sauce. The bruschetta also features a mix of traditional and modern elements.

Biaggi's bruschetta is served mix-and-match style. You can opt for two or three pieces with your choice of seven different toppings. If you like traditional bruschetta, you can go for the Classico, which features a mix of tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. Adventurous types can try creative toppings like candied bacon with tomato aioli or smoked salmon with dill crème fraîche. Reviewers rave about the fig and apple, the roasted sirloin, and the seafood scampi bruschetta. One TripAdvisor reviewer went so far as to call the scampi bruschetta "sinful."

1. Terra By Eataly

Terra is a dine-in restaurant chain that's part of Eataly, a gourmet Italian marketplace that now has over 40 locations across the globe. The menus typically incorporate seasonal ingredients, so bruschetta may or may not be available at every location or even all year round. But when it is, it typically features premium components that make the dish crave-worthy. Take for example the Bruschetta con Ricotta e Tartufo from the Dallas location which features rustic bread topped with Calabro ricotta, fresh truffles, and honey.

The majority of reviewers who mention the bruschetta at Terra do so in glowing terms like "outstanding," "delicious," and "wonderful." Whether it's made with burrata, spicy salami, or lardo, most customers find the flavors on point and the ingredients above average. If there is no bruschetta on the menu, but you happen to see Crostone con Stracciatella there, we highly suggest giving it a try because it's quite similar. One diner on Yelp described it as, "It looked like a fancy version of a bruschetta but tasted 10x better!" Another commenter on the same thread said, "The rockstar here was the Crostone, which is like a cheesy bruschetta and literally melts in your mouth."

Methodology

Our ranking of the best Italian restaurant chain bruschetta comes from the people who matter most — discerning diners. We read through countless reviews to uncover which spots consistently serve stellar versions of this popular Italian dish. We looked at a number of factors including the quality of ingredients, freshness, flavor combos, and how well the bread held up. We also took into account little things that made some dishes stand out for reviewers, such as the addition of cheese, portion size, and value for money. These are the restaurants that diners highly recommend for what they say is exceptional bruschetta. Buon appetito!

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