5 Restaurant Chains With the Best Baked Ziti, According to Diners
While not the most popular dish at an Italian restaurant, baked ziti has a cult following. Many consider the baked pasta dish a fuss-free alternative to lasagna. It combines tubular pasta with a savory meat or marinara sauce, topped with melted cheese, and then baked until golden and bubbly. Where can you feast on the most delicious baked ziti at a chain? Here are 5 restaurant chains with the best baked ziti, according to diners.
Maggiano’s Little Italy
Maggiano’s Little Italy’s Baked Ziti has a hearty meat sauce made with Italian sausage and is carefully baked. “The pasta holds its shape and absorbs flavor, which is essential for a great baked pasta,” Dennis Littley, Chef and Culinary Expert at Ask Chef Dennis, once told us. It is “awesome… with plenty of Italian sausage in a delicious tomato tangy sauce,” says a Yelper.
Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
If you are craving a seafood-inspired baked ziti, head to Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano. “The baked ziti has a unique and delicious spin,” Chef Dennis says. “It’s served with shrimp, grilled chicken, caramelized onions, crispy pancetta, Italian cheese blend in a lobster cream sauce, which is a wow factor element to the dish,” he continues. “The pasta is cooked to the proper texture before being baked, allowing the creamy sauce and cheese to meld together beautifully, while the lobster adds a subtle sweetness that elevates the entire dish into something truly special and memorable.” A Yelper agrees that the dish is “cooked perfectly not too soft and not too hard, just the right amount of chew. The pancetta topped off every bite that makes your taste buds tear up in joy. The lobster sauce was rich and when used as bread dip was amazing. Just writing this now makes my mouth water. We will definitely be back for more of the great food,” they wrote.
Olive Garden
The Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, a blend of five Italian cheeses (ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, Romano, and fontina) and a mix of marinara and Alfredo sauces, is a meat-free hit at Olive Garden. However, you can add a protein for a small upcharge. “I add the crispy chicken and it is so delicious!” one says.
Buca di Beppo
The baked ziti at Buca is a must-try because it’s “bold and comforting,” Chef Dennis said. “The rosa sauce, cheese blends, and pasta come together beautifully, creating a cohesive dish that delivers consistent flavor throughout.” Diners also love that one pasta is huge and serves 3 people. Diners agree that it is “loaded with melted cheese and sauce, and the spaghetti with large and tasty meatballs. The family-style portions were so generous that we had leftovers for three days!” one Yelper says. “No complaints about the food, as everything was hot, fresh, and seasoned well. I didn’t think anything was too salty, which is the usual complaint wherever I go,” another adds.
Fazoli’s
Fazoli’s has three different ziti classics on the menu. There is a baked ziti with meat sauce, spicy baked ziti with chicken, and spicy baked ziti with Italian sausage. “Fazoli’s baked pasta offerings reflect solid fundamentals,” says Chef Dennis. “Their baked ziti delivers creamy cheese, properly cooked pasta, and a satisfying baked finish, and they even have multiple menu items to cater to each guest.” Diners agree that it is a must order “The sausage is not spicy. it’s alfredo sauce mixed with marinara and they add red pepper flakes and parmesan to it. then when it comes out of the oven more red pepper flakes are added,” a Redditor says.