10 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Tiramisu
All hail tiramisu, the classic, coffee-flavored Italian dessert made by layering ladyfingers beneath mascarpone cheese. Its name means "pick me up" in Italian, and it does just that—sometimes with a little boozy bite or with a nice kick from the espresso. The traditional version calls for soaking ladyfinger cookies in coffee, while other variations soak them in rum or a liqueur. It's a delicate dessert that fans will go out of their way to find.
You can make tiramisu at home, but since so many restaurant chains have it on their menus, a ready-made piece is often just a short drive away. Tiramisu has its place on the menu next to other classics, such as cheesecake and cannoli. While it's not a low-calorie indulgence, tiramisu is a near-perfect ending to an Italian meal for many people.
Read on to find the restaurant chains that are serving up some seriously good tiramisu. Which ones have you tried, and which are your favorite?
Olive Garden
Olive Garden serves up the classic Italian dessert with a layer of creamy custard set atop espresso-soaked ladyfingers. There are plenty of copycat recipes across the internet for this one, but why make it at home when you can have this dessert for $8.99 without washing a single bowl? "Tiramisu for your thoughts?" Olive Garden asked on Instagram, along with a dreamy pic of the dessert. "My favorite dessert at Olive Garden," commented one fan. "The creamy custard gets us every time," the restaurant chain replied.
Maggiano's Little Italy
At 810 calories, this is one decadent dessert, and fans can't resist the chocolate drizzle over ladyfingers soaked in espresso with mascarpone cheese at Maggiano's. "For dessert, I got to the Tiramisu, it's light & full Expresso [sic] flavor with chocolate pieces," wrote one reviewer on Yelp. "The tiramisu and cheesecake were off the chain good," wrote another fan. This dessert is $10.99, but grab a buddy and two forks and get a double portion for $16.99.
Bravo! Italian Kitchen
This restaurant chain, which started in Ohio in 1992, is known for serving neighborhood Italian favorites, which is why the tiramisu has a prominent spot on the dessert menu. Made with ladyfingers, coffee liqueur, mascarpone, and cocoa, it's a sweet indulgence for $9.99. A picture of this cocoa powder-covered dessert on the restaurant's Instagram shows it with three spoons, but it's hard to imagine having to share.
Buca di Beppo
Known for its family-style dishes, Buca knows how to feed a crowd. Its tiramisu uses homemade ladyfingers soaked in dark rum and espresso, which are then layered with sweetened mascarpone cheese and topped with cocoa and crumbled hazelnut biscotti. "What would you do for a slice of our Tiramisu??" the restaurant asked on its Instagram. "Yummy," wrote one fan. "Tiramisu was to die for!" wrote another fan on Tripadvisor. For $18.99 you and your friends can enjoy this Italian favorite with a crumbly topping that takes it to another level.
Carrabba's Italian Grill
The tiramisu at Carrabba's is made of ladyfingers dipped in liqueur-laced espresso, layered with sweetened mascarpone, Myers's rum, and chocolate shavings. At 950 calories, it's an indulgence, but it only costs $9.79. One reviewer on Tripadvisor said it had "a little kick to it," no doubt from the rum. "Life is short, eat dessert first – especially if it's tiramisu! Espresso your love for our tiramisu below!" the restaurant posted on Instagram along with a delicious-looking pic of the dessert with curls of dark chocolate on top. "My favorite," wrote one fan.
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Tiramisu is a highlight of the dessert menu at Romano's Macaroni Grill. Made with mascarpone, rum-soaked ladyfingers, espresso, and cocoa, it's an $8 fan favorite for good reason. "Always save room for dessert…especially when Macaroni Grill's tiramisu is on the menu," the restaurant posted on Instagram along with a tantalizing pic of the dessert coated in luxurious cocoa powder. "The tiramisu is the best, my reason for going," wrote a fan on Tripadvisor.
Bertucci's Brick Oven Pizza and Pasta
The Bertucchi's chain serves authentic Italian food made from scratch, and its $9.99 tiramisu is made with ladyfingers, coffee liqueur, mascarpone, and cocoa. "Taking sweetness to another level!" the restaurant posted on Instagram next to a pic of a plate overflowing with tiramisu and profiteroles. "Would you be sharing or savoring yourself?" One fan responded, "Just had the #Tiramisu It's amazing. #Fluffy, chocolatey, cocoaey [sic] and a nice size for sharing!"
Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano
Biaggi's Tirami Su is made of espresso and liqueur-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone mousse, and chocolate espresso beans for the price of $8.25. The restaurant posted a delectable-looking pic of the dessert on its Instagram that's dripping with chocolate. "My favorite dessert EVER!" commented one fan. "I frequently eat here," wrote another commenter on Tripadvisor. "The service is great. The food is exquisite. But it's the tiramisu that has me hooked."
The Old Spaghetti Factory
Savory layers of mascarpone cream on pillows of espresso-soaked ladyfingers, finished with a delightful dusting of cocoa make up this decadent $7.99 dessert at the Old Spaghetti Factory. The much-beloved restaurant recently posted a clip with three of its most popular desserts–cheesecake, mousse cake, and tiramisu—on Instagram and asked fans which one they preferred. "Tiramisu please," wrote one fan. The restaurant also posted a pic of the dessert on its Facebook page asking fans if they've tried it. "Yours looks SO good, maybe I'll have to try it sometime," responded one person.
Brio Italian Grille
Brio Italian Grille's tiramisu is made the traditional way, with espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone, anglaise, and cocoa, all for $9.99. The restaurant posted a video on Instagram of someone eating tiramisu in honor of National Coffee Day, and it looks like it's drowning in yummy anglaise and espresso. One reviewer on Tripadvisor admitted to being so intent on trying it that it was ordered to go!
Sign up for our newsletter!
