Carrabba’s Celebrates 30 Years In Naples

The restaurant world is not for the faint of heart. The number of failures tend to outweigh the number of successes. Big chains have been hit particularly hard lately. That is one of many reasons that this anniversary is so special. Carrabba's celebrates 30 years in Naples, and I was at the party with other members of the media. I'm taking you there too.

Carrabba's Italian Grill opened its first Naples location on US41 just south of Pine Ridge Road. At the time, the line to get seated stretched out the door on the weekend. One of the things that made this chain different was the pasta bar where you could dine and see the kitchen staff in action.

There were also the comforting smells of the wood fired grill. There was nothing quite like it when it opened. Fast forward 30 years when the area is jammed packed with dining options including lots of Italian spots. However, Carrabba's is still holding its own.

After dining here again for the first time in years, I think there are several reasons for the continued success. The staff is a big one. One of the cooks has been there for 25 years. One of the servers sings Opera in the dining room from time to time. Her voice is mesmerizing.

Then there is proprietor Adam Benson. He started his career as a busboy in this very restaurant 27 years ago. Today, he runs the joint and he is passionate about what he does. It flows down to almost everyone else.

Of course there is the food, consistently executed, from the longtime faves to seasonal specials and new additions. Click here for a short video of the night. Thank you Carrabba's for hosting the fun dinner and celebration.

Carrabba's Naples celebrated 30 years of service in Naples with company dignitaries, media representatives and longtime patrons.

Carrabba's was decked out to celebrate their 30th Anniversary. There were balloons, flower arrangements, prizes and more.

Carrabba's Proprietor Adam Benson began his career with the Italian restaurant chain in Naples 27 years ago. He was a busboy. Today, the same restaurant is his. Cool story.

For starters, we were treated to two kinds of bruschetta. The classic had tomatoes and pesto, the other featured sautéed mushrooms and mozzarella.

This is a Carrabba's classic. It has wood grilled shrimp and scallops, roasted red pepper, kalamata olives, and a sprinkling of ricotta salata. The dressing is house Italian vinaigrette. It was our second course.

This was the main course. A large, tender beef short rib surrounded by mounds of creamy risotto. It was topped with Lombardo marsala sauce.

Dessert Rosa starts with a layer of yellow cake, topped with vanilla pudding, bananas, strawberries, and pineapple. Topped with whipped cream, a chocolate dipped strawberry and sprig of mint add the finishing touches

This dessert was created by Johhny Carrabba's mother, Rose. It has made many appearances on the menu over the years. If you see it, try it.

Carrabba's Italian Grill in Naples has been serving hungry dinners for 30 years. This location is on 41, just south of Pine Ridge Road.