Every Olive Garden Cocktail, Ranked

Olive Garden might be best known for its addictive breadsticks and never-ending amounts of delicious soup and salad, but it turns out that there's so much more to discover at your friendly neighborhood Italian restaurant. Nifty wine hacks and affordable to-go tricks are just the beginning — you're especially missing out if you've been sleeping on the cocktail list.

Olive Garden is home to 11 featured cocktails, each with its own Italian spin, starting at just $6.50. As with most corporate set menus, there are hits and misses, but this particular chain can arguably boast more of the former. Still, even the "best" drink is going to be subjective relative to each guest's personal tastes. To save you some trouble, we've gone to the effort of sampling and ranking each cocktail, taking into account such factors as flavor profile, sweetness, alcohol content, and creativeness. And for a relatively small list, the menu features some true winners that are sure to have you on a first-name basis with the bartender in no time.

At first blush, the Blue Amalfi seems like one of the restaurant's more captivating cocktails, from the vibrant blue reminiscent of its namesake's Mediterranean waters to the always-reliable combination of vodka and lemonade. The drink is comprised of New Amsterdam vodka, Blue Curaçao, and lemonade, and according to Olive Garden, it's meant to evoke the breathtaking scenery of Italy's Amalfi coast. However, in practice, the Blue Amalfi is possibly the most underwhelming cocktail the restaurant has to offer. The drink's primary flavor upon first sip is tart, verging on sour, which isn't necessarily a dealbreaker — but aside from a hint of citrus from the lemonade, the drink lacks any deeper flavors. 

It could very likely benefit from more lemonade and less curaçao, which would undoubtedly lower the cocktail's alcohol content but soften the sharpness into something a little more refreshing. Unfortunately, that would also lessen the bright blue hue that is the drink's claim to fame. Another positive thing the drink has going for it is its price tag: At just $6.50, the Blue Amalfi is a great value and can easily be tweaked if the flavor is not quite to your taste. Thanks to Olive Garden's full bar and hospitable bartenders, there are more than a few ways to customize your cocktail, including swapping in a top-shelf vodka of your choice, adding a shot of limoncello for sweetness, or even simply going heavy on the lemonade for a similar, but less-boozy, variation.

Let's be clear on something: Olive Garden's take on Italy's iconic traditional bellini is far from the worst U.S. version of the drink. However, it also isn't the best drink that the restaurant has to offer. A mix of sparkling prosecco and peach purée, it largely measures up to that description, with a handful of disappointing caveats.

While still refreshing, Olive Garden's bellini lacks the deep savor of peach that one would expect from the drink. And with only two ingredients — Cantine Maschio extra dry prosecco and peach purée — it's difficult to pinpoint any variations that could make for an improvement in flavor. The prosecco itself would be a great accompaniment to a more intensely-flavored purée, with its aromatic undertones of peach and almond. Priced at $7.50, the drink is a respectable bang for your buck, and makes for a great light refresher to accompany the restaurant's famous soup, salad, and breadsticks. However, you might want to opt for another cocktail if you just happen to be a self-certified bellini connoisseur; this particular interpretation of the beloved drink likely won't be going in your top five brunch cocktails of all time.

Rum aficionados will be keenly interested in Olive Garden's Italian rum punch, which takes a creatively tropical approach to an Italian-inspired cocktail. The drink comprises a bold blend of Bacardi Silver rum, amaretto, and strawberry-passion fruit purée, all of which come together for an undeniably tasty — not to mention strong — boozy treat.

Olive Garden's chosen rum — Bacardi Silver — takes center stage in this drink's flavor profile, providing notes of almonds and lime that pair exceptionally well with the tropical strawberry-passion fruit purée it's mixed with. It is quite a pronounced flavor, however, meaning that anyone who is not especially fond of rum should probably opt for a different cocktail altogether. It is also one of the sweeter drinks on Olive Garden's cocktail list, which will certainly factor into some guests' drink choices. We also must give the drink huge creativity props for the seemingly-simple addition of amaretto, which lends the rum punch its delightfully Italian vibe and pairs it well with just about any dish on the menu. Priced at just $7.00, the Italian rum punch is an excellent value for money, offering guests a generous pour of alcohol, and a creative blend of tropical and Italian flavors that will have rum lovers begging for a second round.

If you're a fan of traditional cocktails with a creative twist, chances are, Olive Garden's sangrias are for you. The restaurant's Green Apple Moscato Sangria, in particular, involves a generous amount of chilled Moscato blended with a Granny Smith apple purée, and topped with a splash of pineapple juice. And we're here to tell you, it's refreshingly different and surprisingly delicious.

The drink's green apple purée gives it just the right amount of tartness without verging into sour territory or overpowering the flavors of the other ingredients, making it an exceptionally well-balanced cocktail from the get-go. Moscato lends the drink a light, slightly bubbly sweetness that balances well with the green apple flavor, while a splash of pineapple juice serves to give it a tropical quality that makes this an all-around great summer sipper. Naturally, the green apple sangria's alcohol content is not especially high, and it is one of the sweeter drinks on their menu. But it's definitely a must-try for fans of any and everything green apple. And, priced at $8.00, it's inexpensive and light enough to enjoy more than one in a single sitting, perhaps even more should this cocktail turn out to be your jam. 

Of Olive Garden's three offerings, their berry sangria is the most like a traditional red sangria, described as a blend of red wine, fresh fruit, and a splash of fruit juices. Those fresh fruits and juices are, as the name suggests, typically a mix of blackberries, raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries. Naturally, the cocktail is perfect for anyone who happens to have a special love of berry-flavored treats — and just like the restaurant's green apple sangria, it makes for an interesting and creative twist on the traditional red sangria.

In fact, Olive Garden's Berry Sangria might be a little bit overpowering if you're not especially fond of mixed berries in the first place. Thankfully though, the red wine they use (usually Peter Vella Red Sangria) as their base successfully balances out the flavor and prevents it from becoming just too fruity. That being said, it is quite sweet, so those who prefer a dryer wine may want to opt for another cocktail or even ask the bartender to swap in another red wine with a lower sugar content. Priced at $8.00, it's hard to beat the berry sangria, though it must be said that it isn't quite as refreshing or summery as its Moscato-blended counterparts.

It's difficult to think of a liqueur more quintessentially Italian than amaretto. It's both sweet and slightly bitter, nutty, and smooth enough to tame the bite of stronger spirits, making it a great way to add an unmistakable Italian vibe to any drink. Olive Garden's Amaretto Sour puts the almond-flavored liqueur front and center, officially describing it as the perfect sweet-and-sour combination of amaretto and sour mix, and they're not far off the mark.

The amaretto sour is probably one of the least sweet drinks on the cocktail list, so those who prefer something a little sweeter or fruitier might want to delve into the restaurant's Italian-inspired margaritas or even their sangrias. But if your thing happens to be strong drinks with bold, classic flavors perfect for sipping, this is your drink. It's surprisingly smooth, and manages to achieve just the right balance between the amaretto and sour mix to avoid any potential bitterness. Priced at only $6.50, this drink is the perfect sipping cocktail to accompany that heaping plate of spaghetti ... or lasagna, or chicken parm, or whatever your go-to Olive Garden order may be.

Every single one of Olive Garden's featured cocktails can be enjoyed year-round — winter, summer, spring, and fall. But that doesn't prevent some of their drinks from being especially refreshing at certain times of the year, and for their Watermelon Sangria, summer is the name of the game. Like their green apple sangria, this drink involves a refreshingly chilled blend of Moscato and fruit purée, but this time the recipe incorporates watermelon and a splash of ginger ale. And let us tell you, it's like drinking summer from a glass.

The drink has a surprisingly deep flavor, with hints of apple and berry in addition to the base watermelon purée, the taste of which is present but not overwhelming. All of those flavors come together to perfectly compliment that of the Moscato, while a splash of ginger ale lends a bit of fizz along with a touch of sweetness. Like the rest of Olive Garden's sangrias, their watermelon sangria is priced at $8.00 per glass and $25.50 per carafe. And, trust us, you will absolutely want to order an entire carafe of this stuff. 

There's a reason that their Italian margarita is one of Olive Garden's most popular cocktails. First of all, it's smooth, sweet, tart, and refreshing like any good margarita should be. And second, it has an irresistible Italian spin that pairs well with just about any food option you could choose. Olive Garden describes the drink as "inspired by the flavors of Italy;" it's a blend of tequila and triple sec topped with a shot of amaretto, and it's available either frozen or on the rocks.

If the idea of amaretto in your margarita is a bit foreign, have no fear! The liqueur typically comes in a shot glass on the side, unless you specifically ask your bartender to blend it into the drink, giving you the option to mix it yourself or use the amaretto as a chaser (highly recommended). That being said, having the liqueur mixed into the drink gives the flavor an undeniable Italian vibe that compliments the traditional margarita ingredients surprisingly well. Priced at $8.50, the baseline Italian margarita comes with Jose Cuervo Especial Silver tequila, though you have the option of upgrading to the top-shelf version for $2.50 more.

A longtime favorite alternative to the traditional peach bellini, Olive Garden's strawberry bellini (or more correctly Italian, rossini) is a solid step up from the other bellini on their menu. The cocktail uses only two ingredients — strawberry purée and prosecco — and manages to achieve the deep, complex flavor that the restaurant's peach bellini just misses. If you happen to be just a little obsessed with all things strawberry, this is absolutely your drink.

Olive Garden also offers an interesting twist on the more traditional presentation of the drink: both their peach and strawberry bellinis are available as frozen drinks, and while some purists may balk at the idea, it's kind of revolutionary — and very delicious. Priced at $7.50, the strawberry bellini is a sweeter drink no matter the consistency, though it is more difficult to taste the prosecco (Cantine Maschio Extra Dry) in its frozen variation. Even so, it's smooth, fruity, and refreshingly different — and if you're truly concerned about the alcohol content, you can always ask your bartender to go heavy on the prosecco.

If you're already a fan of margaritas with a creative twist, chances are you're familiar with Olive Garden's Italian margarita, which adds to the drink a sweet and smooth kick in the form of amaretto. For an even tastier cocktail experience, you can opt to upgrade your drink to the Top Shelf Italian Margarita, which utilizes Patrón Silver tequila instead of the usual Jose Cuervo Especial Silver.

As with the original Italian margarita, the top shelf version comes frozen or on the rocks. The amaretto typically comes on the side in a shot glass, though you or your bartender can easily mix it into the drink if chasers just aren't your thing. The upgrade costs $2.50 extra, bringing the total price for the drink to $11.00 and making it the most expensive drink on the menu. As for whether or not the upgraded tequila is worth it, we are inclined to say that it is. The Patrón adds yet another level of smoothness to the drink as well as an added facet of complexity to its overall flavor profile. That being said, there are some out there who prefer an entirely different tequila altogether, and with a full bar in each restaurant, you're more than welcome to customize the alcohol as you see fit.

When it comes right down to it, Olive Garden has a relatively small, yet impressive selection of cocktails. Though some may require a bit of tweaking to reach their full potential, by swapping in higher quality alcohol or adjusting the recipe to your liking, the restaurant really doesn't serve a single drink we could describe as genuinely bad. But there is one drink that truly does stand above all the rest, and it's one of the least expensive options on the menu. Olive Garden's spiked strawberry lemonade is about as close to perfect as a cocktail can be. The drink involves the restaurant's strawberry-passion fruit purée blended with lemonade and New Amsterdam vodka, and muddled with fresh mint and strawberries. And while it is absolutely the ideal summer refresher, one sip and this will be your go-to drink all year long.

The drink is absolutely packed full of flavor, from the freshly muddled mint and strawberry to the citrus zing of the lemonade and sweetness of the strawberry-passion fruit purée, yet they're somehow all perfectly balanced for a boozy, tropical-inspired treat that is just too easy to drink down to nothing before your food even arrives. Thankfully, it won't hurt your bank account one bit to order another round, since Olive Garden's best cocktail is priced at only $6.50. Expert trick: try it with Tito's vodka, which somehow manages to improve upon perfection with its complementary citrus undertones.