Olive Garden opens a third Des Moines-area location, this time in an Italian neighborhood

When you’re here, you’re family. The home of unlimited breadsticks and salad, pastas galore and more debuted on the south side of Des Moines with its third location in the metro area.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant opened a 6,500-square-foot restaurant at 6157 S.E. 14th St. in Des Moines.

Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, debuted the restaurant in the parking lot of the strip mall that borders East Army Post Road near a Domino’s Pizza and an Applebee’s Grill & Bar.

Olive Garden moves into a neighborhood known for Italian restaurants

Des Moines residents know that the southside is renowned for its Italian restaurants with storied histories.

For example, the original Bordenaro's Pizza & Pasta opened in 1977 with a roster of pizza and pasta at 6108 S.W. Ninth St.

Graziano Bros., the grocery store and sandwich counter famous for its Italian pork sausage, opened in 1912 and sits at 1601 S. Union St.

Scornovacca's Ristorante opened in 1973 with a menu of secret family recipes at 1930 S.E. 14th St.

Paesano's Pizzeria closes at the end of the month at 2804 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines, so owners Alec and Courtney Kennedy can focus on their other businesses. The restaurant originally opened in 1982.

More: You still have time to say goodbye to a 41-year-old southside pizzeria that closes in June

Olive Garden, based in Orlando, operates more than 800 restaurants, employs more than 96,000 employees and reports more than $3.8 billion in annual sales, according to a news statement.

Locally, Olive Garden also has locations at 3600 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines and at 770 S.E. Oralabor Road in Ankeny.

More: The 10 essential Italian restaurants in the Des Moines metro

Where to find the new Olive Garden in Des Moines

Location: 6157 S.E. 14th St., Des Moines

Contact: 515-635-3593 or olivegarden.com

Hours: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Olive Garden opens on the south side of Des Moines, an Italian neighborhood