Carrabba's Italian Market

Look out Panera! You don't stand a chance against Carrabba's Italian Market.

About 6 months ago, Carrabba's opened a brand new restaurant in Sarasota, FL. They transformed the amazing Carrabba's food and experience into a fast casual Italian heaven....inside a Publix Super Market.

It's a full blown Carrabba's experience right next to the bakery section. Well, it's not a full Carrabba's experience. They don't offer all of the amazing dishes, but something a whole lot better: Panini's, Pizzas, Salads, and Pasta dishes. You can view the entire menu here.

It wasn't easy finding this magical Italian mecca. Unknown to us, there were two Publix stores off of this particular exit. We went to the logical choice (the one with the exit signage, pointing left) got in the parking lot and started getting excited. We walked in and didn't see the Carrabba's Italian Market so we walked all through the store thinking that it would suddenly appear. I then came to the obvious conclusion that there must be two different Publix stores and that we were in the wrong one. Damn you exit signs.

We went the other way and arrived at the correct Publix. Once inside there is a corner that is dedicated to Carrabba's Italian Market. You order at the register, they take your name and then bring the food out to you either in their small seating area or at the bar. All of the food (unlike it's many competitors) is made fresh on site by order. You can sit at the bar and watch the chef make your panini or pizza with a total cost of about $7 per person.

This restaurant is simply revolutionary. It provides the complete Carrabba's experience for half the price and offers better menu items.

Carrabba's should open one of these next to every Panera in the country. There is no doubt that it would put Panera right out of business. Panera and their bagged soup couldn't compete with the quality of Carrabba's.

Don't get me wrong, it is slightly odd that this amazing restaurant is inside a Publix. It is even stranger that people are strolling by with shopping carts watching you eat your lunch in the middle of the grocery store. It does have it's advantages though. After you're done eating you can do you grocery shopping, however overall I think I would have preferred if this was either a free standing unit or in a plaza so there were more seating options and an atmosphere.

The bottom line is that we need a Carrabba's Italian Market in every city in the country. Take the first step and go to Sarasota, FL and try it. Then take the next step and write to Carrabba's demanding they open a Carrabba's Italian Market near you. You can send them an email by clicking here.

This is a short video of my wife filiming me eat my life changing meatball panini. (I'm adding this to The Five)