The Ajax Olive Garden is now open at Durham Centre, completing the restaurant chain’s move from an announced local project to an operating Durham Region location.
The restaurant opened Monday, October 12 at 130 Kingston Road East. Olive Garden’s official location listing and a Tuesday report from Daily Durham confirm the Ajax site is serving customers.
The location is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Launch begins without reservations
During the opening period, seating is first-come, first-served and the restaurant is not taking reservations. The location page warns that seating cannot be guaranteed during busy periods.
Online ordering is not yet available for the Ajax restaurant. Customers seeking pickup can call the location directly, according to the official listing. Those arrangements may change as the new operation settles in, so diners should confirm current details before travelling.
Opening follows two earlier Ontario launches
The Ajax opening is the third step in Olive Garden’s return to Ontario. A Vaughan Mills restaurant opened in June and an Ottawa location followed in August.
Toronto.com reported before opening day that the Ajax restaurant would launch October 12. The report said the expansion is being carried out by Recipe Restaurant Group International under an agreement with Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants.
Recipe acquired the chain’s eight existing western Canadian restaurants and has said more locations are in planning. Its portfolio also includes Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Montana’s, Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse and New York Fries.
Opening is a confirmed follow-up
All About Durham previously reported that an Ajax Olive Garden had been confirmed for Durham Centre and later that the site was listed as coming soon. At that stage, no firm opening date or local operating hours had been announced.
The October 12 launch is a material update: the restaurant is now operating, hours are posted and launch-period ordering and seating rules are available.
The Ajax Olive Garden adds a new full-service restaurant to the Kingston Road commercial area and gives residents in Ajax and neighbouring Durham communities a closer location than Vaughan or Ottawa.
Sources
- Olive Garden Ajax official location page, checked October 13, 2026.
- Daily Durham opening report, published October 13, 2026 at 8:02 a.m. EDT.
- Toronto.com pre-opening report, published October 9, 2026.
