Our Story
Our Story
Meet the family
Food isn't only about food. It's not some big secret. It's something that just happens when all of
our interconnected families get together-the Carrabbas and the Mandolas, plus anybody with enough
good sense to marry in.
Grace
Grace
Damian's mother (Johnny's grandmother) Grace was born in Alexandria, LA in 1916. She learned to cook from her mother, Rosa Testa and her mother-in-law, Margaret Mandola, both from Sicily.
Grace loved to cook. Every Sunday the family gathered at Grace's house for the family dinner. Grace worked at one of the Mandola family restaurants in Houston until she was in her mid-nineties. Her recipes have been handed down for generations and are served daily at Carrabba's.
Grace loved to cook. Every Sunday the family gathered at Grace's house for the family dinner. Grace worked at one of the Mandola family restaurants in Houston until she was in her mid-nineties. Her recipes have been handed down for generations and are served daily at Carrabba's.
Vincent & Margaret
Vincent & Margaret
Born in Sicily in the 1870's, Damian's grandparents Vincent and Margaret Mandola immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1800's where they settled just outside Galveston, TX.
Grandma Mandola was a wonderful cook. She did everything the hard way. Damian to this day can still picture her with a scarf tied around her head as she worked in the kitchen. She always made her own pasta. She would take two sterilized broom handles and rest them between two chairs. That was where she hung her pasta to dry.
Grandma Mandola was a wonderful cook. She did everything the hard way. Damian to this day can still picture her with a scarf tied around her head as she worked in the kitchen. She always made her own pasta. She would take two sterilized broom handles and rest them between two chairs. That was where she hung her pasta to dry.
The family
The family
Johnny's great grandparents with his grandmother Mary (center) with her two sisters in Sicily in 1917. They immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900's where they settled in Bryan, TX.
SIGN UP TODAY FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CALAMARI!
In signing up I acknowledge that I am 18 years of age or older, want to receive
email offers from Carrabba's and agree to the terms and conditions of the Dine Rewards program.
When you join Dine Rewards we'll use this phone number to easily identify your account in our restaurants.