San Maximum: Italian Garden

By Austin Cowan
Blog Content Contributor

It is hard to find someone who is not down for some good old Italian food. Almost everyone has their own go to spot to eat this unique cuisine. For the people of San Marcos, Italian Garden is the place to be. Open seven days a week, this little restaurant always pulls in a crowd. Italian Garden faithfully serves the people of San Marcos and has become part of our culture. A person can never gain the maximum San Marcos experience without stopping by here.

Location

415 N LBJ Dr, San Marcos, TX 78666

The Food

The food at Italian Garden represents Italian culture well and tastes just as great. The Chicken Parmesan is a fan favorite, making it one of the most popular items on the menu.  The chicken is cooked with a nice crispy outside and with soft juicy chicken which teeth love to sink into. My go-to dish here is the Chicken Siciliano, which contains pasta with tomato sauce and a slice of chicken covered in fresh mushrooms. The flavor of mushrooms compliment the meat in a way that can only be described as flavor cohesion. The portions here are large, so even food lovers like me have a hard time finishing my plate. So many customers here find themselves walking out the door with to go boxes. The food is definitely worth the financial expense.

The Culture

The culture here varies depending on the crowd. Located across the street from Texas State University, Italian Garden attracts a lot of college students. Italian Garden has earned the reputation as being a cute-cheap date for college freshman because it is a nice restaurant within walking distance of the dorms with prices that will not break a person’s bank account. Many college students stop here on the weekends but every day of the week, local San Marcans can be found dining here. The people of San Marcos often times bring their families here for get togethers. Just this morning I saw two cute elderly couples celebrating a man’s birthday. This just goes to show the love that San Marcans have for this restaurant because it is a go-to spot for special occasions.

My Experience

My experience at Italian Garden has never been anything less than enjoyable. I mainly come here with my college friends, and we attack all the free rolls they give out to the tables before the food is served. One of the reasons why this restaurant is college freindly is that it accepts Bobcat Bucks, which is money normally reserved for freshman to purchase food on Texas State Campus. The staff here keep up with every table well enough to never let customers’ drinks go empty without first being asked if they want a refill. The patio is a good place to sit because the umbrellas provide much-needed shade, and there are heaters out there for the cold months. The restaurant itself is decorated well and makes for a great date. I would recommend anyone out there to keep Italian Garden in mind when planning out dates for your significant other.

Italian Garden faithfully serves the people of San Marcos some of the finest cuisine around. Don’t hesitate for a second, and get yourself on out to the garden, for there is no way for anyone to achieve the maximum San Marcos experience without going to Italian Garden.

Featured image by Austin Cowan.