12 Reasons Garlic Bread Always Tastes Better At A Restaurant

If you dine at an Italian restaurant in the U.S., chances are you'll find garlic bread on the menu. It has long been a savory comfort food, and a go-to side for Italian-American classics. But no matter how many times we make garlic bread in our home kitchens, it seems to always be tastier when dining out. There are a few key reasons why — and it turns out that the secret sauce for restaurant-quality garlic bread is not so secret after all.

The garlic bread we now know and love came onto the scene by the 1950s, when Italians began opening more restaurants Stateside. It was inspired by bruschetta, but was made with butter at a time when quality olive oil was not as easy to come by. While true Italian-food aficionados may turn down the Americanized creation of garlic bread, restaurants embrace its perfect melding of flavors and textures. The best garlic bread has a crisp exterior, a soft interior, and never skimps on the butter and garlic. It really is the ideal side to pair with a tasty pasta or to dip in a savory red sauce.

Today, there are many iterations of garlic bread, but restaurant-quality garlic bread is made with ingredients and techniques that take this comforting classic to the next level. Restaurants have a few top tips to make the perfect garlic bread — a loaf that is extremely buttery, bursting with garlic flavor, and keeps you coming back for more.

Restaurant garlic bread consists of more than just butter, bread, and garlic. Professional chefs mix olive oil into the butter used on garlic bread for two main reasons. First, the oil helps make the garlic butter more spreadable, to distribute the buttery mixture more easily. Perhaps more importantly, the oil keeps the butter from browning too quickly. That's because the milk solids in butter can burn quickly, whereas olive oil has a higher smoke point. By mixing butter with olive oil, restaurants can help keep the butter from burning — this is one of the essential tips you need when cooking with butter. 

Even more than the science, mixing butter with oil is all about the ultimate flavor combination. Restaurant chefs like to add olive oil to garlic-bread spread since it adds herbal and grassy notes. Together, oil and butter create a toasty and warming deliciousness that we all expect from restaurant garlic bread. When attempting to recreate restaurant-quality garlic bread at home, the simple addition of olive oil to the buttery garlic mixture is a solid first step. 

Raw garlic is unmistakably pungent, and even spicy in flavor. You either love it or hate it. Restaurant chefs have a keen understanding of how cooking garlic can alter its taste and enhance a dish.

Freshly cut garlic is more potent than its jarred counterpart because of the release of allicin, which occurs when garlic is crushed or chopped. The more that chefs crush the garlic, the more allicin is produced, and the stronger the garlic flavor will be. That's why mincing garlic is the most effective way to bring out its flavor.

On the other hand, pre-minced garlic from a jar can lose flavor during processing. To make extra-delicious garlic bread, opt for raw garlic to bring out the strongest garlicky aroma and taste. Look for garlic cloves that are firm and have tight skins. Also keep on eye on signs of sprouting, since the presence of light-green stems can signal it's been a while since the garlic has been harvested. Both at restaurant and home kitchens, garlic should always be stored in a slightly cool and dark location to preserve its shelf life.

Chefs at restaurants ensure that garlic bread is crisp and golden-brown on the exteriors, and tender and buttery on the inside. This starts with choosing the right type of bread.

Baguettes are a frequent choice for home cooks when making garlic bread — but baguettes are dense and can become hard in the oven if they're over-baked. French or Italian loaves are also common choices, but restaurants are looking for more surface area with artisan loaves, so many chefs specifically opt for ciabatta or even a delicious focaccia. Ciabatta and focaccia are both broad flatbreads, making them perfect for thick, flavorful slices of garlic bread.

Fortunately, you don't have to visit the Italian travel destination for focaccia lovers to obtain these loaves. High-end restaurants will go as far as to bake the bread in house. If you're not a baker, select a ciabatta or focaccia loaf from a gourmet bakery, and cut it into hefty slices so that there is plenty of room for slathering the irresistible garlic-butter spread. 

When it comes to a classic garlic bread recipe, butter is the star of the show — and for good reason. After all, one of the reasons why restaurant food generally tastes better than homemade dishes is because professional chefs do not shy away from using plenty of flavorful butter. For any recipe with minimal ingredients — including garlic bread — the quality of its components makes all the difference.

It's not only the quantity of butter — it's also about the quality of butter. Restaurants are focused on flavor, and that's something butter with a higher fat content can deliver. In the U.S., butter must contain at least 80% milk fat — but many restaurants use European-style butter, which ranges from 82% up to 86% fat. It's richer in flavor and creamier in texture, creating a more decadent garlic bread.

When chefs strive to make a few good ingredients shine, locally sourced produce can carry a dish, so the fresh garlic cloves matter, too. Restaurants try to have their suppliers provide daily deliveries, and use seasonal ingredients when available. High-quality produce and intentional ingredient sourcing results in restaurant garlic bread that typically turns out better than what home cooks can make.

Garlic confit can make garlic bread utterly irresistible. To chefs, this versatile condiment is considered liquid gold. Restaurants simmer garlic cloves in olive oil so that it becomes jammy in texture and concentrated in flavor. The French-inspired technique of making a confit involves salting and slowly cooking an ingredient in fat at a low temperature. Restaurant chefs braise or slowly cook whole garlic cloves in olive oil until they are caramelized. The result is nutty, creamy, and totally mouthwatering. 

Confit originated as a way to preserve food. Chefs understand that garlic is a low-acid ingredient, and therefore needs to be stored correctly. After all, when garlic is stored in oil and at warm temperatures, there is risk for foodborne illnesses. But fear not! You can safely save leftover garlic confit in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

While there are various methods for making confit, they all involve fat, salt, and consistent temperatures. To make garlic confit at home, the two primary methods include cooking it at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven, or heating it on a stovetop over a very low flame. Either way, a good confit transforms raw garlic into a slightly sweet and highly addictive spread that is perfect for leveling up garlic bread. 

Chefs will tell you that more isn't always more; it's all about nuance. But for garlic bread, restaurants do indeed use more garlic than you may realize. Roasted garlic, raw garlic, garlic powder — there are many variations of garlic that can elevate that signature garlicky flavor. Using both raw garlic and garlic confit help restaurants amp up the flavor. While some recipes use garlic sparingly, restaurant chefs understand that garlic bread should not be one of them.

In addition to more garlic, restaurants notoriously use more butter than you would likely use in your home kitchen. Many people reacted with disbelief when Anthony Bourdain revealed that a single restaurant meal can often be made with a full stick of butter. However, butter is frequently the secret behind the rich flavor of many restaurant foods, and it's no different for garlic bread.  

If there is one takeaway here, the key is to use more garlic and more butter than you may initially plan for. To make restaurant-quality garlic bread, use garlic in more forms than one, add that extra pat or two of butter, and create a spreadable paste to slather on the bread. On that note, remember that restaurants often use room-temperature butter, as it is easier to spread and work with.

To counter all of that butter, herbs cut the richness by adding vibrant color and fresh flavor. Herbs instantly elevate garlic bread from ordinary to restaurant-worthy.

Restaurant chefs live by the adage that you eat with your eyes first. Garlic bread does not have a terribly appealing appearance, but the addition of bright herbs immediately makes the dish look more impressive. Herbs contribute more than to the appearance, since both aromatic fresh and dry herbs can help balance the dish. Fresh oregano or parsley are classic choices, but restaurants also experiment with scallions or rosemary to add herbaceous depth. Herbs can also be added to create delicious compound butter, in which chefs take room-temperature butter and blend it with fragrant dried herbs. Compound butter is embarrassingly easy to make — but you can't go wrong with buying pre-made versions, such as the Kerrygold Garlic & Herb variety. 

Since dried herbs are known to be more concentrated in flavor than fresh, restaurant chefs rely on a simple ratio. Fresh and dry herbs can generally be swapped by a ratio of 1 teaspoon dried for 1 tablespoon fresh. Dried herbs are more potent in flavor, so you can use less than the fresh varieties. In general, flecks of fresh herbs take any dish up a notch. 

With a little forethought, prepping the garlic butter ahead of time helps the flavors further develop. This comes down to chemistry. When it's chopped or crushed, fresh garlic releases the potent chemical compound allicin — and this reaction also produces a strong garlic flavor. This compound continues to develop after its initial reaction with oxygen. It helps explain why mincing garlic delivers so much flavor — a maximum amount of allicin is combined with oxygen, resulting in the ultimate garlicky flavor. However, when minced garlic is immediately exposed to heat or cooking, it will stop this natural process. 

With this knowledge in mind, restaurant chefs let garlic sit out — and fortunately it's easy enough to practice this technique at home. You can achieve the same effect by letting garlic sit for five to 10 minutes after mincing it, which boosts the levels of allicin and further develops the flavors. 

Pillowy but crusty. Soft but crisp. In their quest to provide the best consistency possible in every slice of garlic bread, chefs have differing tricks. Most common is the use of commercial ovens or broilers to bring a quick, high-intensity heat.

Even dishes as seemingly simple as garlic bread require a good amount of skill. Restaurant chefs have access to commercial-grade appliances and quality cookware. For example, restaurant pizza ovens have the capability to reach extremely high temperatures of around 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Using your oven's broiler emulates those insanely hot temperatures, creating a deliciously crusty exterior.

In lieu of industrial cooking equipment, start by baking the garlic bread at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. To get that extra crispiness, broil it for the last two to three minutes — but keep a close eye on it, because just one extra minute under the broiler can quickly burn your masterpiece. To avoid the all-too-common broiling mistake you're probably making, remember to keep a gas oven door closed while broiling, though electric oven doors can be left slightly ajar.

Another trick for the home cook trying to recreate the perfect texture is to learn that the best garlic bread can be made on the stovetop. This quick trick is all about immediate gratification, as there is no waiting required to preheat the oven. 

Once the rich and buttery garlic mixture is made, it's crucial to ensure that it oozes into every bite of garlic bread. To do so, restaurants use a technique called scoring. In the world of bread baking, scoring is the process of cutting the surface of bread before baking. The purpose is to prevent loaves from cracking, and to help control the dough's expansion in the oven to ensure a consistent rise. Restaurant chefs use this scoring technique for garlic bread as well, but for different reasons.

Professionals use a sharp blade and cut speedily to avoid tears or damage to the bread. Specifically, chefs use a tool called a lame, pronounced "lahm," which is a curved blade specifically designed to score loaves. By cutting the garlic bread loaf only slightly, the buttery garlic mixture seeps into the bread.

When making garlic bread, chefs score the loaf of bread in inch-wide slices, but do not cut it all the way through. Scoring ensures the garlic butter melts into the middle of the loaf, for a soft interior and extra buttery bite. 

Chefs at restaurants think creatively when dreaming up ways to upgrade garlic bread. From sprinkling on freshly grated Parmesan cheese to incorporating anchovies for Spanish flair to finishing it with red pepper flakes for added spice, restaurants continue to find innovative ways to improve a classic.

Take a lesson from restaurant chefs by experimenting with adding chives, pesto, or even spices such as smoked paprika or onion powder. Secret ingredients make garlic bread taste better, and can make restaurant guests think about the dish long after they've enjoyed the meal. That bit of lemon zest can add a surprisingly fresh burst of acidity to balance out the garlic bread. 

If you have a hard time describing what makes restaurant garlic bread so special, you may be experiencing an addition rich with umami. Parmesan cheese is an excellent example of an add-on with lots of umami — and the longer the cheese has been aged, the more umami flavor it contains. Aged Parmesan is an addition to restaurant garlic bread that keeps diners coming back for another piece until the bread basket is empty.

The final touch for restaurant garlic bread is to finish with flaky salt. You may be wondering, does it matter which type of salt to use? The answer is a resounding yes. There may be seemingly endless variations of salt, but restaurants like to use flaky sea salt, composed of crystals that are irregularly shaped. One of the highest-quality sea salts is fleur de sel, directly translating to "flower of salt" in French. It has a high price tag for a good reason. Kosher salt may be more versatile, but fleur de sel is more multidimensional in flavor. Its high mineral and moisture content intensifies the complexity and salty flavor, so a pinch or two will go a long way. 

With flaky sea salt, the crystals lay right on top of the garlic bread, since they do not dissolve as easily. This adds crunch and texture, and enhances the garlic butter's flavors. The crystals instantly make the garlic bread look like a chef-inspired creation — a restaurant secret that's easily replicable. When in doubt, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt can elevate any garlic bread to restaurant-quality levels.