The 11 best restaurants in Worcester
Worcester is an awesome city for food. You've got a mix of everything.
Want a vibrant food market full of small businesses ? It's got that.
Want to eat at a cash-only landmark that's been there for 100 years ? The city has that, too.
So, what's the best restaurant in the city? That's a tough one to answer, and really depends on what you're looking for.
How do you compare an old-school diner to a ramen restaurant? What's the criteria for grading a coffee shop vs. a steakhouse?
I don't know. So I'm not gonna do that. Instead, I'm going to give the people a list of the 11 best restaurants in Worcester in alphabetical order.
This is my personal list based on my experiences eating in Worcester. If one of my friends were to ask me, "Here, where should I go to eat in Worcester?" I'd give one of these as an answer depending on what they're looking for.
Again, these are not ranked in order. They're listed alphabetically .
The 11 best restaurants in Worcester
The Mishima Ranch Wagyu Flat Iron Steak from 111 Chop House in Worcester.(Nick O'Malley/MassLive)
111 Chop House
Go here for- A nice steak and a bottle of wine for a fancy night out
Why go to Boston for a date night dinner when 111 Chop House is right over on Shrewsbury Street? It's everything you could ask for in a steakhouse.
The food is great. The wine list is fantastic. The atmosphere is simultaneously posh and welcoming. Plus, the prices and parking are way better than at steakhouses in other cities.
More info: Website | Facebook | Instagram
The mac & cheese from Armsby Abbey in Worcester (MassLive photo)
Armsby Abbey
Go here for- Awesome drinks, incomparable mac & cheese
When I go to Armsby Abbey, I'm thinking of two things. First is their beer list, which is the best in the city. Second is the mac & cheese.
The Armsby Abbey mac & cheese is a Worcester icon. I've never seen anyone else make it like they do, in a tall ramiken topped with chewy bread and cheese that creates this tectonic place of gooey, bready goodness.
Beyond the mac & cheese, Armsby Abbey has some delightful sandwiches (including a killer smash burger). There's also the option to keep it light with a cheese board and charcuterie combo.
More info: Seasonal Dinner Menu | Website | Facebook | Instagram
The BirchTree Bread Co. is located in the heart of the Canal District in Worcester.
Birch Tree Bread Company
Go here for- A lively coffee shop to hang out in and eat great food
I go to Birch Tree whenever I want to get cozy, find my little spot in a coffee shop and lose myself in the buzzing atmosphere.
Maybe I'll grab one of their awesome chocolate chip cookies. For something heartier, I'll grab a toast (olive & feta and the tripleberry are the go-to moves). If I'm truly hungry, it's time to grab the French onion grilled cheese.
Birch Tree also makes one of the city's most underrated pizzas on Thursday and Friday nights.
More info: Menu | Website | Facebook | Instagram
Bocado, located in Worcester's Canal District, offers an array of tapas and small plates.
Bocado Tapas Wine Bar
Go here for- Tapas, paella, something different on a night out
The menu at Bocado can be overwhelming. There are a ton of small-plate options.
Fortunately, the best route to take is a simple one. Get the "Bocado experience" for two people. That gives you a choice of two charcuterie and cheese options, four tapas and a small paella and churros for dessert. You can sub out the paella for two more tapas options if you want. But the paella is a destination dish here.
For charcuterie/cheese, I love the Spanish ham and the fried goat cheese.
For tapas, I recommend the braised pork belly, the brisket and mashed potatoes, the bacon-wrapped scallops and the croquettes.
For paella, the paella del carne is a meaty masterpiece.
More info: Menu | Website | Facebook | Instagram
A bowl of Butter Corn Assari Ramen from Chashu in downtown Worcester.(Nick O'Malley/MassLive)
Chashu Ramen + Izakaya
Go here for- Terrific ramen
For a lighter ramen, try Butter Corn ramen with chicken in the light chicken broth. For something with a real blast of umami, go for the Hakata ramen in the rich pork broth.
Outside of ramen, Chashu has plenty of other options dotting its menu, including crispy gyoza dumplings, chewy pork belly baos and a great fried chicken sandwich.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
Chef/Owner Jared Forman of deadhorse hill, back when the restaurant first opened.(File photo)
Deadhorse Hill
Go here for- A foodie destination
The farm-to-table strategy at Deadhorse Hill has made the restaurant one of the city's most buzzed-about restaurants for years. With chef/owner Jared Forman running the show, Deadhorse Hill has consistently cranked out some of the city's most delicious and ambitious dishes.
The rotating menu does a fantastic job of taking simple concepts and elevating them, like with the "1/2 pound prime cheeseburger," the rigatoni or the roasted cod.
Don't forget to grab a drink, either. The cocktail list at Deadhorse Hill is not to be missed.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
George's Coney Island hot dogs in Worcester, Massachusetts.Submitted
George's Coney Island Hot Dogs
Go here for- Great food, cheap
George's Coney Island has been cranking out hot dogs since 1918. Since then, not much has changed.
The recommendation here is simple: order a $2.95 hot dog "up" (with chili sauce, mustard and chopped onions). Repeat until full.
You can also get George's Coney Island Hot Dogs at WooSox games at Polar Park.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
Orders ready to go at Lou Roc's Diner in Worcester.(MassLive Photo)
Lou Roc's Diner
Go here for- A classic diner breakfast
Worcester has a wealth of fantastic diners. You really can't go wrong with any of them. But I've always been partial to Lou Roc's.
It's in the north end of the city, which makes driving and parking easier. The service is great and moves quickly. Then there's the food.
The standard breakfast (egg, toast, home fries, meat) is already awesome. But you can take it to another level by getting the broccoli & cheddar version of the home fries and grilled Italian bread for toast.
On the sweet side, the Frosted Flakes-crusted French toast is a gem.
( Note: Lou Roc's Diner is cash only. But they do have an ATM on site.)
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook
Linguine con Polpette, with a combination of sausage and meatballs, from Mare e Monti in Worcester.(Nick O'Malley/MassLive)
Mare E Monti
Go here for- Top-notch Italian food
A true hidden gem right off of Grafton Street, Mare E Monti is easy to miss. It's an unassuming little spot mixed in with residential buildings.
But once you take advantage of their complementary valet parking and step inside, it's clear that this is a special place.
The meatballs? Gargantuan and full of flavor. The free bread and oil at the table? Delicious. The fried calamari? Elevated with some amazing sauce and the deft addition of spicy pickled peppers.
On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, watch out for their Spaghetti al Formaggio Cheese Bowl, where they flame and prep the pasta in a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
A sampling of what's on the menu at Peppercorn's Grille & Tavern on Park Ave. in Worcester.(Nick O'Malley, MassLive)
Peppercorn's
Go here for- Family dinners where there's something for everyone
Peppercorn's is the perfect blend of a comfy neighborhood restaurant with exceptional execution.
From burgers and pizzas to pasta and entrees, they do an incredible job with the classics. It's the sort of spot where you can take a family of picky eaters and still get something exceptional, like the Crispy Chicken Fontina.
In addition to being a stellar restaurant, Peppercorn's also shares a building with Double Down Brewing, which has all its beers on tap in the restaurant.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
The type of pizza served at Volturno Pizza Napoletana in Worcester.(File Photo)
Volturno Pizza Napoletana
Go here for- Wood-fired pizza
I've had plenty of pizzas in Worcester. Voltuno remains my favorite with their light, chewy crust cooked up beautifully in their wood-fired oven within 90 seconds.
It's Neopolitan-style pizza, which means there can be a little bit of char on the crust. For me, that's a positive.
More info: Website | Menu | Facebook | Instagram
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