thePULSEThe PULSE picks some outdoor dining spots for hot fun in the summertime!
As summertime slowly approaches, everyone craves warm weather, fresh air, and sunshine. What better way to bask in these glorious gifts from Mother Nature than to have the meal of your choice on the outdoor patio of your favorite local restaurant?
There are lots of outdoor options in Worcester and the choices will increase quite a bit this summer with the addition of several restaurants that have recently chosen to feature outdoor seating. In fact, Shrewsbury Street, home of many of the city’s finest restaurants, is in the process of getting a special ordinance making it possible for the diverse restaurants on the street to offer outdoor dining.
So who knows how many more outdoor cafes will pop up? All of the current locations make great sites for graduation dinners, office gatherings, lunch breaks, first dates, summer parties, bar-hopping with friends, or simple, intimate lunches alone in the sunshine or the starlight. Here’s a rundown of some hot, outdoor dining spots:
Vinny Testas
7 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury
(508) 755-0900
Vinny Testas, located right outside of Worcester on Route 9 (Boston Turnpike) in Shrewsbury, is a personal summertime favorite of ours. Outdoor dining just does not get more gorgeous than this restaurant’s spacious deck overlooking picturesque Lake Quinsigamond. What a view! People often expect Vinny Testas to be just another chain restaurant, but they are usually pleasantly surprised. We first visited this place for a small office gathering; all we ordered were a few pina coladas, a couple different varieties of salads, and some appetizers, but this could not have been a more perfect place for good conversation. The deck is the largest of any of the other restaurants listed here, but, even with a big group of people, it never gets too loud or chaotic. If you plan to have a small gathering on the deck, just be aware that the restaurant does not take reservations, and be sure to make it there before September, as the deck closes when it starts to get cold. When you arrive, look for the three Vinny Testas parking lots behind the restaurant: They are very easy to miss, and you do not want to end up trying to park in one of the surrounding side lots, a common mistake. The bar is open until 1:00 am, so you can enjoy your cocktails for as long as you wish.
Cactus Pete’s Steak House
400 Park Avenue, Worcester
(508) 752-3038
Cactus Pete’s is another place we’ve been to many a time for casual work functions such as birthday parties, going away parties, etc. We must admit, we’ve spent most of our time at the bar, but you can enjoy a less rowdy meal outside on the patio. This popular outdoor area typically opens on or around Memorial Day weekend and closes in September. There are eight tables with four seats at each one, and you can reserve the entire deck if you are planning a party of twenty or more people. The patio keeps the same hours as the restaurant’s lounge: Monday through Thursday, 11:30 am to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday, 11:30 am — typically around 12 or 12:30 am, and Sunday 4 pm to 9 pm. The deck has its own full service staff, with special waitresses hired solely to serve the outdoor patrons.
Cactus Pete’s has introduced a new, slightly varied menu, and fruit salad and lighter fare will be featured for the summer months. Typically, cocktails (especially the frozen margarita special!), appetizers and burgers are choice among the patio crowd. This year is Cactus Pete’s tenth anniversary, so you will see price rollbacks, appetizer specials, and other goodies as part of the celebration; the restaurant usually celebrates Cinco de Mayo in the same fashion. Normal prices range from $5.95 to $10.95 for lunch and $8.95 to $21.95 for entrees, although if you feel like splurging, you can always order the prime rib cut at $32.95!
Tweed’s
231 Grove Street, Worcester
(508) 755-8047
Tweed’s, located on Grove Street, is your traditional pub restaurant, with good food, good drinks, and a casual atmosphere. The patio at Tweed’s was opened only two years ago and holds about six tables. The menu consists of steak, chicken, seafood, appetizer, and salad entrees, with the average dish priced at about eight dollars. One special feature about this restaurant is that, besides the patio, there is a popular function room, which can be reserved for any kind of party or gathering. Tweed’s is open from 11:30 am to 1:00 am Monday through Saturday and 12 pm to 10 pm on Sunday. To see a full menu, you can visit www.tweeds.com.
Primos
157 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
(508) 754-9709
Primos, a popular Shrewsbury Street Italian restaurant, added outdoor dining last summer after filing the necessary applications, and the idea has certainly proven to be a successful one. There are about six tables set up outside the restaurant, only because regulation forbids loud or large crowds on private walkways. Alcohol is not allowed either, but you can still enjoy the pleasant ambiance of charming café dining on your own or with a friend. Primo’s is a very desirable location for a small graduation dinner, too. Menu choices are creative, eclectic and sure to please customers looking for a reasonably priced meal made with first-rate ingredients. You can bring your own wine and beer for inside dining. This is the perfect spot to bring your family or friends for a little Shrewsbury Street ambiance on graduation weekend. As manager Joe Petrou explains, “People underestimate the amount of business colleges bring in. We love them!”
Nancy Chang
372 Chandler Street, Worcester
(508) 752-8899
Nancy Chang, a large, casually elegant Chinese restaurant, boasts a small patio with at least six tables of four set up annually, weather-permitting. Patrons normally use this relaxing area more for lounging or enjoying cocktails, but food can always be served outside if desired. Functions are often held inside in a special back area that can hold 55 people. This location is rather popular, so start planning your party now in order to make reservations on time. We have been to several small birthday gatherings at Nancy Chang’s, all of which were quite successful. The food was delicious, and the rare fake meat dishes certainly satisfied all of us vegetarians in the group!
Bread and Pasta
421 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
(508) 756-4366
This is the first summer for Shrewsbury Street’s Bread and Pasta, a local restaurant that was built just last August. Owner John Grosse, formerly of the East Park Grill, is in the process of putting the finishing touches (shrubbery, décor, etc.) on an outdoor dining area. The area will most likely have eight tables, and will open sometime in May, weather permitting. Alcohol will not be allowed outside, but Grosse promises that the patio will be a beautiful place for a meal nonetheless. Bread and Pasta also specializes in catering, and will soon be open for delivery orders. The restaurant will deliver to all of the local college campuses, which is sure to please hungry college students all over Worcester.
Caffé Dolce
154 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester
(508) 754-3761
Caffé Dolce on Shrewsbury Street is, without question, the best place in town to go for coffee and dessert. If you have not been to this exquisite little (but not too little) cafe, you are missing out, so please, for your own good, get your deprived self over there, and soon! The single problem you might encounter is the pressure of choosing from the extensive menu of coffees, cappuccinos, specialty drinks, and cakes. They all just sound too delicious! To make things even more enticing, the popular café now has outdoor seating, with about six tables set up, weather providing. This is a place for anyone and everyone; in other words, you don’t have to be a black turtleneck-wearing wannabe poet coffeehouse nut to dig this joint!
Tatnuck Bookseller Marketplace
335 Chandler Street, Worcester
(508) 756-7644
Pretty much everyone in Worcester has heard of Tatnuck Bookseller, and will agree that it is by far the best bookstore in this city. One of the best things about this marketplace is that you can browse through the bookstore AND enjoy a pleasant meal at the store’s restaurant and outdoor cafe. The indoor eatery occupies a small area in the middle of the store, while the patio out back is an especially nice place to enjoy a quiet meal away from the sounds of traffic and city life. Dinner is served after 5 pm; the menu offers a variety of unique pasta, chicken, steak, seafood, and risotto dishes, all served with generous portions of sides. Or you can just sit and enjoy a nice cup of coffee or tea over the new novel you just purchased. Simpler meal choices include sandwiches, burgers, and my personal Tatnuck favorite: sweet potato fries! For us vegetarians, the restaurant offers a veggie burger as well as a delicious tofu stir-fry. Entrees are typically priced from $10.50 to $15.99.
The Castle
1230 Main Street, Leicester
(508) 892-8000
The Castle, a five-star restaurant located in Worcester’s neighboring town of Leicester, offers a more formal, outdoor dining experience. Just as there’s always a toasty fire burning in the restaurant’s fireplace in the winter, you will find fitting seasonal dining in the summer months, courtesy of a gorgeous patio overlooking Lake Sargent and the restaurant’s own Herb Gardens. The menu, featuring mainly classic Continental dishes, offers lunch and early evening appetizers and cocktails on the patio. The Castle also has an award-winning, internationally recognized wine list!
The Pulse would like to thank: Vinny Testas of Shrewsbury and Derek Grillo of Struck Catering for assistance with the 2003 Outdoor Dining issue.
