thePULSENew Name, Same Great Taste
By Rachel Shuster
Although dining out in Worcester is always entertaining and never a miss with the vast amount of variety and choice available, sometimes it’s nice to venture out to neighboring towns to taste something new and just as delicious. 226 Westminster Street in Fitchburg might ring a bell to some, as it was formerly the home of West Fitchburg Pizza ~ but now it is home of Il Ricardo, a small restaurant serving authentic Italian and American food to the Fitchburg and neighboring communities.
The establishment has been around for many years, always satisfying the appetites of its patrons. As West Fitchburg Pizza, “People simply knew the place as a ‘pizza’ place, but it is so much more and we wanted to show people that,” owner John Shammas says. Transforming from a pizza place to a fine dining restaurant required a few touch-ups to the already well known eatery. A few changes in the menu and the décor revitalized the restaurant to its now upscale status.
The menu is made up of everything from appetizers and entrees to pizza and salads. The appetizers are all under $10 and entrees under $20 ~ amazing prices for the quality and quantity of what you are getting. Besides delicious food such as classics like chicken parmesan, the restaurant also offers a full menu of beer and wine to tickle your tastebuds and beautifully compliment the great food.
The restaurant also offers occasional entertainment from live bands and other entertainers to add to its ambiance.
Shammas explains the unique importance of the restaurant through the eyes ~ and palates ~ of its customers. “Local people have discovered good quality food. Our restaurant is a hidden secret in Fitchburg, and changing the name allows it to be exposed outside the town. We have many people come to us from Gardner, Leominster, etc. We want to continue that.”
Open 7 days a week, 11am – 9pm Sundays through Wednesdays and until 10pm Thursdays through Saturdays, Il Ricardo is keeping the same wonderful food and spirit it always had, now with even more to offer than before. As Shammas says, “Come try it and realize how good it is.” See you there!
