thePULSE
541 West Boylston Street, Worcester
Jenny Pacillo
A couple months ago, my friend Alana and I were stumped on where to grab a drink and bite. We wanted to stay close to our houses in Burncoat, and decided to try out the Trackside Tavern on West Boylston Street. We were quickly greeted by a bartender who treated us like old friends, had a great dinner and ended up chatting with everybody else in the bar. When we left, we both agreed that Trackside was our new favorite spot.
The Trackside Tavern is already well established even though they opened less than six months ago in February 2023. I was more than happy to speak with owner Kate Shaw about this new addition to the Greendale neighborhood. “It’s been amazing. Our customers are awesome and our employees are fantastic. They really make the place what it is,” Shaw says.
Although Shaw works in the finance industry by day, she is no stranger to the service industry. She and her husband Izzy Cruz also own the Press Box on Lincoln Street, which is another great spot. Shaw is proud of the welcoming atmosphere at both bars, but focused on Trackside, saying, “We want everyone, regardless of who you are, to come in, have fun. People come in and have a good time. They feel safe and comfortable being here and enjoy the good service, good atmosphere, good vibes and good people.”
Shaw is quick to shine the spotlight on the staff at the Trackside, including head chef and manager Nicole Guastella. “She is the mastermind behind the menu. She’s fantastic,” Shaw smiles, “She’s been in the industry and worked with us at the Press Box. When we opened this place we asked her to come over, and she runs it for us during the day. She takes care of everything and came up with our menu. The recipes are hers and it’s just fantastic, she does a great job.”
Guastella makes five different homemade hummus flavors in house: roasted red pepper, cilantro jalapeno, chipotle, black bean and classic. I can personally vouch for the burgers, and the Sunday brunch menu is also a must see. When Alana and I visited, we split nachos, the classic hummus plate with veggies and naan and authentic empanadas, all of which were great.
Aside from classic pub food, the Trackside Tavern has live entertainment, including karaoke every Thursday, you can easily stay up to speed on events @tracksidetavernworcester on Instagram. Definitely check out Trackside, it’s the perfect spot to grab a bite, have a drink and even make new friends.
Open every day at 11am
Kitchen Hours:
Sunday 10AM – 6PM
Monday through Saturday 12PM – 9PM
