La Cucina Italiana is a new addition to Worcester’s food scene in an area where we are seriously lacking places to eat: the Hamilton Street/Grafton Street area. Closer to Lake Ave. than downtown Worcester and sharing a building with Shaker Cafe, La Cucina Italiana is a fantastic casual dining option. For a Tuesday night, it was bustling with various families coming in and out for some traditional Italian fare.
At first glance, the menu seemed pretty basic but tripe caught my eye for the adventurous eaters. They have many traditional pasta dishes, salads, soups, and pizza. I went with one of the eight specials that night: the Cavatelli Bolognese. They were great in accommodating my lactose intolerance. The dish came quickly in a large serving bowl of al dente cavatelli and home-made sauce. The best word to describe the meat sauce is delicious. On top of that for only $12.95, it was more than one meal.
We enjoyed great service from the moment we entered the restaurant until we left with full bellies. I never felt rushed and never had to wait for anything, which is rare for such a large group.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. It’s a nice addition to Worcester’s collection of Italian restaurants. When you are looking for casual, hearty Italian food, be sure to check them out. As an added bonus, it is BYOB.