Category: Casual Eats

Whether you’re looking to enjoy a quick bite to eat at the bar or sitting down to relax without the fanfare associated with white linen and fancy wine menus, Casual Eats takes a look at all of the food that can be enjoyed when you’re able to sit back and unwind.

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Veggie Burger

Veggie Burger – grilled, LTO, Vermont Cheddar, Carolina Q sauce, side of cucumber salad at Smokestack on Harding Street.

Typically a veggie burger will arrive small, slightly dry and thin, to my surprise, at the Smokestack Urban Barbecue on Harding Street it arrived large, thick and moist. The veggie burger seemed homemade, it had mushrooms and onions and bulgur wheat mixed in and was not overcooked or dry. I selected lettuce tomato and jalepano’s, skipping the Vermont Cheddar. The large over sized bun completed the veggie burger experience. If anyone is looking for a homemade, delicious and low-fat burger replacement – this is the place! For a side dish I ordered cucumber salad. It was thinly sliced and marinated in vinegar, tangy and delicious and I loved that it was not saturated in mayonnaise!  The only downside I found was that if you choose another option for a side dish they charge an extra dollar.

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Spicy Salami & Olive Pizza

Spicy Salami & Olive at Armsby Abbey on Main Street in Worcester, MA
Spicy Salami & Olive at Armsby Abbey taken on location with an iPhone.

One of the most difficult decisions to make when going to Armsby Abbey on Main Street is which beer to choose and what to eat. In the case of food, the vast selection available on the menu, supporting local farms, makes it especially hard. When choosing between Smoked Bone Marrow, the famous Mac n’ Cheese or artisan pizzas the decision can be even more difficult.

Worcester has it’s share of pizza options, but when choosing Armsby Abbey many are tempted to try some of the more exotic items without considering the pizza. The Spicy Salami & Olive pizza (shown to the left) features assorted Greek Olives, Artisan Salami, Maplebrook Farm (Bennington, VT) Hand Stretched Artisan Made Mozzarella, Organic House Crushed Tomatoes and Crushed Red Pepper. With the subtle spice of the artisan salami playing against the salt of the olives the flavors are strong and complimentary. What makes this pizza clutch, however, is the crust. Thin crusted with great air bubbles, this pizza does not crunch and crack when folded New York style.

A certain contender in the Worcester Pizza battle.