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Jerk Chicken Sandwich from Armsby Abbey on Main Street in Worcester, MA

It is pretty rare when you actually get something worth waiting for, but in the case of my brunch at the Armsby Abbey on Sunday – It was well worth it! The food may take a bit long to arrive after ordering, but it is simply because almost everything is made to order. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy one of the many fantastic beers or cocktails offered while you wait. While I only partook in some excellent green tea that morning, I ooohed and ahhhed over all the interesting drinks that were served to my dining companions. Try something new and be adventurous, there is a beer or craft liquor for anyone willing to experiment a bit. Our wait staff was very knowledgeable about the drink menu and offered great suggestions to us. I was torn between the Bacon Hash and the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, but I finally decided on later when I overheard the waitress mention the jerk chicken was very spicy. I love me some spice! She was definitely not wrong about it being spicy – I thought it was perfect and left my lips with just a slight tingle. The celery root and green apple slaw helped give it nice texture and cut some of the heat while the perfectly cooked 145 degree sunny side up egg I broke over the top made it decadent and savory. The house made sesame toasted roll was also quite yummy – having an almost sweet taste to it which also helped cut some of the jerk heat. I don’t mind saying there was not much left on my plate when I was done.

Armsby Abbey is a foodie’s heaven. If you aren’t a foodie, Armsby Abbey will make you one. This is a whole new pub experience. This establishment is firmly dedicated to the locavore movement and the food here is locally grown and locally produced to the extent possible. Sandwiches, pizza, and salad are all given the gourmet treatment. Everything was just spot-on amazing, loaded with flavor, and perfectly prepared – well worth the wait! -SB

Armsby Abbey has one of the more popular Sunday brunches in Worcester. I have been a few times and I know I can go back many more times especially since their brunch menu changes weekly. I admit I am more of a lunch food bruncher than breakfast food bruncher but Armsby Abbey appeals to both through a varied menu.

Looking for some heat in my meal I went with the “jerk chicken sandwich”. If you love hot and spicy this is a meal for you. The chicken had a great smoked flavor with a spicy Jamaican jerk flavor throughout. It was topped with Vermont cheddar cheese and a fried local organic egg with a soft yolk; egg helped to soften the spiciness of the chicken. It was served on a very fresh house made sesame ale roll. While the chicken sandwich itself was enough it also came with a side salad of local greens with a light vinaigrette dressing and a side of celery root and green apple slaw. Great combination to balance out the jerk chicken. When Armsby Abbey says fiery believe them…. I have never been disappointed on that.

Even though I was quite full with the sandwich and sides I could not pass up on getting another side of bacon. Their bacon is well worth it – its three slices of house cured and smoked very meat bacon. Think extra cut/thick, smokey flavor and served crispy but not over crispy. “Yum,” is all I need to say.

To round out my brunch and to take the chill from the cold weather I had to go with the “apple toddy.” Hit the spot with the slight taste of lemon and apple cider but with just a little kick. Be sure to check out their brunch but be prepared to wait as it’s a very popular and yummy brunch. -MM

The house smoked pulled chicken was sandwiched between a dark brown sesame seed bun and was as fiery as the waitress warned. I can’t claim to have known that it was an ‘ale’ roll by the flavor, but just knowing that made it extra special. The roll was probably my favorite part of the meal; golden dark brown and super shiny on the outside yet soft throughout. The celery root and green apple slaw was a refreshing addition to the spicy Jamaican jerk chicken, both in flavor and texture. The runny fried egg on top of it all was indiscernible among the other flavors and merely a reminder that this was indeed breakfast. A no fuss green salad with a simple lemon oil dressing made me feel a little better about my side of bacon. This is the only restaurant that could get away with such a naked salad, no tomato, no cucumber, reminds me that the salad is truly there not to compete with the main course, but to add some light flavors and textures between bites. Now, lets talk bacon. I never thought I’d pay $2 per slice of bacon, but after having tried it, I would easily pay twice that. I suspect it was caramelized because somehow even the fatty parts were crispy. If the bacon itself hadn’t warmed my mood, my apple toddy sure did. If you could even order an apple toddy at most restaurants it’d be warm apple cider with a splash of whiskey. The Armsby Abbey was a nice potent drink with brandy, apple whiskey, lemon and cider syrup with only enough hot water to make it palatable; my kind of drink. While the Armsby Abbey certainly walks the line of pretentiousness, I felt like I got what I paid for and look forward to my next visit. –MO

Located at the north end of Main St, Armsby Abbey is a fairly small pub with a fantastic beer selection and really great food. Any given day, there are 18 or so different craft beers on tap, as well as a wide variety of mixed drinks. On weekends, they do a brunch that starts at 10, with people lining up as early as 20 minutes before that as it gets full quickly.

I went there recently for the brunch and showed up about 9:45. While I was one of the first people there, but the time the door opened, there was a good 20 people waiting, and by about 10:15 the place was full. I started with a mimosa (Orange Juice and Champagne) which was a little heavy on the champagne and served with fresh squeezed OJ, Quite delicious actually. For a meal, I had the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, which I have to say is not for the faint of heart. They describe it as “House smoked chicken with our fiery Jamaican jerk sauce topped with Vermont Cheddar and a celery root/green apple slaw on a house made Sesame-Ale roll” The waitress also tended a warning that this was indeed quite spicy and verified that was what I wanted. I can say that they really mean it when they say fiery. Although the spice level was even greater than expected, it was also tremendously flavorful and a very enjoyable sandwich. If spicy food is your thing, this is well worth a try and will be on my permanent short list for this place. I also had a side of bacon, which came out with 3 slices of thick and crispy bacon with a smoky flavor. Some of the best bacon I’ve ever had, I’d have to say.

The service, while pleasant and attentive, is a little on the slow side. If you’re in a rush, this is not the place for you, but if you don’t mind a leisurely weekend brunch with excellent food and a great drink selection, this is a keeper. -DL

Bacon Hash from Armsby Abbey on Main Street in Worcester, MA

I first think of beer when I think of the Armsby Abbey. In fact, I think of the finest beer selection in the city. I next think of the food ordered to accompany my beer, food made with the finest and, when possible, local ingredients. After my recent Foodies brunch, however, I shall also associate the Armsby Abbey with a most wonderful brunch. Brunch at the Abbey is remarkably consistent with lunch and dinner – every item carefully prepared with the highest quality, fresh ingredients. I began my meal, at the server’s suggestion, with the Bourbon Milk Punch, a delightful drink that packs more holiday cheer than any eggnog. I followed this with the Founder’s Breakfast, a rum-based punch that nearly rivaled my first drink for flavor. I finished my first drink and was well on my way to completing the second before my sweet potato soup arrived. (Be prepared. Meals at the Abbey take a bit of time to prepare. But when the drinks are beyond perfection, relax and enjoy the experience. ) The thick and creamy, curried soup had quite a kick and took the edge off my appetite. The main course arrived just after I finished my second drink and was beautifully plated. The gently cooked egg rested on a bed of subtly flavored celery root puree, which had perhaps more texture than flavor. The hash was unlike any I had ever had before whether in a diner or five-star restaurant – savory chunks of bacon, potato, leek, carrot, and Brussels sprouts. I don’t know that I would call it “hash,” but I would call it absolutely delicious. The chef clearly spent as much thought on the combination of textures as he did on the combined flavors. The beet puree added a bit of color to the plate and a stronger flavor to blend with the rest of the food, and the apple slices brought the meal to conclusion with just a bit of sweetness. The portion was not large, but when combined with the soup starter it was more than enough to satisfy. My overall brunch experience was not inexpensive. I did after all have soup, entrée and two mixed drinks. This meal, however, was worth every penny because every bite and every sip was a Foodies delight. -JD

If you have never been to Armsby Abbey, you must go. Anyone that knows me is aware that: 1. I LOVE Armsby and happen to frequent it often and, 2. I have extreme admiration for an exceptional Bloody Mary.

As I learned our next adventure with Foodies would be to Armsby Abbey, and for brunch, I am sure you can imagine where this review is headed….

A menu that contains the following words: Bloody Mary Bar makes me very happy, and if I see the words “homemade mix,” I can barely contain my excitement to order! You see, I am very picky about the base ingredient of a Bloody Mary – the mix. Some of the things I look for are: extremely flavorful; slightly thicker and of course offer a section of interesting alcohols to pick from. What is a Bloody Mary without garnishes to select? A boring one. But at Armsby they have many! Oh Yes, these are the key ingredients, and with them you are on the road to an exceptional Bloody Mary.

Ok, so ready? Here is what I ordered (food details later) the Square One Organic Basil Vodka, the mild mix, the garnish(s) (three max) bacon (why wouldn’t I) a pickled cucumber, carrot and of course a pepper rim. Honestly as our extremely kind/friendly/sweet server approached our table with our drinks, I began to salivate. Note: the servers and bartenders at Armsby are extremely knowledgeable about food and drink

Needless to say it was exceptional! Craving one now.

Now moving on to food. Armsby is unique in that they feature local farms for their ingredients. I ordered the country toast, as I love their bread it is house baked. I was very torn on the selection of my main entrée (the menu changes weekly) so I decided to order (another Bloody Mary) and the – Bacon Hash- Bacon Lardons, Hash of Yukon Gold Potatoes, Leeks, Carrots & Brussels Sprouts topped with a 145˚ Local organic egg, Celery Root Puree, Beet Puree, fresh Apple and Herb Oil. The bacon lardons were the perfect size and extremely delicious; cooked to perfection not a lot of fat and not overly salty. The rest of the plate was diced into the perfect size with a delectable flavor of the herb oil and the apples balanced the sweet and savory flavors that consumed my meal.

Every time I venture to Armsby the food and libation are always unique and simply outstanding. There is no place in Worcester in my mind that is comparable to Armsby Abbey.

I will be honest, it is not the most inexpensive venue but you do get what you pay for and here it is pure perfection. -LB

After settling into the comfortable window booth seating, I was pleased to review the ever-changing menu from Armsby Abbey and opted to start brunch with a Bloody Mary. There were numerous garnishes and options for both in, and on, the glass. I opted for a mild Bloody Mary with cucumber vodka and garnished the drink with a pickle, green olive and thick slice of crispy bacon. The thick slice of bacon was so thick it was an optimal stirrer, further infusing the flavors in the rich Bloody. For brunch, I opted for a side of bacon and the bacon hash. Now if you have not noticed there seems to be a common theme to my meal and that is bacon. Armsby Abbey’s bacon is hand sliced, smoked, and beyond incredible. The bacon hash included Yukon potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and leeks. The hash—while quite different from traditional hash—was exceptional. All the various flavors were apparent and the hash was served with a beet puree and celery root puree that furthered the dish with a wonderful accent. Along with the hash was a 145° egg – similar to a poached egg, but a little bit softer. The presentation was that of a five star restaurant, something that is rarely found in the morning breakfast scene. Overall, the brunch scene—from Bloody Mary’s, presentation, and flavor—is a most. -DO