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Porchetta with a Side of Penne from La Cucina on Hamilton Street in Worcester

Take a short jaunt down Hamilton Street and you’ll find an Italian staple: La Cucina Italiana. This small BYOB restaurant opened earlier this year. The interior is quaint. It’s divided between two different dining areas with some small booths for quick dining on one side and a full dining room on the other side. The walls are adorned with black and white photos hung on antique doors that look like they’re straight out of Goodfellas.

The menu was complete with all of the Italian classics you could ever want: lasagna, chicken parm, meatballs, and various pasta dishes to satisfy the hungriest appetites. Everything was priced amazingly well too. Items ranged from $8 to about $12.

While almost everything sounded, looked and smelled amazing, I couldn’t help but order the Porchetta off of the board of specials. I opted for a side of penne and gravy, or red sauce–not to be confused with the brown stuff you smother on your Thanksgiving turkey. The Porchetta was fork-tender. It was stuffed and rolled with ham, salami, a mixture of cheeses, and vegetables then covered in a dark, mushroom gravy. The different cuts of meat and cheese added a good texture and flavor. The veggies were tender and cut nicely too. I only wish the outside skin of the Porchetta had been crispier. I found that it was slightly chewy.

Our server was one of the most attentive, happy and energetic waitresses I have seen in a long time. She always had a smile on her face and was always available when we had a question, or wanted a water refill. It appeared as though she truly enjoyed what she was doing.

La Cucina Italiana is a great alternative for someone looking for homemade classics that are off the commonly traveled Shrewsbury St. You can bring a bottle of your favorite wine from home and enjoy a great meal at a fantastic value, while not feeling pretentious or uncomfortable.

The warmth of the waitstaff, the character of the building, the décor, and the quality of the food can really be felt from the moment you enter the building. An inspiring quote was written on the chalkboard, “People who love to eat are always the best people”. This quote holds true for us and for anyone else who dines at La Cucina. It’s a great choice!

Porchetta from La Cucina on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

La Cucina Italiana is a small, family-run restaurant that looks like a typical take-out pizza place with a twist: a small dining room to the side. It’s just the kind of place you want when you’re looking for a home-cooked Italian meal.

For dinner, I had one of the specials, the Porchetta. It came with a salad and a side of penne. The salad was pretty basic but fresh with a nice house Italian dressing. The penne was cooked perfectly al dente with a light, flavorful sauce on top. La Cucina Italiana’s Porchetta, which is pork loin rolled and stuffed with salami, ham, capicola and cheese, was served in two fairly large slices, which were delicious and tender. You could even cut into it with your fork. The seasoning was strong enough to hold up against the bold meat flavors without overpowering the other elements. Overall, it’s definitely a meal I will come back to order.

Normally I don’t eat dessert, but I had to try the house-made cannoli, which was actually three small cannolis. To my surprise, this was one of the best cannolis I’ve had outside of Boston. The shell was crunchy and fresh. And the fantastic filling was not too sweet.

The service was exactly what you want from a family-owned place. Both of the owner’s children were engaging, helpful and eager to make sure we were happy. Our server, Erin, was also charismatic, quick, and very helpful when it came to making menu decisions.

My experience at La Cucina Italiana was exactly as I expected. Between the family-run hospitality and the price for the quality, I’ll be back again and again.