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New Movement in Central Massachusetts Restaurants

An artist rendition of the AC Hotel at City Square in downtown Worcester, MA.

“Worcester is in the midst of a bona fide restaurant renaissance,” according to The Boston Globe… but we knew that all along. Worcester has been on the food scene for quite some time, since the introductions of our infamous restaurant staples like Armsby AbbeyNuovo, VIA Italian Table, Red PepperThe Niche Hospitality Group locations and Baba Sushi, pinning Worcester at the top of the list for food destination scenes in Massachusetts for years.

Naturally, to compete with the sophisticated and trendy restaurants of major cities like Boston, New York and Chicago, Worcester is in a constant state of evolution – creating and recreating the dining experience with a diverse portfolio tending to every unique craving.

Carving meat from the skewer Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.
Carving meat from the skewer Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.

In 2016, Worcester experienced a core-shaking boom in the food industry as it said “goodbye” to long loved restaurants that made Worcester history come to life and “hello” to the newbies making headlines and turning everyone’s focus to the abundance of quality in local food.

“There are hungry people out here who don’t want to and don’t have to commute into Boston for a great meal,” says Jared Forman, a native of Queens, New York and Executive Chef at deadhorse hill. “If you look down Main Street from where we are, I feel like I am on one beautiful street in New York. Nothing has changed and anything is possible,” says Forman’s business partner, Sean Woods. As co-owners of deadhorse hill – which opened early 2016 – their sole mission is to create a restaurant that specializes in what they call “modern hospitality.” “That means comfortable and being welcomed. Making you feel welcome as soon as you walk in the door and elevate it so that the service is proper but at the same time super casual,” said Forman when describing his inspiration of modern hospitality from Danny Meyer – a crown jewel of the restaurant hospitality business in New York.

But deadhorse hill isn’t the only newcomer to the vibrant Central Massachusetts food scene that sees Worcester as the champ of the much-deserved title “food hub.” In the first ten months of 2016, Worcester became the new stomping grounds to over 15 restaurants, anticipating an additional six opening in the beginning of 2017.

“At first, we thought, ‘why would anyone open a restaurant in Worcester?’ but after visiting and really taking a closer look we wondered why people weren’t running to Worcester to take the opportunity of opening a restaurant,” says Jack Doherty, co-owner of Brew on the Grid. Brew on the Grid is a modern twist on the average cup of coffee, giving patrons a little hint of big city in every cup of joe. Opened in August 2016, Brew on the Grid is part of a grand model – five eateries within two city blocks, each offering up a little flavor to something different. By the end of the anticipated year, Brew on the Grid will be neighbors to Techni (a Mediterranean grill), Pie & Pint (a fast casual pizza house), Craft Table & Bar (a casual restaurant featuring top craft beers, spirits and innovative dishes) and The End: Eatery and Drinkery (a high-end eatery to end the week).

The Greek Burrito from The Sandwich Place in Worcester, MA
The Greek Burrito from The Sandwich Place in Worcester, MA

Don’t be fooled. Downtown Worcester may be the city’s flagship location for up and coming opportunities, but it isn’t the only place in Worcester offering residents a slice of city pie. A short distance from downtown is Dacosta’s Pizza Bakery, a contender for truly authentic pizza and Italian dishes that will keep even Boston’s pizza scene on their toes. Also, a short distance from downtown, Park Avenue’s changes have the promise to be a big part of the city’s food hub. Recently joining the Park Ave food scene is Pho Bowl, Antonio’s Pizza By The Slice, Bootleggers Prohibition Pub and Altea – a sister restaurant of Livia’s Dish, as well as The Sandwich Hut. “I owned Wingman on Park Ave and felt that the wing themed restaurant was becoming oversaturated in Worcester, so after an unfortunate mishap with our refrigerating system, we opened The Sandwich Hut,” says Pat Logan, owner of The Sandwich Hut. “Worcester doesn’t have a place that focuses on specialty sandwiches on Park Ave and we thought this would be a great place to add one.”

An entree from Bootleggers in Worcester, MA
A scallop entree from Bootleggers in Worcester, MA

Not too far away from Park Avenue’s busy streets is the iconic Shrewsbury Street (aka Restaurant Row) – the home to some of Worcester’s favorite dining spots like Sweet Kitchen & Bar, One Eleven Chop House, Piccolo’s and Pomir Grill. This year we welcomed British Beer Company—a “chain” that has taken a vested interest in the heart of the Commonwealth; Terra Brasilis, a Brazilian BBQ restaurant joined the every-changing street; and another newcomer is expected to join us by the end of the year, The Usual, opening in The Fix’s original space, and isn’t about your usual homemade sandwich. Instead it stands to make a name for itself by offering specialty sandwiches unlike any other – with some requiring a fork and knife. “We want to give the sandwiches a new look and feel. There’s no other place focusing on specialty sandwiches and we are here to make it happen,” says Kevin Perry, co-owner.

Roasted beets with creamy goat cheese, baby Kale and Blood Orange form Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA
Roasted beets with creamy goat cheese, baby Kale and Blood Orange form Lock 50 on Water Street in Worcester, MA

Shrewsbury Street may be iconic to Worcester residents, but it is not the only place in the city giving you a chance to indulge your senses. The Canal District won the food lotto with the recent additions of Lock 50 and The Hangover Pub. “At Lock 50 we have found a great location in the Canal District, with the new development projects and upswing of the area we find ourselves to be a centerpiece in the District,” says Tom Studer of Lock 50. “Our concept of small plates has been widely embraced at this point. We have started to see customers come all the way from Boston, Providence and Portsmouth to experience what we have to offer. We also have a variety of events, a great patio and our Cafe program has bridged us into a great relationship with the arts community. We are heavily involved in the Canal District Art Walk,” he added.

CIDER BRAISED STATLER CHICKEN from The Hangover Pub on Green Street in Worcester, MA
CIDER BRAISED STATLER CHICKEN: Sherry cream, apple, bacon, Yukon gold potatoes, Brussel Sprouts

With many great new additions, it is only natural to part with some of the restaurants that made our foodie hearts melt. We tip our chef hats to those we have said goodbye to in 2016: Somethin’ Catchy Seafood Shanty never “caught on” in Worcester (it has been sold and is under construction for an upcoming Brazilian themed location), Wingman (now the location of The Sandwich Hut), Perfect Game (oh, how we will miss you!), EVO (now the location of Bootleggers Prohibition Pub), and Shiraz Armenian Cuisine (a Park Avenue staple for over 20 years).

Worcester isn’t just the second largest city in New England nor is it the ugly stepsister of Boston; Worcester is in fact the hub for all things incredible. Food, business, tech and hospitality are only but a few elements keeping Worcester at top of everyone’s “what’s hot” list.

Chef Jared Forman at deadhorse hill in Worcester, MA
Chef Jared Forman at deadhorse hill in Worcester, MA.
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Brazilian Barbecue in Worcester Offers Authentic Flavors to Foodies

Carefully slicing meat at Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Worcester’s Seven Hills have seen their fair share of eateries over the past decade; in fact, there is some question as to whether the upcoming restaurant boom will even be sustainable. One thing that we’ve observed, however, is a correlation between experience and success. In a time where choice is abundant, Jack Trout’s aptly named book, Differentiate Or Die: Survival in Our Era of Killer Competition, rings true for some of Central Massachusetts’ best restaurants. Weeks after opening, Mass Foodies’ local Foodies group ventured to Worcester’s newest Brazilian restaurant, Terra Brasilis to see if they bring a different experience to the Worcester restaurant scene.

A diner choosing fried fish from the Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.
A diner choosing fried fish from the Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.

To begin with, the space has some history. The much loved Piccadilly Pub resided here for nearly 40-years before closing in 2012. After that, several short lived restaurants tried to capitalize on brand and location as Paparazzi and The Pic, before closing last year. With Terra Brasilis moving in, there seem to be very little changed in the layout and seating—the thick knotty pine booths still reside in place and the bar sits next to the newly installed buffet fixtures in front of the new barbecue pit. Upon entering the restaurant, the group was eagerly welcomed and shown to their seats where it was explained how the restaurant worked: the waitress will serve drinks from the bar to you at your seats while you grab a large plate and visit the buffet. At the end of the buffet, you pay by the weight of your plate and are given a ticket which you use if you decide to have seconds, desserts, or non-alcholic drinks from the register. At the end of the night, you see the hostess stand by the entrance to settle your bill. Mass Foodies contributor, Donna Dufault, explained, “The service was very personable. There are not many (if any) weigh-and-pay buffets, so the explanation was helpful.” Scott Erb added, “The fact that the staff was so pleasant and attentive the entire time–from seating us, to bringing us drinks, through clearing the plates—really made us feel at home.”

A diner chooses her proteins, rice, and vegetables at Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.
A diner chooses her proteins, rice, and vegetables at Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.

With a large selection of food, it was nice to see some familiar items that would make the less adventures happy while also having truly authentic items to give a taste of the chef’s home country of Brazil. But, let’s face it, no one goes to a buffet looking for a fine dining experience. There is a certain stigma that a buffet has, thanks in part to the “all you can eat Chinese buffet” movement that allows Americans to over indulge without thinking about quality or price. The buffet here, however, was clean, well lit and offered a variety of hot and cold, pickled and sautéed, options. “Being a vegetarian,” explained contributor Julie Giacobbe, “I was able to find a variety of rices, vegetables and non-meat products that didn’t make me feel as though I was missing out.”

Weigh-And-Pay allows diners to control how much they eat (and pay) and choose only what appeals to them at Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.
Weigh-And-Pay allows diners to control how much they eat (and pay) and choose only what appeals to them at Terra Brasilis buffet on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.

The main stage of any barbecue place (Brazilian or otherwise) is the meat. Terra Brasilis offered seemingly countless meats, both safe and expected (e.g., garlic beef, bacon wrapped chicken, and pork loin) and traditional and exotic (e.g., spicy sausage, and chicken hearts). They are open roasted and carved to the diner’s preference and most of the meats were prepared using rubs and spices that are common to the Brazilian culture and palate. The only complaint that was repeated amongst the group was that many of the meats were overdone. “Unfortunately, my chicken was inedible because it was so dry—meanwhile, my husband’s was perfectly moist,” Robin Lane stated. “There seemed to be some inconsistency in the meats—some cuts were perfect, others were dry,” added Amy Peterson. This is the caveat with open flame barbecue, specifically in a buffet setting. Most Brazilian barbecues offer pampas style service—where they come to the table and carve the meat directly onto your plate—which accounts for the idle cooking time (meat continues to cook despite not being over the heat source, which, means that a perfectly cooked slice could be dry once you walk to the table, sit down, and enjoy some of the other items on the plate).

The dessert at Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA can stand on its own legs.
The dessert at Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA can stand on its own legs.

The finale, however, was the desserts. Made in house, the cakes were opulent slices made from scratch (with the exception of the cookies from the “Oreo cake,” understandably) that were larger than the plate. Evan Dufault, taking a break from his Oreo cake explained, “The Oreo cake was rich and decadent. It seemed to be soaked in milk which made it extremely moist. The Oreo cookie crumbles and the homemade frosting gave the cake wonderful texture and was borderline sinful. Easily the best part of the meal, as dessert usually is.”

Let there be meat.Regardless if the meats may have disappointed some, it was forgiven immediately when the bills were paid—most of the dishes were $10 and, some, even less. During the night, there were several other parties enjoying the Brazilian barbecue, but the steady stream of customers coming for take out was notable. With colleges back in session in Worcester, being able to load a take-out container for under $10 worth of sustenance is a no-brainer. We’ve seen this similar success with Bay State Schwarma and Grill, an eatery on Water Street that offers cafeteria style service with middle eastern fare, and have no doubt that the value proposition of enjoying authentic flavors of different cultures is a sweet spot for differentiation in Worcester’s culinary stew.

To survive in “an era of killer competition” any business must differentiate itself from its competitors. While many restaurants need to do this with their menu, ingredients, service, or atmosphere, Terra Brasilis has a leg-up simply by being one of the only restaurants with a weigh-and-pay buffet model… add the authentic flavors and exotic selection of meats, any shortcomings can easily be forgiven. We look forward to see how they progress with the time and evolve with the city’s economic development.

A plate put together by a diner at Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.
A plate put together by a diner at Terra Brasilis on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA.