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Vongole Pizza from Volturno on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

Right on Shrewsbury Street this refurbished historic “Buick” Dealership has been re-purposed into an upscale Pizza place: Volturno. They kept the high ceilings and exposed beams as well as all the internal exposed plumbing in view giving it a rustic feel. The place is flanked by extra-large windows “Show casing” a view of Shrewsbury street and giving the place a large bright open feel. The energy in this place was upbeat and lively. The bar area was situated in the middle of the room and dominated the space. The bar helped to separate an otherwise large square room into smaller areas of dining. Two large pizza ovens where the center of attention in the open kitchen area and helped to keep the rustic theme of the place.

The wait staff was prompt and when asked about menu items appeared to be very informed. Our waiter appeared to have tried quite a few of the menu items and was helpful with his opinion when asked.

I ordered the Vongole pizza. This pizza came in an individual size serving. It was a white pizza and came with mozzarella, ricotta cheese, bacon and clams. I love seafood and I can honestly say I have never mixed my seafood with my pizza. When I looked at the menu and saw this pizza it captured my interest. I am glad I took a chance and stepped out of my comfort zone to try it. The combination of the bacon with the clams in this dish was truly a sensation for the taste buds. I loved the smokiness of the bacon with the salty-ness of the clams. I found the crust exactly the way I like it, very thin. With me the thinner the crust the better, however instead of being thin and crispy which is what I’ve come to expect in a thin crust, this was chewy and had some body to it. My overall experience with Volturno was excellent. I would add this restaurant to my rotation it was one of the best pizza’s I’ve had in a long time. – RL

Funghi Pizza from Volturno Pizza on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester, MA

It was with great anticipation that my dining companion and I went to Volturno for the May Foodies gathering. Housed within the old Edward Buick dealership on Shrewsbury Street, the design and layout of the restaurant was very inviting with extremely high ceilings and open spaces and sight lines. A massive bar sits elegantly in the middle of the room and two (specially-certified) wood-fired Neapolitan pizza ovens are on one end. The decor has an industrial feel that combines rustic wooden stools and wide plank tables with the original brick and windows of the old building making for a very comfortable and relaxing atmosphere.

We started our meal with a wonderful Calamari appetizer that included lightly grilled calamari, chili olives and ground chickpeas. The fresh calamari was warm and tender and when combined with the salty olives and creamy ground chickpeas provided a contrasting taste that was very good.

Next I chose the Funghi Pizza with Goat, Fior di Latte and Pecorino cheeses. The combination of cheeses was incredible as the distinctive taste of the goat cheese contrasted with the smooth mozzarella and salty pecorino. The entire pizza was covered with sautéed mushrooms that were prepared in an olive oil and garlic sauté but the most outstanding part of the pizza by far was the crust. Prepared authentically, this thin crust was light and airy, while holding its own against the strong flavors of the cheese and mushroom toppings. –JG

Volturno is a fairly new addition to Worcester’s Shrewsbury St, taking space in what used to be an old car dealership. They’ve managed to combine the old world look with new world conveniences creating a modern, but still rustic atmosphere. A lot of the seating is actually old-fashioned stools that are height adjustable, by screwing them up or down, around wooden tables. While they look beautiful, I found the stools somewhat less than comfortable and by the end of dinner I was ready to stop sitting. Otherwise, a really great looks and feels to the place. The service was prompt and attentive and very helpful, with a very good knowledge of the menu.

For dinner, I had the Funghi Pizza with olive oil, goat cheese fior di latte, thyme, and pecorino. The pizza is served for one, in an individual size. I found the size to be a very healthy portion; too small for sharing without something else to eat but just a little too large for a single person to eat without stuffing. The base of the crust was quite thin, but they managed to keep it soft and doughy at the same time, with a thicker doughy outer crust that was delicious and cooked to perfection. The mushrooms were cooked perfectly, with enough body and texture to not get overpowered by the crust and the goat cheese was slightly strong and a great counterpoint to the more earthy mushrooms. Combined, the flavors married very well creating an overall delicious pizza.

My overall take of the place is excellent and this is a place I’ll be coming back to. –DL