Volterra

Not sure how Volterra is only 3 and a half stars right now. Came here with my parents, and I’ve got to say we have pretty high standards when it comes to dining.
The price fixed menu was an absolute STEAL. I’m talking about highway robbery for the price to food ratio — $ 45 for four courses. However, these courses were all entrée sized.
My Dad got clams and sausage, pasta with meat sauce, lamb shank with polenta and bread pudding for desert. All were incredibly decadent! Given the quality and the portion sizes, you couldn’t find anywhere in Seattle serving something comparable.
I got the Wedge salad, polenta with mushrooms, brick chicken with mashed, and opted to skip desert but there was plenty of food and I have quite an appetite.
To cap it all off — their wine menu is extensive, we had a great super tuscan.

Me and my hubby came in about a week ago for an early dinner. Our server was wonderful, he was incredibly helpful and attentive. I feel bad giving a 3 star review however the food we both received had very little flavor. I have dined in Italian restaurants in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Boston and California. So I like to believe I know what to expect from upscale Italian restaurants. I just wanted to make sure my comment was heard so maybe the cook can be coached a little.
The ambiance at this restaurant does not need to go to waste due to such a small issue.

30second review:
Service: top notch! Always attentive, clear plates quickly, great recommendations.
Ambiance: on the romantic side, noise level is reasonable, no music (or couldn’t hear any), bar is always hopping!
Food: Delicious!
Gnocchi = seriously! Best thing ever!
Sword fish steak = amazing, juicy, flavorful, vegetables were good, potatoes slightly salty.
Thin spaghetti with Prawns = really flavorful, but for the price wishes there were 5 prawns instead of just 3.
House Salad = excellent, light, fresh and perfect for 2.
Bread = so good! #pleaseiwantmore
Dessert: Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Gelato = MUST HAVE MORE! DELICIOUS! WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!

This is my first time eating breakfast at Volterra and it was outstanding. Every person in our group ordered something different and everything was delicious. The standout dish was the Milano! Milano!, a savory herb bread pudding topped with 2 eggs any style, asparagus tips and smoked Gouda cream. The coffee was excellent, the service was great. We can’t wait to go back next week.

Had a great brunch here today with some friends from out of town. It’s situated in adorable old Ballard near tons of cute shops, cafes, and of course the Sunday Farmers Market! They have a cute little courtyard and a charming, clean atmosphere inside.
The menu is fairly simple, but almost everything has an interesting twist. I had the wild mushroom Benedict, which was delicious! Mild, but complex and rich — everything one could hope for from a classic Benedict. I had it without adding ham or bacon, and it certainly didn’t need it. Great as is. I also love that they offer coffee and tea from Caffe Umbria next door.
Service was a little better than mediocre, and clientele was light while we were there, but we really enjoyed our time there and the fact that we didn’t have to face the crazy crowds at other nearby breakfast spots. Definitely worth a visit to this traditional-​with-​a-​twist restaurant.

Rachel Ray got it right on this place! The Wild Boar was scrumptious and the Polenta was delectable. The Clams and Sausage was a tad too bland for me; I was expecting a bit more of a kick. The waiter was great. He knew the menu backwards and forwards and even gave us a quick but accurate rundown on their extensive list of wines. We found a good bottle, said cheers and had a wonderful night at this cozy little place.

Sorry, Volterra… never going back.
I visited Volterra during Seattle Restaurant Week a year ago — worst service I have ever had, which was extremely disappointing for a fancy place like Volterra. Granted, it was during one of the busiest weeks of the year (I’m assuming), but the service was so shockingly bad that I have NEVER wanted to go back. This is really too bad because the food was good.
Here is what went wrong:
1) After I was seated, no one came by for at least 10 minutes. I was trying to be patient and understanding of the fact that the place was packed. However, when I called someone over to take my order, she was extremely confused. There were 2 different servers helping out the folks seated to the left and right of us, but it was very obvious that neither of them were «assigned» to our table… In fact, it was very apparent that they were both confused and that there was obviously some sort of misunderstanding.
2) The table was not set at all, and no one noticed until I asked — I need silverware to eat, don’t I?!?
3) No one brought bread and the olive oil over until I asked, yet servers were asking the tables to the left and right of us if they wanted a second basket of bread. Again, this goes back to point #1 about how we didn’t even have a «designated server» checking in on us.
4) When I asked for the bread and olive oil to be brought over, no one brought any plates… seriously? It just kept getting worse and worse.
For restaurant week, management needs to either hire more staff or hire more competent workers. The service was so horrible that it left a bad taste in my mouth and they’ve lost my business forever. I may have been the one who had an especially bad experience that night, but it’s still not acceptable for a restaurant like Volterra.
It’s really a shame, because the food (when I finally did get it) was pretty good.

Unique Italian restaurant in Ballard with great handmade pastas and nice atmosphere.

Any place with a 12 – 6 weekday happy hour can catch my attention — Volterra has the added bonus of being delicious. The menu is huge, and happy hour allows you to mix and match for a killer deal. We considered drinking the spicy tomato broth the clams and sausage were served in, but settled for more bread to soak it up. Prawns with fennel were fresh and light, and the polenta with fontina and mushrooms just as decadent as you would hope. Buyer beware: if you aren’t a garlic lover, look elsewhere-​there was plenty in our meal (much to our delight).

I know a good deal when I see one and Volterra offers a great lunch deal.
2 lunch courses for $ 16? That’s legit! For those who like savory, you can go appetizer + main or for those like myself with a sweet tooth, main + dessert is the way to go. The best part is that they have so many options for lunch entrees — and a good number that are vegetarian. The eggplant pouches are highly recommended!
What’s the cherry on top of a great lunch deal? How about the fact that Happy Hour coincides with it! $ 5 house wines and lemoncellos plus $ 5 – 8 appetizers? Yes, please!

Ray: It was the last day of Seattle’s Restaurant Week. Josh and I understandably love this Seattle tradition as we specialize in Seattle epicurean expertise.
Josh actually had a couple of places in mind, and after perusing the menus, I suggested Volterra in Ballard.
We parked just around the corner during a busy rush hour. As we approached the establishment I noticed how inviting the chocolate brown exterior was. It looked like a nice place from the outside, and we headed on in to test that look out…
We were greeted and led into a surprisingly large dining room, where we were seated at a comfortable table. We ordered some IPAs and set about deciding on our three course meal, which is how Restaurant Week works. For the salad I chose the Caesar. Then for the entrée I went with the Wild Boar Tenderloin (I know, right?) and went with the tiramisu for desert.
The salads arrived in just the perfect amount of time. I was really enjoying Josh’s company (which I always do). The meal almost becomes secondary sometimes. One thing I really liked was that as soon as we finished our salads. And I mean JUST as soon, an employee came up and took the plates.
The Wild Boar was served next in a beautifully plated gourmand enchantment. I was totally taken in. I mean, if I could have, I would have danced on the plate. I loved every bite. The only thing I didn’t like was wrecking that beautiful display with my fork, knife and face. But I somehow found the strength to do so. And as soon as we finished? You guessed it, the plates were picked right up. Did I mention that was immediately after we finished?
Finally the tiramisu… it was also delicious. Possibly my least favorite of the three dishes, but still really, really good!
Ok here it is. Five freaking stars for Volterra Restaurant in Ballard. It’s OMG over-​the-​top and I am taking my wife there for the next meal that I want to impress her with. A sure bet! What are you waiting for? Go to Volterra!!!
Josh: Seattle restaurant week lead us into Ballard for a visit to Volterra. We love Seattle Restaurant week here on Ray and Josh’s Unilocal page, but unfortunately we missed the first week of this wonderful tradition, and had to make the best of it with the second and final week.
We arrived at our normal early dinner time slot, right about 5:15 with fairly easy parking. Volterra is easily noticeable from the street, and looks like a small place. When we walked in my suspicions were confirmed, but when we were walked to our table we were lead through the front dining room (where the bar is) into the back dining room where all the seats are. It’s a good sized room with about 20 tables that could easily be arranged to accommodate larger groups.
We were seated and given menus. They accidentally gave us one dinner menu and one lunch menu, but we didn’t mind sharing. Besides, I took a look at the Restaurant Week specials online and pretty much knew what I was going to order, which was the wedge salad, the boar tenderloin, and the tiramisu.
Everything was really damn delicious! The salad had a nice creamy Gorgonzola dressing on it, and was a bit awkward to eat because it’s a half-​head of baby iceberg lettuce and the leaves of the lettuce were a little large. But to complain about such a thing simply seems a bit pedantic and trite. The salad was delicious. And so was the wild boar tenderloin served with some very delicious roasted fingerling potatoes. And the tiramisu was the perfect blend of cake-​y and custard-​y, probably one of the best tiramisus I’ve had.
Over all I was very pleased with my experience there, and though it’s normally a little out of my price range, perhaps I’ll pay another visit when Seattle Restaurant week rears its delicious head once again. Easy 5 stars.

Came for restaurant week on Monday night and had a lovely experience. We made a reservation for 4 and were sat immediately. The ambiance is great but it was a bit cramped by are table (I had to sit with my elbows on the table so they wouldn’t get brushed every time someone walked by). It was a packed house but our server greeted us immediately and gave us some great suggestions on wine and the menu.
We shared the clams and sausage for an appetizer. The sauce is so good you want to lick the bowl. For SRW I had the caesar, the lamb ragu pasta, and the lemon dessert. The caesar was forgettable and overdressed. The lamb pasta was just fabulous. A heaping portion of house made noodles cooked to perfection covered in a very rich but complimentary sauce. We all ordered the pasta except for one friend who ordered the Boar which I felt compared to the pasta was underwhelming. Her portion was tiny in comparison and the taste was just okay. I wonder if the portion is bigger not on the SRW menu. Last and totally worth talking about was dessert. I had the lemon custard. It was melt in your mouth, dream of naughty things delicious.
Overall 4 stars for service, my menu selections, and I felt I got outstanding meal for the price. Lost a star for that salad, my friends boar, and the weird salt holder on the table… Why is it in such a tiny bowl with a giant spoon, we spilled it all over the table
I’ll be back for that tasting menu!

Finally came here for happy hour recently after meaning to try Volterra out for like, 4 years, since I started frequenting Ballard. We ordered the Polenta and Wild Mushroom off the HH menu and then the Lamb Meatballs off the dinner menu. Both were so so flavorful and satisfying and surprisingly enough for two hungry people (we also had a lot of complimentary bread). Also loved my limoncello rosemary drop, a nice twist on my favorite summer cocktail with my digestif and herb of choice. Bartender/​server was super friendly. We’ll have to come for dinner at some point, hopefully it won’t take another 4 years to make it in.

I was there Saturday afternoon with a party of 3 for a 4:30 happy hour. The restaurant was not busy, but it took a while to get noticed.
Happy hour food is tasty but not inexpensive. The restaurant should sparkle and staff could be more attentive for their price point
I sent a message to the management, and they replied with concern with improving service and customer experience.

Man, it’s a good thing I don’t put much faith in Seattle-ite’s ideas of good food. Reviews around here are all over the map!
We’ve passed by Volterra a lot — every time I go to Umbria for a latte when we’re there for the Sunday market. I always think to stop in at some point but never do. FINALLY, today, craving some sort of savory, Italian flavors, we darted in for brunch. I’m kind of picky about Italian, having grown up on the northeast coast. I’ve found plenty of places that’ll do the trick but not a lot that wows me.
Firstly, the location is great. We got there after the market rush so got seated immediately. We sat outside and it was nice being tucked away — able to be outside and hear the market but feel nestled away from the chaos.
Service was decent. It wasn’t over the top outstanding but our server was nice and we were in no hurry. The menu was limited because it was weekend lunch hours but there was plenty to choose from. I got the heirloom tomato sandwich with tomato, fresh mozzarella, and aioli with a side of the cannellini bean salad. The salad was a LITTLE «wet» for my liking but tasted very good. The sandwich was phenomenal and tasted very fresh. I could have eaten two. Husband got the pasta with pork cheek, some sort of mushroom and truffle oil (thin spaghetti, if I remember correctly). I thought the noodles seemed a little clumped (just a little) and expected them to be silkier but again, they tasted fabulous and Husband was glad he made that choice.
All in all, a very nice Sunday lunch experience. I’d love to go scope it out for dinner.

Great place to eat pasta and a good place for wine. The first time I came here was when they only served happy hour and thought to myself «ONLY HAPPY HOUR?!» And thought it was a bust. I had the pasta of the day (half the serving) and it was great! I can’t believe how filled I was! (Beef and Alfredo) The noodles were made to perfection and tasted like it was homemade (I hope I’m right LOL) and the beef was juicy tender.
My second visit, I had the Linguine with white wine sauce with clams. The garlic in the pasta made the dish wonderful and it was spicy! The noodles had a thick texture and the clams were AWESOME. We also order a risotto with mushroom but I felt like that dish had a really strong taste of mushroom.
Tip: Although the restaurant is look super nice outside, sitting outside isn’t so great. THE FLYS ARE EVERYWHERE… People had to put their napkins (and bread) on top of their wine glass. We ended up having a fly in our glass of wine but they were kind enough to give us a new glass.

Sadly, the waitstaff here never stop hovering and frequently ask if you are done and can they clear the plates.
Gang, you need to step back for a few and understand that when four people are raptly listening to a fifth, that is not the time to swoop in and steal our food before we are done.
Booth seats are terribly deep and three women lined up couldn’t put their feet in the floor. Previous visits were at tables: noted.
I felt the evening staff are more on it.

I went to Volterra on Friday night and this place was freaking amazing! We ordered the Wild Boar Tenderloin with Gorgonzola Sauce (medium rare), the Oil Soup and the Fusili with Grilled Chicken and Pesto Cream. All 3 were absolutely delish. The ambiance and service were amazing as well. This is the type of place that you can go get good food, wine, spirits, etc… and watch the game (in the bar) or the type of place where you want to take a date have good food and drink and converse. Definitely going back!

Volterra is nice. They’ve got good food, decent service, and a cool ambiance going on. However, this is one of those restaurants where if you have an appetite like I do, you will probably leave hungry. That is, unless you’re willing to buy two entrees.
Their wild mushroom scramble was really tasty and the hash browns that came with were awesome, but for the price you pay there should really be twice that amount on the plate. I was still hungry enough afterward to go straight to Five Guys and get a loaded up cheeseburger. Yes, you also go to a restaurant to taste new, interesting flavors and experience the atmosphere, but if you are still hungry afterward then they’re not doing their job. So Volterra is good, but when there are so many other places to choose from that can actually satisfy, it simply doesn’t match up.

I went here with my boyfriend for Sunday brunch. We were seated in the main room, which was half empty. It took about 10 – 15 min for someone to come over and take our order. We eventually had to stop a waiter walking by and ask if he can take our order.
Finally received our food. The breakfast plate was small for the price (at least $ 12) and tasted OK. The presentation was poor too. The buckwheat pancakes I ordered were very bland and needed to be doused in a good amount of maple syrup for some taste. No one came by to refill our water or check if everything was ok.
The place has some nice outdoor seating, but the inside needs some sprucing up. We have been to the much newer, nicer Kirkland location for lunch and enjoyed our experience there.
2 stars because the service was just not there (literally). We came in with high expectations and left a little disappointed.

Voltara, the true culinary blessing of Ballard. When FRANK wants exceptional cuisine & wine I come here.
Voltara has that relaxed Ballard charm from the moment you walk into the establishment. You greeted instantly and either your seated at the bar or main dining room. You can’t help feel the love from this establishment from the moment you walk in the door’s.
The real love is in Volterra’s food. When I first went I was advised on ordering the OIL SOUP (I thought yuk, but then I fell in love with it). I can’t encourage you enough to try this with your meal or just make it the meal. It reminds me of a potato soup but more complex. It’s one of the most wonderful soups I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. For your main coarse Volterra serves many items but get the chicken. It takes about 25 minutes to cook but this chicken is well worth it. Kinda crunchy on the outside but so tender & juicy on the inside.
Now grab some wine with your meal and that’s your evening or unless you want some desert. Cheers and I hope you feel the same as I do once you eat here.

Oh boy, this place has gone down hill. Tired, stale, and in desperate need of a facelift (check out the photo I posted of the ceiling). The most awkward waitstaff (every single one of them) I have ever encountered! The food was very mediocre. The scallops were gritty, the pork and mushroom pasta was bland, and the lobster ravioli was tough in the middle. The cocktails we ordered were either too sour or too sweet. It wasn’t cheap either, each pasta dish was $ 19-​$ 21 USD.
I will not be back.

Quelle petite phrase bouleversante au coeur d’un être?