Volterra

I will start with this statement: I love breakfast food. Brunch is by far one of my favorite times to dine. BUT, the problem is that is that in Seattle most restaurants that offer brunch do the same old boring fare. Pros: Everything Cons: Nothing more

Ive been searching for a good authentic italian restaurant for a long, long time and finally my co-worker brought me to volterra recently. I cant believe it took so long to find this place. its in trendy Ballard which isn't necessarily a positive for me but holy cow the food is to die for and was impressed with the overall experience. Pros: food and service more

We often treat our out-of-town guests to dinner at Volterra because of the great service, wonderful food, and splendid atmosphere. Our guests are not only pleased with Volterra but also find the surrounding community an unexpected surprise. We have attended two special events at Volterra - a New Year's Eve dinner event and a wine/dinner pairing - the food was excellent at each event and Volterra remains high on our list of favorite places to spoil ourselves. Pros: Meals with wine - plus the people are friendly and knowledgeable Cons: Parking can be tough but we always seem to get lucky. more

I found this place in the top ten places for brunch in Seattle and was excited to take my friends. The location was great and the place has a wonderful environment. The menu was short but packed with good choices. I was really excited to find a good brunch; however, when the food came our scramble, which stated that it had avocado, had none and the eggs were extremely dry. My fiends ragu was good but disappointing that it was ground lamb and in pieces. Another's dish was drenched in a cheese sauce that was overwhelming the balance of the dish. Sadly I will not return. more

Ballards a drive from Madison Park so I hadn't been to Volterra in over a year but was glad to see that the food and service were still just as good as I remembered. We were in for an early dinner and started off with the best bloody mary that Ive had in a long time with a spicy infused vodka and mary mix that had a hint of balsalmic in the tomato goodness. The grilled scallop with a dollop of garlic aioli on top and herb salad was a great starter. We also had the seafood baked in parchment which was simply prepared and very tasty and the Rib Eye steak which was very flavorful and med rare just like I asked for. The chocolate and mint cake was to die for. Pros: Food and service Cons: Parking more

We picked Volterra based on their video. This was our wedding anniversary and since we spent our 1st one in Tuscany, we always pick a special Italian restaurant for this occassion. The restaurant is very noisy, not ideal for a romantic setting. Our waiter treated us as if we were putting him out. He never filled our water or wine glasses (we had a bottle of wine on the table). The wine steward was interesting. We had brought a special '99 Brunello and offered him to try it. He used one of our clean glasses they had brought to try it and then left the 1/4 full glass on the table the entire evening and they never brought us another clean one. The food was very disappointing as well. The mussles and shrimp were ""fishy"" and did not taste fresh at all. The Ribeye was so fatty, that there was only about 6 fork bites that were edible. And the side dishes (potatoes) were cold. Our waiter asked how the meal was and we said we were disappointed with the food and told him why. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away. We were also disappointed that this ""Italian"" restaurant didn't have a risotto dish or gelato on their menu. If you are looking for a romantic, authentic Italian restaurant - then don't dine at this one. Pros: wine steward Cons: parking, noisy, crowded more

Eating at Volterra makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. There are alot of restaurants with good food but there are very few that make you feel like you are going to dinner at a friends house. My husband and I eat at Volterra weekly and the food is always consistent and delicious. We have our favorites dishes but we tend to order the specials quite often. The service is always excellent and the owners and staff really take pride in knowing their customers. They know that I like my water without ice and always have my favorite cocktail ready by the time I sit down. They not only feed the stomach but they nourish the soul as well. Pros: Food, Consistency, Top notch Staff more

I took my girlfriend here for her birthday, and we just loved it. No waiting, even on a Sunday night, because there is a lot of room. We made reservations and managed to get a great little corner booth. We were given ample time to look over the menu, which was nice as there was so many great options with incredible ingredients. I overheard that the wild boar was the house specialty so I tried that, while my girlfriend went with the stuffed rabbit leg. Both were out of this world. She asked ""do you want to taste what rabbit is supposed to taste like?"", as we had had two instances at other restaurants (that we love) where it was gamey and just not very good - I always ask why she orders rabbit everywhere we go...at Volterra it was great. Pros: Excellent Food. No elbow-bumping. Cons: If any, service could be slightly better more

My roommate and I went to Volterra on a Friday night. It was her birthday and we wanted to try something special, and we'd heard many good things. We had an 8.30 reservation, and came in a few minutes after that. First red flag - the hostess informed us that our table was just finishing dessert and they'd be dropping the check any minute. As I understand it, the point of making a reservation was that so you wouldn't have to wait for another table to clear. And they kept us waiting for about ten minutes while our table was finishing up - and this whole time, a table for two stood empty right behind the hostess's desk. When we were seated, the server did not take our order when she brought our drinks, but took the candle that had gone out and disappeared for twenty minutes - and it took us twenty minutes to get our drinks. We didn't even get a bread basket until forty minutes after we'd been there. However, the food was served in a reasonable amount of time, and was absolutely delicious. My roommate had the bruschetta, which was crisp and garlicky, to start with, and I had the polenta with wild mushrooms, which was perfectly creamy and rich with flavor. She really enjoyed the beef tenderloin, and my wild boar was absolutely fantastic, tender and flavorful. The potatoes that came with it were some of the best I'd ever had. However, my roommate wasn't feeling well and was taking some time to see if she would feel well enough to continue eating. The server was thoughtful enough to bring her some soda with bitters, but just after that, a busboy asked us if we'd like to have our food to go. As the restaurant was quickly emptying out (at this point it was well past ten) we didn't think it was appropriate for him to be hurrying us out. All in all, the food was spectacular, the service, somewhat less so. Pros: Food, reasonably priced. Cons: Close seating, parking, service. more

Nice place ok, Pros: food cocktails and scene Cons: service and privacy more

We visited Volterra last weekend based on the great reviews I'd read. It exceeded my expectations,which is pretty unusual. Everything was outstanding - from the food through the service. For whatever reason, there was a delay between our starters and mains, and while I didn't really mind since the atmosphere was lovely and I hate it when I feel I'm being rushed through a meal, our server apologized profusely (she also managed to suss out some key ingredients in a dish I loved from the kitchen, and I give her huge thanks for that). I started with the mushroom tart, and would go back here just for the gorgeous truffle whipped cream that came on the side. Mmmmm. The roasted beet salad was also wonderful, with thinly shaved beets and cheese. But the highlight was the wild boar and its amazing sauce. I had ordered the crab ravioli which was nice but honestly nothing special, and kept digging into my boyfriend's meal. Finished with one the best Panna Cottas I have ever eaten. This place really is a great value for the quality of service, setting, and amazing food. more

I'd had several great experiences at Volterra for dinner, and thought the brunch would be consistent... I was wrong, and truly embarrassed because I told my new-to-town guest that this place was exceptional... Pros: dinner good Cons: brunch awful more

Very good on all levels. The service was welcoming and professional and the food was delicious, very good wine list and the ambiance charming. My guests and I were thoroughly impressed with the quality and attention to detail. My personal favorite was the parpardelle with lamb and olives and the veal chop. Will return soon. more

Great dining destination! Their food is quite tantalizing - although we have only been twice as of yet, we have gone with medium sized groups and as we all like to share, we have tried many dishes on the menu. I do have to say the wild boar is OUTSTANDING and probably my favorite dish so far. Their sommelier has a wonderful tableside manner and we have really enjoyed his selections. He also respects your budget suggestion. It is a great atmosphere; comfortable, energetic - a great balance between elegant cuisine and relaxed dining. Pros: great food, fantastic neighborhood Cons: parking is tough, a little crowded on the seating arrangements more

I have heard rave reviews and read them here as well forever now. I've met Michelle a couple of times and had just not been able to get the time to drive to Ballard for the best dang food, dang near ever! My boyfriend and I had the time of our lives in food heaven. Our server was very knowledgeable, relaxed, funny, yet professional all at the same time. We started with the Bing Cherry Mojitos...YUM! Then had the to die for seared sea scallops. Our dinner salads were just right and our entrees? Oh our entrees....I had the herb crusted half chicken that was so good I even ate the skin. Total no-no for me. My boyfriend had a beef dish that was sooo tender. And the mashed potatoes with gravy and fresh veggies...my mouth is seriously still watering. Somehow we managed to stuff a lovely little desert in too that was recommended by our server. I love the fact that they will change and add menu items from time to time, which means we must go back soon now that it's fall! All in all a most wonderful and memorable experience. Thanks Michelle, Don & exceptional supporting cast! Pros: Excellent food, wonderful service and atmosphere. Cons: None... more

for me to write the immaculate review of this spot that i should is like spoiling the end of a really great love story. so i'll just be straight. Pros: the food, the wine, the bar Cons: not enough tables more

my daughter is a food hound and for my b-day she suggested their brunch. (we are always on the hunt for wonderful food experiences). Pros: thumbs up service, food, presentation, atmosphere, parking Cons: cant think of one more

Volterra is one of my favorite Italian places around. Friendly, unpretentious, and with a great chef (named... more

I had what was possibly the best drink in the history of mankind at this restaurant: the pear cosmo. Not too sweet w/many layers of spices. Fabulous. I wish I could say the same for the saffron risotto w/slipper lobster. Very very bland. My husband had the ribeye, which was quite tasty. And the service was great. I can't decide whether or not to give this place another chance. I've heard that I should have ordered the wild boar (wild boar?). Pros: Drinks, wine list, parking, service Cons: Select entree wisely more

Volterra is one of my favorite Italian places around. Friendly, unpretentious, and with a great chef (named one of the most innovative Chefs in Ame... more