Volterra

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5411 Ballard Ave NW (at 22nd Avenue NW)
Seattle, WA 98107

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(206) 789-5100
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Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
Volterra - Seattle, WA
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Reviews
( 151 )
( 26 )
( 18 )
( 9 )
( 25 )

Best

I recently attended a big birthday bash for a close friend of mine at Volterra and I was very impressed with the restaurant, food, and service. I started with the Oil soup which ...

Worst

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...

Simply Delicious 8/27/2007

A group of us dined at Volterra last night and everyone at our table said it was the best Italian food they've had in Seattle. This was my 2nd visit to Volterra and the food, atmosphere and service blew me away. Our server anticipated our every need and explained all of the signature dishes. We started with the Proscuitto and Fava Bean Tart, Mussels and Sausage, and Polenta with Wild Mushrooms. All were flavorful and disappeared within minutes. We moved on to the Wild Mushroom Salad which was slightly sweet and loaded with mushrooms and the Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad which was to die for. For entrees we had the Wild Boar Tenderloin which was perfectly medium rare and the sauce outstanding. The Filet Mignon with Lardo and Demiglaze which was so tender it could be cut with a fork. The Crab Ravioli was light and airy. For dessert, the tiramisu and chocolate dolces were great. We went with the Volterra Super Tuscan wine which is produced for the restaurant in Tuscany and we eneded with the house limoncello which was just like we had in Italy. Volterra is the perfect place for a intimate date or large group. Our biggest compliments to the chef. Pros: Incredible Food, WIne & Service more
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Awful Food, Cocktails, & Atmosphere 8/26/2007

Each course at Volterra was a disappointment. The bread was underbaked and tasted like a floury paste. It's hard to imagine how you can go wrong with a wild mushroom salad, but it was terrible (Asaggio's is far better). The seared sea scallops themselves were quite good, but the bed of mushrooms and greens were awful. The sauteed prawns were flavorless and the accompanying market vegetables were undercooked and bitter. Part of the wild boar tenderloin was fine, but it was unevenly cooked and it came drenched in a gorgonzola sauce. The sauce was okay, but it was excessive and overpowered the tenderloin. This entree came with the same bitter market vegetables. Pros: Service was okay; wine was okay. Cons: Most of the food & cocktails were mediocre at best; dust, cobwebs, & fruit flies detracted from ambience. more
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Extremely Accomodating 7/5/2007

Volterra's food, menu and wine list are outstanding. What impressed me the most is that they are willing to go the extra mile for their guests. They were happy to accomodate my wife's wheat & dairy allergies by customizing our order which was above and beyond just removing something like most places will. Pros: Fantastic Service and Food more
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Enchanting Evening 7/4/2007

My friends and I were lucky last night and obtained a coveted seat on Volterra's patio. We did arrive at 5:30pm but dining early was well worth it. The patio is surrounded by planters filled with beautiful trees and flowing foilage. We drank Bing Cherry Mojitos, sampled the menu and watched the world go by. This is my new favorite patio! The server was friendly and never rushed us. He helped us select a wide variety of items off the menu. The tuna carpaccio and mussels and sausage appetizers were outstanding. The pasta with morels and squash blossoms with truffel butter and crab ravioli were amazing. The lamb steak unbelievable. Great service, fantastic food, and beautiful atmosphere! more
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Incredible Wine List!! Great Food 7/4/2007

We found this restaurant to be one of the best we've tried in Seattle. The wine list is extensive and extremely well priced. I am in the wine business and eat at many restaurant across the country and they have no crazy markups here. The polenta and the truffle custard were excellent starters, the chicory salad was exceptional and the veal chop delicious and it looked to be close to a pound for $25. What a steal!! Pros: Wine List, Food Cons: Parking more
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Love this restaurant!! 6/28/2007

This is such a great restaurant. Great ambience, amazing food, good service and prices to boot - what more can you want. I have tried so many high end restaurants that charge ridiculous amounts and get so much hype. Here it's definitely different. it's got a great vibe and they deliver on what a restaurant experience should all about. Also it's on a really cool street in Ballard. Pros: Great menu Cons: Can get a little crowded more
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The Best Restaurant in Seattle 6/27/2007

You can sum up this restaurant in one word: Superb!!!!! The food is mouthwatering. The cocktails are delicious. The service is amazing. Michelle Quisenberry and Chef Don Curtis have a real gem within their hands. They have created an experience in food. If you want a night or meal that you will remember - GO TO VOLTERRA!!!! Pros: Rosemary Lemoncello Drops, Michelle Quisenberry and Chef Don Curtis more
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A good modern take on italian food in a classic setting 6/26/2007

I finally had my first outing to Volterra and I wasn't disappointed. Pros: good food, good setting (for the right occasion) Cons: Parking more
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Best place for your money 6/20/2007

I discovered this place shortly after it opened and I continue to be a loyal custormer. The food is always consistent and the prices are reasonable. My favorite on the menu is the fetticuine with lamb ragu. The tiramsu is one of the best I've ever had. It's one of the reason's why I continue to come back! I do have to say the beef tenderloin and wild boar are great too. And there are alot of wines by the glass which I appreciate. more
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Impressive Restaurant and Catering 6/20/2007

My wife and I had the pleasure of attending a private event at the Chihuly Boathouse recently. The food was the best that I've had served at an event and so I asked who was catering. It turns out that Volterra does the exclusive catering. We visited the charming restaurant last weekend and had a sensational time. The lengthy wine list and cellar list is well priced and the menu was like reading a Tuscan cookbook. We sampled the Lobser Risotto ,Wild Mushroom Tagliolini with Fava Beans, and the Chingiale and the Veal Chop. All were divine. Our server was attentive and very knowledgable about the menu and wine list. We even finished off with a grappa. We were so impressed, we just booked Volterra to cater our anniversary party. Pros: Menu, Meal, WIne Cellar, Catering Cons: No Valet Parking more
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Eggs Benedict with Morels Amazing!! 6/20/2007

We had brunch at Volterra this weekend and couldn't believe they were using fresh morels with the eggs benedict! The truffle holandaise was incredible, hash browns crispy and grainy toast tasty. Very Impressive! Pros: location, food, good service more
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Incredible Dinner 6/20/2007

My family suprised me with a graduation celebration at Volterra and it was the best experience I've ever had. The restaurant was packed to the brim but we got seated right away and our server made my big day a memorable one. She was so friendly and was always right there when we needed her. The food was fantastic. Everyone could not believe how delicious that Wild Boar could be. It tasted more like rare beef than pork. We also had the Truffle Custard with Culatello and the Wild Mushroom Salad. For dessert, we had an assortment of desserts which were sinful and a beautiful cheese plate. Fantastic food, service, and ambiance. highly recommend volterra. Pros: Fantastic Food, High Quality, Great Service Cons: No Parking more
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NO MORE CHANCES 6/19/2007

Sadly, there will be no more chances for Volterra. What was once believed to be an ""off night"" or ""off morning"" has proved to be the norm. Father's Day Brunch was the final straw. First, our waiter forgot the drinks. When the entrees finally appeared, the eggs were runny and the bacon so severely burnt that a dentist visit may be in order (the chef obviously agreed, as the charred debris was strategically hidden under a piece of toast). The rest of the meal was just one big blur of bad service (service so bad that I felt a duty to register on Citysearch and write this review). Pros: Location, Ambience Cons: Service, Service, Service! more
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Excellent Place 6/10/2007

I've been a regular since they've opened and it's my favorite restaurant in Seattle. The only other restaurant that comes even close in terms of quality is Cafe Juanita. The food is excellent and the staff and owners go out of their way to accomodate their guests. I had a special dinner party for my mom's birthday and they made sure it was the best meal shes ever had. Since the beginining they have served excellent quality food at a good value. It's a neighborhood and their pricing of the food and wine reflects that. more
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Nothing made it exceptional 6/8/2007

The flavors didn't stir any excitement beyond what I might get in the frozen food section at Metropolitan Market. The service was friendly and accommodating. The ambiance felt formulaic--another restaurant hopping on the wine-bar band wagon. There are 3 other wine bars in the same number of blocks. Give one of them a try. If they are full, swing back to Volterra. Pros: Service, Outdoor Seating, In the heart of Ballard Cons: Parking, Poor Quality Wine Glasses, Neutered Tuscan Food more
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5 Stars 6/1/2007

My favorite restaurant in Seattle is Volterra because the food is exceptional and consistent every time. Not many restaurants anywhere can pull off the same high quality food night after night like the staff at Volterra. The prices are reasonable and when you factor in that most of the meats and produce are organic or natural, i don't know how they can afford to keep the prices that low. The service is professional and friendly. Small details like the trampetti olive oil on the tables, glassybaby candles, european style coffee service set them apart. Don't miss the set of Chihuly drawings as they are quite rare. I eat at Volterra as often as I can and on a graduate student budget I'm still able to go monthly. All of the accoloades are well deserved. Pros: Food, Service, Location, Ambiance more
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Just Above Average 5/31/2007

Ambiance: cozy. Service: good. Food: good but not good enough to come back. The signature wild boar and the beef cheek ravioli were good, but not spectacular. I had to send the caramel napoleon (dessert) back. The puff pastry layers were raw and unbaked. There was no caramel flavor at all. We liked Volterra, but didn't love it. more
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Delicious Brunch 5/28/2007

We recently had brunch at Volterra and had an excellent meal. The french toast was awesome, the chestnut pancakes were great, and Volterra served us perhaps the most amazing bacon I have ever eaten. Everyone in my party enjoyed their meal and I know I will definitely go back. Pros: Great Food, Great Service more
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Our favorite restaurant 5/21/2007

I am disappointed to see that some people have had substandard experiences at Volterra. My fiance and I absolutely love this restaurant. We started going their when it first opened and have gone countless times since. Their food is always delicious, my fiance swears by the wild boar whereas I like to mix it up and try something new each time. We generally just order a glass or two of wine and sometimes a cocktail, but never a full bottle of wine, and we have never been treated as second rate clients. In fact the sommelier always recommends great wine pairings for our individual meals. I took my mother there for brunch and the wild mushroom eggs benedict are wonderful, just enough truffle oil to leave a light lingering aroma in the mouth. Pros: Impeccable food, ambiance and service Cons: reservations generally required more
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Cant wait to return 5/14/2007

After reading so many reviews of Volterra, I would say the food and overall experience definitely lived up to the hype. Pros: Food, Ambiance, Service, Wine List Cons: Parking, Hard to get in without reservation more
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Menu for Volterra


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Top Italian restaurant on Historic Ballard Avenue

Owner Message

  • Inspired by the warm, traditional Tuscan hilltop town by the same name, Volterra features the bold-flavored, Tuscan-inspired menu of award-winning Chef Don Curtiss.\nChef Curtiss has a long history and following in the Northwest. He received acclaim as "One of America's Most Innovative Chefs", from Wine Spectator while serving as the opening chef of Andaluca. He was also named "One of America's Top 26 Chefs" by Italian Cooking and Living.\n\nVolterra's dining room is inviting with rich red walls; chocolate-brown leather and textiles; and dark woods offset by alabaster light fixtures hand-carved in Volterra, Italy. \n\n"Don Curtiss' lush, imaganitive eats bring a breath of fresh air to the local Italian restaurant scene." Zagat America's Top Restaurants 2006\n\n"That fine tuned quality is part of the welcome suprise that is Volterra." Nancy Leson, Seattle Times

Editorial

  • The Scene
    Named after the Tuscan hill town where the owners were married in 2004, this upscale trattoria re-creates the town's atmosphere through framed photos, Italianate wall sconces...

  • 9/22/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Thu 5pm-12am Fri 5pm-1am Sat 9am-2pm, 5pm-1am Sun 9am-2pm, 5pm-9pm
  • Payments: Visa, American Express, Discover, Master Card
  • Neighborhoods: Ballard, Adams
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