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...

Stellar Meal and Service 9/23/2006

Probably the best meal we've had in years. My wife (the food critic of the family) always has a nit pick about every restaurant we go to. This is the 1st time she thought everything was perfect from beginning to end. The food and service were both spectacular. Every dish was flavorful and the ingredients were so fresh. We never wanted for anything the entire meal the waiter showed up at just the right time to fill our wine, our napkins were re-folded when we went to the bathroom and plates cleared as soon as we were done. Impressive since the place was full. Highly recommend making a trip to Ballard. Pros: Fresh Ingredients, Authentic Italian, Great Service Cons: Parking, Parking, Parking more
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Worth the trip to Ballard. 9/16/2006

Amazing food at an appropriate price. Treat yourself to sauces infused with morels or the taste of wild boar. By the time your meal is over, you'll feel like a Roman after the feast. Pros: Delicious food. Amazing chef. Cons: The main dining room is too noisy to have a conversation. more
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Huge Props to the Staff 9/16/2006

My boyfriend took me to Volterra to celebrate my birthday. We were seated immediately at a great table in the corner, our waiter was charming, the wine steward picked out a perfect bottle of wine for us and the bus boys were so efficient my water glass was never empty. As we were waiting for our dessert, the power went out. The staff did not miss a step and instantly began bring extra candles to the tables and doing what they could to make the situation comfortable for everyone. The power was out on the entire street and thanks to the staff, noone panicked A few minutes later, our dessert arrived and it looked like the kitchen was able to get all of the customers fed despite the black out. We thought the darkness really added some excitement to the night and even ordered another glass of wine. Huge props to everyone at Volterra. They really handled the situation with the utmost professionalism. This is a birthday I will never forget and I look forward to going back again soon. Pros: Menu, Food, Professional Staff more
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Impressed! 9/16/2006

Great meal and great service. Everything we expected and more. Polenta app is amazing!!Cocktails were delicious and service attentive but not intrusive. Everything on the menu sounds great. We'll be back to try it all. Highly Recommended if you like good food. Pros: FOOD! Cons: Parking more
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Chipped and dirty 9/16/2006

After reading on City Search that this was supposed to be a very romantic and fabulous place to eat, I quickly made reservations and was expecting something great. My husband, father-in-law, and I celebrated my birthday here and found that it was not up to par. My bread plate was chipped, badly, and dirty, so we switched it with the adjacent table and ended up with just a dirty plate instead. There is nothing ""romantic"" about this place. It was small (which is good) and noisy and the ambiance just wasn't there. The food was good, though, but nothing exceptional that warrants the big accolade. more
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One of the best restaurants in Seattle 9/5/2006

Consistently excellent food, great service, creative drinks, delicious fennel salt and olive oil for the bread. Tried the chef's choice appetizer plate for 2 last time and despite a slightly higher price, found it to be totally worth every penny. There were 8 or 9 small bites beautifully arranged on the plate showcasing the fresh ingredients that day. Had the boar as a main course and was amazed at how tender it was - and flavorful. Great drink list. It's a little too pricey for me to go everyday, but if I could, I would. Pros: Amazing food Cons: Not cheap more
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New take on classical italian 9/5/2006

I went to Volterra with my boyfriend and we LOVED it! Everything a patron could want in a nice restaurant- yummy creative entrees, friendly servers, and a delightful ambience! I had the eggplant pasta and my boyfriend had the wild boar. Every dish delighted our tastebuds and the attentive waitsatff made the meal all the more pleasureable! A little pricey but worth every penny! As many others have mentioned, reservations at dinner are a must to guarantee yourself a table and the street parking in Ballard will leave you searching and walking a little distance to the actual restaurant. Very romantic, not too noisy. We purchased a bottle of their house olive oil/dipping salt because it was SO good! Great date or cocktail place, as well! Pros: ambience, service, food Cons: parking more
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Best Boar in Ballard 9/4/2006

We went there for our anniversary. We arrived just after 5:00 on a weekday, and were seated immediately in their large, and almost empty, dining room. The service was fast and polite, and our waiter was quite possibly the cutest Italian man you've ever seen. The food was A+ and the ambiance was nice - not loud or obnoxious, which was helped by the location of the bar (in a separate room). Overall, we had a lovely romantic evening. Pros: Interesting dishes, fantastic service Cons: Parking in Ballard is awful more
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Best Patio in Sea Town 8/24/2006

The patio at Voltarra is a urban oasis. It feels like an outdoor dining room with nice chairs / tables, sheltered by a large overhanging tree with white lights, and thoughtfully designed pots with small trees and flowing greenery. The vibe is lively and a little more casual than indoors. Sun brunch after the farmers market is a regular habit of mine. Love the peach bellini with tyme. But, you can't go wrong with any of the pastas, wild boar or beef tenderloin at dinner. Pros: food, patio, staff Cons: parking more
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Just okay 8/23/2006

Based on all the buzz about Volterra, I went here for a fancy dinner... and I hate to say it, but I didn't see what all the fuss is about. Our polenta appetizer WAS completely tasty and they have nice cocktails (though some are much too sweet), but I found the rest of the meal wanting something. My husband's wild boar was cooked perfectly but doused in a cream sauce which I thought was bizarre, and my pesto fettucine tasted mostly like cream. We didn't have wine with dinner, but our server kept trying to push it every chance he got, to the point of being annoying. For the price, I'd rather satisfy my Italian cravings elsewhere. Pros: Nice outdoor patio, some tasty cocktails Cons: Expensive, overbearing waitstaff more
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A real treat 8/23/2006

What a suprise to find Chingiale on the menu --we haven't had Wild Boar in years and it was worth the wait. The pastas were delicious and perfect aldente but the Wild Boar was our favorite. We couldnt' get enough of the silky gorgonzola sauce. The chestnut panna cotta was really unique and the coffee service came on a silver tray with a silver creamer and an Italian cookie. The busboys were adorable and our server and the wine guy very helpful. I only wish that we couldve scored a seat on the patio. Pros: Wild Boar, Menu, Wine List Cons: Hard to get reservations on the same day, Parking more
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Lamb was delicious; but no hot water for tea? 8/13/2006

Delicious restaurant in a quaint, boutiquey neighborhood of Ballard. You can't find Banana Republic here but there is a Tully's near by. Definitely make a reservation before heading here. It's very popular among the locals and is rated the best Italian restaurant of Seattle. So with that said, you question ... is it really that good? Well, I'm not a snobby food connisseur but I found the food to be absolutely delicious. Although I heard they're known for their pork medallions but my friend ordered it and it was really dry (maybe it was a bad night?). The lamb was absolutely fabulous. The meat fell off the bone and was so tenderized and full of juice. Definitely one of my favorite restaurants for the moment and I'll definitely return once ... twice ... thrice? One thing that bothered me was they couldn't bring me any hot water for my tea. It was lukewarm and the server returned to the kitchen several times and kept bringing me lukewarm water. It was weird but I did enjoy the small bowl of almond cookies they brought complimentary with my lukewarm tea. Pros: friendly staff, clean, great food!!! Cons: parking is horrible! more
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Great Meal and Service 8/1/2006

My wife and I were at the Ballard Seafood Festival this last weekend and stumbled across this fantastic place. The decor was warm and inviting, the food was delicious and the staff very friendly. Didn't know we had such a great restaurant in Ballard! We will be back! Pros: Food, Service, Decor Cons: Parking more
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Great food and service 8/1/2006

The manager and wait staff are great! We find many Seattle restaurants are challenged in this area. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and level of service. Oh, yes! The food is good also! We have been back twice - very unusual for us lately. Ask the manager for wines that he would recommend - they might not even be on the list! This is a lovely recasting of the old Burke's. Pros: excellent food and service Cons: a bit noisy more
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Just what the Dr ordered... 8/1/2006

After battling a serious flu and existing on bland food for a week, dinner at Volterra was just what I needed. The flavorful wild mushroom ragu on the polenta custard was like nothing I've ever tasted and the house pastas we tried were all superb. Perfectly cooked, light and airy. The lamb ragu with tagliatelle was the favorite at our table. The busboys were the best it was a hot night and our waters were never empty. Anthony our server took excellent care of us. The food is primarily Tuscan and Northern Italian so don't expect alot of red sauce or the typical fare seen at most Italian restaurants. Pros: Food & Service & Authenticity & Patio Cons: Parking more
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gourmet but weird 7/31/2006

went with a friend and the service was a bit stand-off-ish, our server seeming to have better things to do than to provide us with specials or reccomendations (even when asked!) The food was good but seemed to be not very traditional Italian. Sophisticated-yes, but yummy comfort food-no. The seating was less than private and after looking for parking for over a half an hour I was hoping for something better. more
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Best place to go on a sunny evening 7/21/2006

Volterras patio is my new fave spot to spend a summer evening. The patio doesn't get too hot cuz it's shaded by big trees and it's a great place to relax and people watch. Start off with a Cherry Mojito. This drink is made with fresh cherries and rocks! The wine is list is huge and the prices are great. The wine steward taught us alot and made some really good suggestions. The menu has alot to choose from and everything is delicious. I could eat the panzanella salad and wild boar tenderloin everyday. You have to get there when they open to get a spot on the patio without waiting. Pros: food, patio, atmosphere more
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Nice evening 7/21/2006

I read the reviews and decided to check it out for a low key but romantic anniversary. We peeked in and it looked packed, so we decided to grab a drink at the Matador down the street before hand (excellent sangria!) Once at the Matador we called Volterra to put our name in. They said they weren't taking anyone until 9. It was a Weds. around 7... wow. We decided to just walk over when we were done and take our chances. They sat us immediately and about 1/3 of the tables were empty! Weird. more
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Best Italian in Seattle! 7/20/2006

I am a chef in New York and on a recent trip to seattle I visited Volterra after reading the reviews on Citysearch. What a great addition to Seattle's lackluster restaurant scene. The ambience was invitng and warm. The service was impeccable and friendly. The food however was the highlight. The polenta appetizer was amazing. The house salad was the best I've had. The boar was unbelievable. My partner had the veal chop and I couldn't keep my fork out of it. WOW! I loved the small details like the coffee service and the cocktail menu. The cherry almond tart we had for dessert with a glass of housemade limoncello was the perfect finish to one of the best meals I have had in Seattle since dining at The Other Place in the late eighties. Pros: Ambience, FOOD!, Value Cons: None Found more
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Sure, it is good but... 7/17/2006

I agree with a previous review: the gushing raves are a bit overdone. It is almost like friends of the owners are peppering this site on purpose. Simply put, Volterra is just another restaurant in a city oversaturated with concept restaurants. Yawn. The owners are not even Italian, from what I can tell. Even Olive Garden cooks spend time in Italy and call themselves authentic. Pros: Location, patio Cons: Concept-du-jour, hype 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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