Normally, I tend to be extremely skeptical of Italian restaurants in Seattle. And this was no exception, especially since we tried Volterra for the first time about a month after returning from two weeks in Tuscany. In this case, however, we were pleasantly surprised. In fact, we were blown away. The menu contains more authentic and inventive Tuscan creations than we could try in one sitting. The wine list was large, but in many cases off the beaten track (with a nice selection of by-the-glass options as well as bottles). The staff was friendly and extremely knowledgeable, especially about the wines, but not in an unpleasant or overbearing way. They were welcoming and friendly to the children in the room. And the food itself was outstanding, fresh, inventive, and excellently prepared. The room was also surprisingly large and elegant, much more than one would expect from looking at the restaurant's humble storefront in Ballard. Highly recommended.
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