« Ballard Restaurants

I've consistently eaten excellent meals here. I don't understand how anyone could call the dishes bland, unless they're used to the very sweet tomato sauces and the greasy cream sauces at, say, Olive Garden. The service is great. It has nice vibe without being so loud that you're hoarse from shouting to your dinner partner all evening. Friends that I've taken here have become repeat customers as well. It's a wonderful place!

Disappointed with the dinners. Two of the four dinners were bland with no flavor one being the new menu Spinach Fettucine with chicken, however the Dungeness Crab Raviolli was good.

AMAZING. period.

This is still the best food & service in Ballard. Lots of new places to visit but I always go back to the classiest place on Ballrd Ave. Your are top notch!!!!!!. Cheers, Kelly B

Great sommelier - great meat dishes - great appetizers. However, the pasta is just ok. No need to waste your time on the pasta.

Every time I go here, I am pleased - as are the people I bring with me (some of whom are accustomed to Manhattan & DC restaurants). From appetizers to main courses, always a hit.

Still one of my favorites. Volterra has become pretty well known in the last few years, but luckily their quality has only dropped a smidge. They offer reliably delicious food that has just the right amount of thought and creativity behind it, without being stuck-up. The wild boar and seafood in parchment are excellent and their after dinner coffee service is the best in Seattle.

Although the appertisers were great the entrees were a little disappointing and the wine selection was somewhat limited - especially if you like ordering by the glass to tailor your drinks to your individual meal items. And an Italian restaurant without sorbet or icecream on the dessert menu?! Its just not Italian :) However the service was excellent.

Wow, some love for the 'terror here. Fraid it's on two strikes with me - first time we were strobed to death by a faulty light and both times I found the food unimaginative and somewhat bland. And I haven't had a hoover strapped to my wallet since I last visited Switzerland - way to pricy for what is basically slightly upmarket bistro fare.

Maybe we should advertise in Italy for a couple of capable and authenic restauranteurs to come and start some decent places, plenty of condo space for them to live in, eh?

Just went for V-Day brunch....overall it was VERY good! The price was decent and the food was most excellent. Would like to go back for dinner...so many places in Ballard these days!

I love this place,always good food..sigh..if only I were really rich! I did notice, and forgive me for my pet peeve, but some gorgeous women with dates tonight at Volterra, and does anyone pay attention to manners anymore? Here is the beautiful woman, dressed to the nines and she eats with her elbow on the table, and her other hand constanstantly stroking through her long hair, and then plops the food into her mouth with the back of the fork pointed somewhere near her mouth...it broke the spell of it all....somehow her beauty did not seem so attractive...women, men..PLEASE know that manners do matter, especially when you are dropping almost $200 for a incredible dinner with drinks, appys and entree...looks matter and how you put your food in your mouth matters too...

I eat there fairly often. The food is great as well as the service. I don't know how authentic it is, but I'll take wild boar with gorganzolla, the lambshank, the duck w/duck, fettucine with lamb or crab ravioli for instance over the typical chewy pizza and spaghetti with overly sweet sauces that one finds in more typical :Italian" restaurants here. It's not a cheap place but, for the quality of food and service, it's an amazing deal.

service - great
food - average
price - like i said, you are paying for the service.

having lived in italy during grad school, i'd say this doesn't qualify as authentic italian food, but it's far better than the crap they serve @ lombardi's.

I was not treated very kindly the 15th time I went there. Although many a fine meal was consumed in the past this time myself and a friend were cast out for talking too loud about our children and how much we love being parents. Not even after saying sorry and promising to tone it down were we permitted to stay. We are from Ballard but we were and are not drunks. Perhaps the barkeep wanted to go home early.

I was not treated very kindly the 15th time I went there. Although many a fine meal was consumed in the past this time myself and a friend were cast out for talking too loud about our children and how much we love being perents. Not even after saying sorry and promising to tone it down were we permitted to stay. We are from Ballard but we were and are not drunks. Perhaps the barkeep wanted to go home early.

Authentic Italian Food with great service and warm atmosphere. Love Volterra!

always delicious,and what is better than being greeted by the owner, Michelle! The service is top notch, and so is the food. The lamb shank and mussels and sausage is divine!

Brunch is fantastic. Service was a little slow but not enough to stop us from returning - YUM!

Went there tonight and the lamb shank was outstanding

I love this place ... But so sad they took the wild mushroom Benedict off the menu

Not the best italian food, but its ok considering the limited choices in Ballard.

Ate there for brunch. My poached eggs were cooked through. Will not go back for Brunch.

Food was okay. Service was great! I had only 30 minutes to have dinner before heading over to the airport and my server was an ace in getting me out the door in time.

Serious Italian food for serious Italian food eaters. I'd be here all the time if it were a bit more on the affordable side.