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Favorite Coffee Shops and Local Places to Eat in Worcester

 

Worcester is known for its fantastic restaurants and you will not be disappointed by the selection that they have to offer for every occasion! Worcester’s offerings extend far beyond Shrewsbury street – keep reading for my (along with many other student’s) favorite local spots. 

 

Coffee/ Cafes 

Acoustic Java 

My roommates and I frequent Acoustic Java almost every morning. With their fun rustic environment and an extensive menu of coffees, matcha, and iced teas, you won’t be disappointed. 

Bonus points: There are 2 locations in Worcester and one of them is a short walk/ a quick 2-minute drive from campus – so convenient! 

 

Nu Cafe 

Nu Cafe is a crowd pleaser and most student’s go-to off-campus spot. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this cafe is great for all times of the day. They have great baked goods too! 

 

Other Great Cafes/ Coffee Places: 

Birchtree Bread Co – Great local bakery/ cafe for breakfast or lunch 

InHouse – Coffee and Bagels 

Bagel Time – Need I say more? 

 

Dinner Spots 

Tavern in the Square 

This spot is actually in Shrewsbury, but it’s well worth the trip! They have specifically fantastic brunch and dinner menus and their sport-bar vibe is laid back and fun. 

 

Volturno

This Italian spot is an amazing place to go for the best, pizza, pasta, and salad. Although they offer takeout, I highly recommend dining in. Their warm ambiance makes you want to stay for hours! 

 

Baba Sushi 

My roommates and I always get takeout from this little sushi place and it has quickly become one of our favorites! You can’t go wrong here, but if you need a recommendation, go for the spicy tuna roll! 

 

Other Dinner Spots 

Basil n Spice 

Great Thai food! 

 

Pasta Mani 

Cute Italian spot located in the Worcester Public Market

 

Maddi’s Cookery And TapHouse 

Another great all-around spot, from brunch to dinner!

 

Sweets  

Queens Cups 

They have an amazing assortment of cupcakes! 

 

Glazy Susan

Every donut you could ever want lives here! 

 

Special Occasions

These places are great for a birthday, parent’s weekend, or just whenever you’re feeling a little extra fancy! 

 

Via 

Upscale Italian cuisine 

 

Dead Horse Hill 

Rustic-chic New American dining

 

Sole Proprietor 

Seafood, Sushi & Raw Bar 

 

111 Chop House 

Steak House 

 

Bocado Tapas Wine Bar 

Fashionable tapas & wine bar with a comfortable feel 

 

Chashu Ramen + Izakaya

Upscale modern Asian fare offering ramen and tapas 

 

Other

Worcester Public Market 

A great spot with local vendors offering everything from pantry items, to sweet treats, to sit-down dinners. 

 

Maker to Main 

This amazing spot carries local groceries and craft beverages. With all products from within Massachusetts and New England, Maker to Main’s mission is to strengthen the local community through food. 

 

As you can see, there is so much more to Worcester’s foodie scene than Shrewsbury Street (although it’s always an amazing staple). This collection of restaurants will take you from day to night, whether you’re feeling casual or fancy – Worcester truly has it all when it comes to restaurants.

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Community Based Learning

 

          Community Based Learning (CBL) is an incredible program at Holy Cross and I think best represents the mission of the school. It gives students the opportunity to connect what is being taught in the classroom to the outside community, and incorporate the Jesuit mission of “Men and Women for and with others”. A professor can choose to make their course a CBL course which means the students are required to participate in a range of projects and direct service opportunities that meet community identified needs right here in Worcester. These courses are offered in a wide variety of disciplines and almost all students participate in a CBL course during their time at Holy Cross.

         I have participated in many different CBL courses which has opened my eyes to a whole other aspect of my education, and has allowed me to be more integrated in the Worcester community. During my first year at Holy Cross, one of my Spanish courses had a CBL component. Each week I would go to a high school in Worcester that had a large ESL (English Second Language) student population. Using my Spanish, I would help students with their homework and classwork. It was an opportunity to put my Spanish into practice, and to see the opportunities and value that come with studying Spanish. I ended up declaring the Spanish major at the end of this course

         As a sophomore, I took a Social Ethics course, which again, had a CBL component. For this course I went to Mercy Centre, an organization for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Catholic Charities. I then completed a project connecting what I had learned at Mercy Centre to what I had learned in class. Thanks to this class, I continued to attend Mercy Centre throughout my time at Holy Cross. It opened my eyes to a whole new community in Worcester and allowed me to continue to incorporate the work of Mercy Centre into the goals of my other courses. This semester (2nd semester of senior year), I am in a Seeking Justice course. It is a course with a focus on the Jesuit mission of seeking justice during our time at Holy Cross. A lot of what we discuss and our experiences stem from our participation in CBL. This program has been one of the most impactful programs I have participated in during my time at Holy Cross.

 

Shannon Quirk ’20

 

Hi! I’m Shannon Quirk from Kensington, MD. I am a senior Economics and Spanish double major at Holy Cross. In addition to being involved in admissions as a Senior Interviewer and a Tour Guide, I am also involved in the Pre-Business program, a program outside of my majors to prepare for a career in business. I volunteer at the Mercy Centre through our Community Based Learning program, and I am the co-chair of the Women in Business Club. One of the highlights of my Holy Cross experience was spending my junior year studying abroad in León, Spain, fully immersed in the Spanish language and culture. I have loved my four years here, not only because of the incredible education and opportunities I have received, but also because of the community here on campus.
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Sader Summer Scoop: Milagros Montenegro ’18

 

 

 

Name: Milagros Montenegro

Major/Minor/Concentration: Sociology

Graduation Year: 2018

What are you doing this summer?: Internship

 

 

 

 

What exactly are you doing?: Research Assistant for Field Research Gallo-Cruz Worcester Women’s Activist

How did you hear about this opportunity?: Professor Gallo-Cruz

What are you most excited about doing within this program?: Placing my understanding of sociology into application.

What are you hoping to gain from your experience?: Learning more about the Worcester community through the stories of its women.

Do you have any advice for prospective students thinking about doing an internship?: Do what sounds exciting and challenging both academically and personally, that’s the only way you will grow as a student/person in the next four years.

When you were in high school, did you expect to have this opportunity in college?:No, but I am extremely fortunate and excited for it.

 


Interviewee Pastor Judy and she runs the LGBT Asylum Seekers Task Force here in Worcester.
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Woo! for Worcester

 

Did you know that Worcester is the second-largest city in New England?  Of its 185,000 residents, students make up about one-fifth of the population, with 38,000 students attending 12 institutions of higher education.  I learned this during a bus tour led by members of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.  It was a beautiful summer day, and our hour-long tour included a drive past Worcester Technical High School, WPI, the Worcester Art Museum, and several parks, including Elm Park.

As a staff member who does not live in Worcester, it delighted me to learn more! Please read on for some of our staff member’s favorite places to eat near campus:

1. Sweet (72 Shrewsbury St) is a great option for pastries…one of my colleagues said, “The dosants are amazing–and were invented way before the Cronut!”

2. Another popular pastry shop is Culpepper’s (500 Cambridge St # 3).  A counselor recommended the yellow cookies, which are butter cookies drizzled with chocolate.

3. The Roasted Red (pizza) at Corner Grille (806 Pleasant St) is beloved in our office for its delicious, thin crust and high-quality ingredients.

4. For a more southern feel, try Smokestack Urban BBQ (139 Green St). You can never go wrong with their fried pickles!

Bon appetit, and come explore Worcester! Also, please stay tuned for a post on some of our students’ favorite places in the Woo.
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What to do in The Woo, Part I

JuliaSandersAs a Worcester native, and a representative of the Holy Cross admissions office, I spend a lot of time excitedly talking to prospective students about the city affectionately nicknamed “the Woo.”

There are many things that make Worcester an ideal college town and, over the next few months, I’d like to highlight a few of my favorites.  I hope this will benefit current Holy Cross students and future Crusaders alike.

So, without further ado, I give you the best of Worcester, installment one:

 

Question:  What should I do on a Saturday afternoon when there isn’t a football game?

Answer:  “WAM and Wooberry”

Start the day by taking the Consortium Shuttle to the Worcester Art Museum.  I love this museum because it is doable in one afternoon.  It’s a beautiful space that has a little of everything:  from ancient works to Van Gogh to Warhol.  It’s also free with your Holy Cross ID card.  Fun Fact:  A few scenes from David O. Russell’s widely anticipated film “American Hustle” were shot at the museum.

All that art-viewing is sure to leave you ready to indulge in a sweet treat.  A few short blocks away you’ll find the sweetest addition to the Highland Street corridor, Wooberry frozen yogurt.  Featuring an ever-changing assortment of flavors (Mango, Salted Caramel, and Pumpkin are just a few) , you’re sure to find something to make you smile.

Hope these suggestions help!  Feel free to call the admissions office if you’d like some more.
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Why Holy Cross? Community, Balance, Location

TranKim-Senior.BLOG2In case you are still debating whether or not Holy Cross is for you, I want to offer some of my personal and professional thoughts on why Holy Cross is so special and why you should apply. 

The community that exists at Holy Cross is incredibly supportive, nurturing and close-knit.  It is a place where students look out for each other, where faculty members take time to help each student succeed and where administrators take the time to get to know and care for each student.  You cannot get lost here as a student unless you are purposely trying to hide.  Struggle is inherent to the college experience, but regardless of the challenges they face during their time on the hill, students at Holy Cross have always been able to find the support they need to overcome any adversity and succeed.    

Second, you have the best of both worlds at Holy Cross, the excitement of a large school setting and the intimacy of a small school setting.  Because we offer a Division I athletic program, you will find incredible support for athletics and a strong network of fans for our various sports teams.  As I often say to students, you have the feel and energy of a bigger school at Holy Cross even though we are a community of less than 3,000.  It’s a place where you can count on students to proudly don their Holy Cross gear at football games or paint themselves purple to attend a basketball game.  At the same time, you can always count on receiving the best of what a small school can offer you:  one-on-one attention in the academic arena.  In the classroom, you are treated as an individual and as an intellectual.  Professors will not just talk at you but they will talk to you, and you can always expect to have a collaborative relationship with faculty members.

 A third reason is our location in Worcester.  Worcester is the second largest city in the New England region and is an incredible environment for higher learning.  It is rich in culture and industry with residents from all over the world and industries that range from medicine to education to business.  There is a little bit of something for everyone. Such an environment is uncommon for a small liberal arts school, most of which are located in more rural environments.  In Worcester, it is easy to find good food, good shopping and good entertainment among other things. 

I could give you a plethora of other reasons to attend Holy Cross but there’s not enough time.  I hope that these thoughts give you a few more things to consider as you make your enrollment decision.  And of course, I hope to see you on campus this coming fall!

 

Tran Kim-Senior
Assistant Director of Admissions
Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment
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Worcester: An Ideal College Town

It’s not Boston, and it’s not New York, but I believe Worcester to be the perfect place to attend college, especially when combined with the constant stream of activities that Holy Cross provides its students.    Here are just a few reasons why ‘the Woo’ is an ideal place to spend four years:

  1. 1.Because it’s NOT Boston or New York.   Worcester provides you with TONS of options ranging from street festivals and fabulous restaurants, to concert venues and hiking trails , without the constant distraction.  College is, in fact, a place to get some studying done, and our gorgeous hilltop location provides you with the opportunity to do just that.  Check out this view of campus!

    2. air_entire_campus_3

  2. Service:   in the Jesuit tradition.   Worcester is an incredibly diverse city – home to both great wealth, and a fair amount of poverty.  The original intention of the Jesuits was to build institutions in cities that could benefit from the students’ presence there.  So live out the Jesuit mission, and complement your liberal arts education with a taste of the real world.
  3. Experience is the most important thing on your resume, so maximize your liberal arts education with an internship.  Holy Cross alums are scattered all throughout the city, just waiting to give a Crusader a shot at greatness (Worcester area internships are offered at banks, law firms, hospitals, newspapers, radio stations,  magazines, social service agencies, sports teams, and a variety of other professional institutions.) If you don’t find what you’re looking for there, take a look at a sample of our summer internship offerings
  4. Multiply your course offerings by twelve. When you come to Holy Cross,  you are allowed to take classes (one per semester) at any school that is part of the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, including Tufts Veterinary, UMass Medical, Clark University, and WPI.

Want more? Call the Admissions Office, I’d be happy to share.

Julia Sanders
Admissions Counselor
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Try to relax this summer!

alyssa-tI just got off the phone with my seventeen year old cousin who is inevitably freaking out. If you are a rising high school senior, like he is, you have a lot to think about. Face it, next year at this time you will have graduated from your respective high school and most likely will be attending college summer orientation. This upcoming year has a lot in store for you as you begin to finalize your college list, visit campuses, interview, write your essays, and send out numerous applications. You have a lot of goals that need to be set and prioritizing that has to be done. Trust me, if you work hard, everything will get done.

As I spoke to my cousin though I realized that he was becoming so stressed about his senior year that he was not going to enjoy his summer. I had to help him take a step back to realize that he could become organized for the busy autumn ahead while still enjoying these summer months he has off.
Here are some of the ideas we discussed:

  • Plan a road trip with your friends to visit schools you are interested in.
  • Get your family involved. Plan a vacation that involves looking at some distant colleges while you are away. Even plan to visit those long lost relatives that live in states where colleges of interest might be.
  • Make a day of it! Come to Worcester in July for a great lunch on Shrewsbury Street and then check out our July Advisory Days.
  • On a rainy afternoon have a “mock interview” with a friend or family member.
  • Go to a café or diner with your friends, get lots of food, and talk about each other. Recalling great memories or stories from the past could lead to valuable material for that college essay.

I hope you can take advantage of one or all of these ideas listed and of course, find some excitement in the busy months ahead.

Alyssa Trometter
Admissions Counselor