Volterra

Despite the common complaint that quality Italian food is hard to come by in Seattle, owner-operator Michelle Quisenberry and her co-owner/executive chef husband, Don Curtiss, have been packing crowds in since the doors on their Ballard Avenue space opened in 2005. The perpetually evolving selection of "little bites" ($10 per person) is always a delightful, seasonally inspired tour of whatever the kitchen is jazzed about at the moment. Rotating pasta specials are often alluring, but it's always the gusto and grace with which they approach their signature wild-boar tenderloin-typically served with gorgonzola cream sauce-that completes the Tuscan seduction. The cocktail menu and wine list are exceptional too. Drinks are modestly priced (the Volterra Sky house cocktail rings in at $6.50), and the spacious dining room opens to a low-lit expansive bar with rustic wood interiors-perfect conditions to linger away an evening over house-made pasta and a bottle of red.

• Cuisine(s): Italian

  Hours: Sun,Sat 9am-2pm, Sun 4pm-9pm, Mon-Thu 4:30pm-12am, Fri 4:30pm-1am, Sat 4pm-1am

  Price: $$$

• Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards, cash, ATM/Debit

  Features: Patio/Sidewalk Dining, Takeout, Delivery, Private Party, Catering, Wheelchair Accessible, Family Style

  Serving: Brunch, Dinner, Late Night

• Alcohol: Full bar

  Reservations: Accepted, Highly Recommended

  Parking: Street