Worcester Business Journal

22 Worcester Business Journal | October 25, 2021 | wbjournal.com F A C T B O O K R E S T A U R A N T S Out to eat T he restaurant scene in and around Worcester is growing. As the city's population increases – it's up 14% over the last decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, making it the fastest- growing major city in New England – so too are its dining options. Stephen Clark, vice president of government affairs at the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said he didn't have hard data, but estimated 50-75 restaurants opened in and around the city over a four to five year period before the pandemic. "Worcester really put itself on the map," Clark said. As a result of an increase in customers, driven in part by western migration out of and away from Boston, he said, the Central Massachusetts restaurant scene is expanding, providing a variety of dining options geared toward meeting increased demand. at growth is happening both in Worcester proper and in surrounding communities, particularly to the city's As Greater Worcester grows in population, so does its dining scene BY MONICA BENEVIDES WBJ Senior Staff Writer east. "Worcester, in the last 25 years, 30 years, has become increasingly known throughout New England as a dining destination spot," said Timothy Murray, president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce. "at has not always been the case." More diverse offerings In the city, he said, individual business districts are oen anchored by one or two restaurants. But more recently, restaurant districts are themselves cohering around each other, Murray said, pointing to the emergence of Shrewsbury Street, Highland Street, and, to some extent, the Canal District. But it's not just the quantity that's been growing, either. "e other piece is, you know, as the city has become more diverse, there's a more diverse level of offerings that I think people are attracted to," Murray said. ere aren't necessarily hard-and- fast characteristics setting Worcester's food scene apart from surrounding or competing markets, but there are some nuanced trends. For one, tabs at area restaurants skew a bit cheaper than, for example, Boston. at's driven in large part by lower overhead costs – it's cheaper to rent or buy a space outside of a major city. But that's not necessarily a consistent rule, especially with increasing food costs and, currently, supply chain issues affecting virtually every industry under the sun, restaurants included. "It's a little less expensive if you were to dine in Worcester, but if you're going to a high-end restaurant in Worcester, your price point is going to equal a higher-end restaurant in Boston," Clark said. New and expanding restaurants in Central Massachusetts are oen aiming to cater to a population, concentrated in and around the MetroWest, where tech and healthcare companies are booming and residents tend to have a bit more disposable income than other regions, said Clark. is has helped prop up the development of smaller-scale suburban restaurant communities in that part of Ground Effect Brewing in Hudson was one of many restaurants to create an outdoor dining space to service customers during the coronavirus pandemic. Restaurants have to get creative with social distancing and capacity require- ments during the coronavirus pandemic, as eateries like Lookout Farm Brewing & Cider Co. spread diners outside. PHOTOS/GRANT WELKER

• Cover