Has anyone eaten at Volterra? How is the food and ambience? How long/$ of a cab ride is it from downtown seattle? Considering dinner there - the menu on their website looked great. We want a romantic restaurant that isn't stuffy- but that we could dress up a little for.
As some of you may remember from my earlier posts with hotel and restaurant questions, we were supposed to have already made our trip. However, our little one got sick and we had to cancel and reschedule for this coming weekend. Still looking forward to it and came across this restaurant which looked interesting. Have reservations at Campagne but could switch if this restaurant is excellent. We do love Italian food.

It is located in the Ballard neighborhood about five miles north of downtown. I haven't eaten there, but the buzz in good.

Il Tarrazzo Carmine is an excellent Italian restaurant, but the atmosphere is a little on the stuffy side (and it's no place for a "little one").

Cafe Jaunita, located in Kirkland (on the other side of Lake Washington), is reputed to be the best Italian restaurant in the area. It's been on my list for over ten years, but I've never made it there.

Ballard is quite aways from downtown Seattle. I'm guessing about $20-30 taxi ride.

For Italian downtown have you thought about La Fontana or Assagios? Both in the Belltown area. Or Il Bistro in the Market? Or AL Boccalino in Pioneer Square?

Thanks for the thoughts so far. I don't think we are willing to spend $30 for a cab ride when there are great choices within walking distance, so thanks for that info. And just a side note- the little one is staying at the grandparents, this is an adult only weekend- yeah!!

Campagne is excellent. If you eat in the dining room, dress up, but for the cafe, no need to. An Italian restaurant that's gotten great reviews here on Fodors and I plan to try soon is La Fontana. You can check it out at www.lafontanasicilian.com. It's walking distance from downtown, though Campagne is much closer to downtown.

Happy to help. I realized after I posted that that Ballard taxi fare I quoted is one-way, so you'd be in for more like $50+ round-trip!

I don't see how you could go wrong with Campagne. But do like all of the other downtown Italian restaurants that have been mentioned too.