From the colorful outdoor igloos at Lock 50 to the attention Worcester’s restaurants have received from Boston-area media, there’s plenty of excitement when it comes to the city’s dining scene.

But as Worcester continues to grow as a destination, owners of the city’s more upscale restaurants say the reality is more complex than that. From Worcester’s “restaurant row” on Shrewsbury Street to the cluster of eateries popping up in the Grid district, the city’s restaurateurs say they’re aiming to bridge a gap between Worcester’s blue-collar roots and the newcomers they hope to draw in.

Michael Covino, president of Niche Hospitality Group – which operates a number of restaurants throughout the city, including Bocado Tapas Wine Bar and Mezcal Tequila Cantina – said upscale restaurants make up a small percentage of the city's eateries. But he sees an opportunity for growth in the area, especially when it comes to what he calls "elevated food in a relaxed setting."

Covino noted that because "upscale" is such a subjective term, a restaurant's check average is a better indicator of establishments that could be considered high-end.

He said in Worcester, that scene is mostly untapped.

"I think that's the arena to be in as the city grows and more people look to the city to come in for the best-in-the-nation dining," he said. "I think that the quality of food, the quality of dining, the bar is constantly being raised year after year. I think that's helped put the city on the map."

From blue collar to upscale

A traditionally blue-collar city, Worcester's upscale restaurant owners say it can be a challenge to encourage diners to try new things – but one that they embrace wholeheartedly.

Jared Forman, owner of deadhorse hill – a rustic-chic New American restaurant on Main Street – said his goal is to make fine dining approachable to everyone. Forman also runs the more casual simjang restaurant, a Korean-American concept on Shrewsbury Street.

"Deadhorse started to bridge a gap between fine dining and the blue-collar system of Worcester," Forman said, adding that he's always loved the city's down-to-earth feel. "The dining style that was usually only afforded to very big cities and the wealthy in those cities, I think the goal for all of us in the culinary industry right now is to make the techniques and the talent available to everyone."

For Forman, that means running the gamut as much as possible.

He said dinner does a good job of attracting audiences that are going to catch shows at The Hanover Theatre, The Palladium or Mechanics Hall.

In general, patrons at The Palladium don't want an elegant meal. Forman said they typically stop in for a quick beer and something tasty before heading to their show. That crowd is the reason why he leaves fried chicken on the menu year-round.

On the other end of the spectrum, Forman said theatergoers at The Hanover want more of an elegant meal. And keeping those types of patrons happy comes down to reading the customer. He said he always keeps special items like caviar, truffles and oysters on-hand for when he wants to break out something special.

"It's all very dependent on the individual and I think the idea here is we provide a level of service that is really in tune to reading our guests," he said.

Covino said he sees a similar pattern when it comes to Worcester's diners and he, like Forman, wants to inspire patrons to try new things.

That, he said, means putting people in a comfortable situation where they don't feel judged for not knowing the menu's more obscure ingredients.

Covino said as an operator who knows the source of those items, it's easy to get frustrated by apprehensive diners. But he said restaurateurs need to make an assumption that people are going to be nervous about trying new things, and realizing that's OK.

"Not everybody is going to go for broke on an item they can't pronounce," he said.

Covino said he thinks there need to be some level of education – for example, explaining to customers that if they normally like a certain ingredient, then they'll also like the lesser-known ingredient. That, he said, makes diners feel more comfortable.

"We take products that are maybe not mainstream and we might combine them with something that is more mainstream," he said. "I think putting people at ease and letting them know that they're making a good decision is a big part of hospitality and service."

Bill Aldrich, owner of Theatre Cafe.

‘Pushing the envelope’

At deadhorse hill, Forman said the menu is designed to make diners feel a little uncomfortable, but not overwhelmed.

"I want to lean into the things that work but at the same time, I want to keep pushing the envelope," he said.

When Forman goes out to eat, he said he likes to think about dining in a four-course approach – something light followed by a middle course, then a heavier entrée followed by dessert. In Worcester, he said that doesn't work.

"Something I've noticed in Worcester and a lot of blue-collar towns is people are like, 'Nope, I want my app, I want my entrée, then I want my dessert,'" he said.

At Lock 50, Russo's team has worked to adjust the restaurant's menu to cater to all comfort levels.

"It was things like tossing on a really great burger, which you do see at high-end restaurants all around the world," he said. "You're putting items on the menu that people can relate to, even though we still push our chef's tastings, which allows the chef to really show his talent and his color."

Bill Aldrich, who opened Theatre Cafe next to the Hanover nine years ago, said he’s found success catering to showgoers and hosting regular Supper Clubs to draw in customers on non-show nights.

While the cafe’s lunch menu is more inexpensive and casual, its pre-theatre dinner offerings include pricier dishes like a $25 wild boar ragout and lobster ravioli. Aldrich said every table in the small restaurant is usually full on show nights.

"We have a large list of regulars who we've had for years and years,” he said. “Our breakfast and lunch business and our theatregoers are a very dedicated crowd who basically buy their tickets for the season, reserve their table for the season, as well, so we always have a standing list of reservations a year out."

About five years ago, Aldrich started a Supper Club to bring in customers on nights when there isn’t a show at The Hanover. The events, which feature live entertainment and a six- to seven-course dinner menu, cost $50-60 and are bring-your-own-beer.

Each Supper Club night has a different theme -- past events have included Christmas dinner, Cinco de Mayo and Beer, Bourbon and Wine -- and have gained a devoted following.

"We basically take our creativity and create a menu that's something you wouldn't make at home, something that’s completely different," he said.

Jared Forman, owner of Worcester's deadhorse hill and simjang restaurants.

‘Filling an important role in the city’

But when it comes to the city’s overall fine dining scene, restauranteurs say options are limited.

Forman said notable restaurants like Armsby Abbey, BirchTree Bread Co. and Volturno are good at what they do, but none fall into the “fine dining” category.

"I feel like I'm filling an important role in the city, and there are a handful of good restaurants in the city – all very different from deadhorse – we are the most 'fine dining' restaurant around, and anyone else, in my opinion, just does not compare," he said. "The good restaurants, they're good at what they do, but this is not what they do."

He said what's tough about a culture that puts more emphasis on new restaurants instead of good restaurants is that people may get excited when chains move in, but they're a much different animal than many of the locally-owned options.

"I don't want to be compared to those, the Burtons, the 110 Grills -- these are chain restaurants that I don’t want to be compared to, and it's hard in Worcester because there's not a lot of restaurants to really be compared to," he said.

As the city continues to grow, Russo believes it will become important for Worcester to maintain a mix of price points and options. He said he doesn't believe the city will suddenly transform into an upscale dining destination for all. And while chains have their place, local restaurateurs agree that place isn't necessarily in Worcester.

"In cities that have a good food scene, there are a limited number of chain restaurants," Russo said. "I would consider that in Worcester and I hope to god it will stay like that."

On the south side of Main Street, Aldrich said he’s seen the three-block area around his café grow remarkably over the past few years. Restaurants like 110 Grill, Craft Table & Bar and Revolution Pie + Pint have moved in, creating a scene that wasn’t there five years ago.

“Now obviously there are more players in our area of town and that’s a good thing because when people look to go out to dinner, unless they’re going to the theatre, they’ve always looked at Shrewsbury Street., Park Avenue, Highland, the other end of Main Street as their options and no one really looked to come down here for dinner,” he said. “That forced us to be a little more creative.”

Ed Russo, owner of Worcester's Lock 50.

The diners

At deadhorse, Forman said the restaurant is supported primarily by a core group of regulars, as well as some patrons that are in the city for business.

"That is incredibly important to our survival," he said. "For people like that, their expectation of me is to give them something new, something exciting every time they come in."

Russo said Lock 50 is increasingly seeing out-of-towners make the trip to Worcester specifically to dine at the restaurant. The colorful outdoor igloos that Lock 50 added this year have helped make it a destination, and have also brought in younger demographics.

A few weeks ago, he said a group of six drove to Worcester from upstate New Hampshire just to visit Lock 50. Another couple came from Cape Cod. The restaurant has also seen more people crossing town lines for lunch, he said.

Since it opened in 2016, Russo said Lock 50's profits have seen a 50 percent year-over-year increase.

Covino said the growing buzz around Worcester's food scene is driving more traffic in from outside of the city.

"I think people's expectations get higher, so I think we're in a phase where people will be willing to drive to Worcester," Covino said. "I think the 'eat here' growth has been the fastest growth for Worcester more than 'live here, work here, shop here.'"

Mike Covino, president of Niche Hospitality Group.

Future growth

Covino said as the city's dining scene continues to grow, its housing market needs to catch up.

And with rising labor costs and commercial occupancy rates, He worries restaurant owners will be prevented from making creative decisions.

"I think that my concern is that we'll get stagnant with our creativity," he said.

Covino said one of the tricky things about Worcester right now is the buzz about the area has drawn in a lot of new eateries. But without increased traffic from patrons, he worries rent will continue to increase while the volume of customers won't be enough to support the city's growing dining scene.

"Even though we're on our way up, I think we might see a crash a little bit in restaurants," he said.

Russo hopes that luxury properties like the apartments at 145 Front Street will help the city's more expensive restaurants by bringing in customers with bigger budgets.

And when it comes to dining in Worcester, Forman doesn't see any other restaurant as his competition, as they all offer unique food and atmospheres. But he sees some of the new places that have opened downtown as a detriment to the city's overall scene by offering what he believes is a low-quality experience.

"That's negative to me, not because they're taking our business, but because they're being a poor steward of hospitality in the city," he said.

Aldrich said as the city’s dining scene continues to grow, the restaurants that stick around will be the ones that offer an authentic experience.

"I think there’s room for good players who stay true to their word and they actually bring in fresh fish and serve fresh vegetables and cook fresh food as opposed to those how say that they’re a scratch kitchen and serve frozen out of the bag stuff,” he said. “The diners, once they eat at a restaurant, they realize what they’re getting for their money and they make the decision to go back or not.”