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Worcester, MA, Residents Get the Best of Both Worlds

Worcester offers big-city opportunities, small-city charm and entertainment options for people of all ages. 

By Rebecca Treon on December 12, 2022

Exterior of The Mercantile in Worcester, MA.
Nathan Lambrecht

Bored and looking for something fun to do? You don’t have to travel far because Worcester holds its own with entertainment options aplenty. In addition, there are myriad things to do in downtown Worcester, no matter what time of year.

Whether it’s dining, shopping, performing arts — you name it — Worcester has it, with more exciting businesses opening all the time. In addition, Worcester has created an “18-hour downtown,” a place where people can work by day and be entertained by night. 

A mural on the wall of Wormtown Brewery, which is located in Worcester, MA.
Courtesy of Wormtown Brewer

“It was obvious to me when we were in the planning and permitting stage that Worcester wants to be a really exciting midsized city, and it’s really headed there,” says Anthony Santurri, partner at Free Play Bar Arcade. “I was treated with such graciousness and a willingness to help me navigate everything that it was evident immediately that as business owners, we made an absolute home run choice to open a location here.” 

Exterior of The Hanover Theatre with the marquee lit before a show in Worcester, MA.
Scott Erb

Put a Head on It

Lovers of the performing arts will want to visit the Hanover Theatre, which anchors the downtown Theater District and includes beer gardens, coffee shops and restaurants. In addition, Worcester’s first rooftop restaurant, The Mercantile, just opened, offering brunch, live entertainment and a late-night menu.

Worcester is a boon for beer lovers, too: It’s tapped into the craft beer scene and offers a wealth of breweries and taprooms, including Wormtown, Greater Good, Redemption Rock, Bay State and Wachusett, while inside Peppercorn’s Grille & Tavern, an outpost of Double Down Brewing has set up shop. Just outside of the city, suds aficionados will find Purgatory Beer, Tree House and Seven Saws, among others.

“Harpoon just opened a new brewery,” says Caraline Giguere, co-owner at School Yahd, a 20,000-square-foot games venue in West Boylston. “The WooSox baseball team is also doing a lot of community events at their new stadium — there are a lot of great new restaurants opening up, outdoor beer gardens, places with patios, different activities — it’s been really coming up, the scene is getting really good.”

“Triple A Jay” Stewart entertains on stilts outside Polar Park before a Worcester Red Sox game in Worcester, MA.
Nathan Lambrecht

Play It Out

Wintertime in Worcester doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. There are a number of ways to cure your cabin fever with indoor recreation. If you want to try your hand at axe throwing, Far Shot Worcester on Front Street will be just your speed. Had a stressful week at the office? SmashIt2 is Worcester County’s only “smash room,” where you can grab a baseball bat, thunder stick or sledgehammer and break stuff.

On Union Street, Free Play Bar Arcade has over 130 vintage arcade games, including the likes of Donkey Kong, Mortal Kombat and Pac-Man, plus more than a dozen pinball machines and other games like air hockey and skeeball — and they’re all set to unlimited free play. Designed for folks over 21 (with monthly family-friendly days), it’s a great place to relax with a cold one and a pizza, play the games of your youth and listen to some throwback tracks.

“We wanted a place where people could go out for $40 apiece, have a few drinks, share a pizza, listen to some music and play unlimited games all night,” Santurri says. “The idea is to transport us back to a time when we were younger, but with people our own age, though our family days have also been wildly successful.”

Eduarda Santos cheers on the Worcester Red Sox during a game at Polar Park in Worcester, MA.
Nathan Lambrecht

And you can be active no matter the weather. At the School Yahd on West Boylston Street, you can act like a kid again with this recess-themed space available for dodgeball, kickball and soccer; life-sized games like Jenga, Connect 4 and Battleship. In addition, they host special events, drop-in hours for adults and kids, and league play. Plus, they have a full bar and a menu of small bites.

“I grew up about 20 minutes away, and I live in Worcester now, and I’m very involved in the local community,” says Giguere, who also owns Ultimate Obstacles, a ninja warrior training gym next door. “What we love is that places like the School Yahd are open for people of all ages and any skill level — people can come for family time, bring the kids and the grandparents, or spend time with friends and family — there’s something for everybody, which is huge.”

Anna Coffey, left, Kevin March, Lindsay Walker and Dan Furman talk while at the outdoor bar at The Mercantile in Worcester, MA.
Nathan Lambrecht

Meet Me at The Mercantile

Worcester’s newest dining and entertainment hub is like nothing the city has seen before — it’s akin to something you’d find in a metropolis like New York or Boston and is already becoming a local landmark mere months after opening. 

The Mercantile is a 13,000-square-foot, 500-seat restaurant that features two stories — the upper level with a rooftop deck overlooking downtown Worcester — and two full bars. Its garage-door-style windows open to give diners an outdoor feel. Operators plan to add live entertainment on the rooftop in the future. Right now, the space can also be reserved for private events.

Wacuga Nganga, left, and Kevin March talk while at the outdoor bar at The Mercantile in Worcester, MA.
Nathan Lambrecht

Owned by Broadway Hospitality Group, which is behind brands like Tavern in the Square and several other stand-alone restaurants, The Mercantile is the company’s most ambitious project to date.

The menu is centered around approachable American comfort food with a global influence — think shareable plates like spinach artichoke dip to a selection of white or red pizzas, hearty sandwiches and their signature burger. The brunch menu features many of the same favorites with the addition of breakfast classics like eggs Benedict, waffles, crepes, and French toast, plus a slew of a.m. cocktails. Naturally, with two bars, drinks are a focus at The Mercantile. It offers quaffable faves like shareable margs (served as an 80-ounce tower, it’s Instagram-ready) and sangria, craft cocktails, global wines by the glass and bottle, and a wide selection of regionally brewed beers (plus a couple of ciders). 

Want to know more?

To learn more about the Worcester area, check out the latest edition of Livability Worcester, MA

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