Perfect Place for Bacon Lovers

Located in the Canal District in Worcester, MA, The Hangover Pub is the place to go to if you LOVE bacon. The entire menu has included bacon in its items. There are drinks infused with bacon oils, chicken and waffles topped with syrup infused with bacon, bacon stuffed donuts, and even bacon chowder (which has won Best Chowder two times in a row). Just by looking at the restaurant, you will most likely know it is a pub. The lights are dimmed and hang from the ceilings so it adds to the “pub” vibe. Chalks covered the walls of the restaurant with the menu items neatly written in different styles with animations too. I ordered the chicken fingers which were super good. I suggest getting a menu item that has chicken in it. Having such limited items that do not have bacon creates a problem for people who do not like bacon, but right next door there is a ramen restaurant called Broth that is part of the Hangover Pub. I had the privilege to speak with the head chef and owner Michael Arrastia. He told us the history of the restaurant and how The Hangover Pub is the first New England bacon-gastro pub. Overall, The Hangover Pub is a place that I will definitely show my bacon loving brother.

Bacon Dusted Chicken Fingers with a Spicy Aioli Sauce ($9)

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary.

Value: ★★★

Atmosphere: ★★

Food and Drinks: ★★

Service: ★★★

Put a cherry on top of your cupcake at Queens Cups

In a city full of restaurants, Queen’s Cups definitely stands out. It is a small cupcake bakery located in Worcester, Massachusetts. They sell mostly cupcakes and desserts. During my visit there, I had the opportunity to decorate cupcakes with the staff. They started out by helping me during the first four cupcakes and allowed me to decorate two other cupcakes by myself. The bakery was small in size so it was not built for volume. The inside of the bakery was nicely decorated. The brick walls stood out the most in a good way. The rooms had a nice pink and gold theme with flowers. The hanging lights above the table gave a nice touch to the rooms too. The service were so helpful and very nice. Overall, Queen’s Cups has turned into one of my favorite bakeries I have ever been into. The cupcakes were delicious and the service were so kind. The next time I have a craving for cupcakes, I definitely know where I will be going.

Cupcakes that I had decorated at Queens Cups.
A single cupcake cost $3.50

Sugar Rush Cupcake topped with assorted candies and has a candy filling

Strawberry Milkshake Cupcake topped with strawberry frosting, sprinkles, and a strawberry filled with sliced strawberries

Chocolate Sundae cupcake topped with mini chocolate kisses, “ice cream scoop” made of frosting, chocolate drizzle, and a cherry filled with brownie batter

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary.

Value: ★★

Atmosphere: ★★★★

Food and Drinks: ★★★

Service: ★★★★★

Modern but Antique Cafe: The Rose Room in Webster, MA

Looking for a relaxing and peaceful place to start your morning can be difficult. The Rose Room Cafe and Tonic Bar in Webster, Massachusetts is just the right place. The cafe looks very antique but modern in a way. Everything is written on chalkboards and mirrors and have a very common color theme which is something I first noticed. The wood walls and beautiful lights give off a “homey” feeling. The menu is comfort foods at its finest. Everything that is served at the Rose Room is grown and bought from local farms. I ordered the yo-gertie ($4) which was greek yogurt with assorted toppings such as cinnamon apples. The greek yogurt, alone, lacked flavor but the toppings brought the yogurt to life. Lattes at the cafe were so aesthetically pleasing. On the top of the latte, they had made a heart. The service were very kind. They definitely cared for their customers. They checked in every once in a while to see how we liked the food or how we are doing. The price of the food was perfect for your pocket and the flavor of the item. I loved how they used flower printed plates and various flowers throughout the cafe to match the “rose room” vibe. Overall, I recommend this restaurant to someone who wants a healthy meal in a quiet atmosphere.

Yo-gertie from the Rose Room Cafe located in Webster, Massachusetts. The drink is the latte ($4) with a heart design on top.

These are all plates of “yo-gerties” with a latte and two cold brews from the Rose Room cafe. They are all in assorted flower printed plates and have assorted flower printed napkins.

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary

Value: ★★★

Atmosphere:★★★★

Food and Drinks: ★★

Service: ★★★★

Weekend Excursion to Logee’s Greenhouse

After a good lunch around northeastern Connecticut, make your way down to Logee’s Greenhouse located in Danielson, Connecticut. This place is full of vibrant and bright flowers and plants. It feels like you are in another world as soon as you step in through the door because Winter can be pretty dull. The ceiling is decorated with vines and there is even a mini waterfall by the entrance. There are three greenhouses full of different plants, ferns, herbs, and even citrus trees. In the herb house, you can even touch the different plants and smell them. The Chocolate Mint herb smells just like mint chocolate. The plants and flowers are even for sale so you can leave with a couple of plants of your own. It is a great place to spend an afternoon.

A beautiful flower at Logee’s Greenhouse

The mini waterfall by the greenhouse entrance

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary.

Price: FREE

Experience: ★★★★

Buy and Eat Local at Heirloom Cafe

Located in Danielson Connecticut, Heirloom food company is an organic cafe that is vegan based. All of their food is bought from local farms. They even had a map of where they get their food and ingredients from which was a nice touch. As soon as you walk in through the doors, a feeling of home instantly comes upon you. The menu is written up on chalkboards that are hung above the counter. The items are written in various vibrant colors and are very aesthetically pleasing so you instantly attracted. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is very put together. The art is very abstract and in every corner there lies a plant. The color of the walls in every room are different which throws off the overall vibe. Being able to see into the kitchen is also very intriguing. They offer various healthy food options and drink options that are very delicious. The options on the menu are more pricey considering the items were something I could make at home. The flavors were unique and different in a good way because it was a combination of flavors that I had never had before. Overall, it was a good restaurant to sit down and have a healthy lunch.

The Grown Up Grilled Cheese ($10) with a Monkey Business Smoothie ($8.25)

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary.

Value: ★★

Atmosphere: ★★★★

Food and Drinks: ★★

Service: ★★★

Mezcal Cantina: Up and Blooming Mexican Restaurant

Mezcal Cantina, a Mexican restaurant, is located in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts right across from the DCU. The first noticeable feature of Mezcal is the interior design. The walls are decorated with vibrant and abstract art giving off a modern vibe. Each and every room is different when it comes to design. The menu fits my realm of being adventurous, yet careful when it comes to food. You can order a Almond Joy Guacamole ($14) which consists of Belgian dark chocolate chunks, toasted coconut, chopped smokehouse almonds topped with a chili honey drizzle or a simple Chicken Quesadilla ($11). The dishes have unique flavors. The value of the dishes fits well with the taste so it works out well for your pocket. Overall, Mezcal Cantina is the perfect restaurant to go to after a long night with your friends or a concert at the DCU.

Star Ratings from One to Five: One star, poor. Two stars, satisfactory. Three stars, good. Four stars, very good. Five stars, extraordinary.

Value: ★★★

Atmosphere: ★★★★

Food and Drinks: ★★

Service: ★★★