Terroir

Terroir looks to me like a restaurant on its way out. While eating there tonight (a Saturday) there was only one other table in the restaurant the entire time we were there, during prime dining hours. When I say it looks like a restaurant about to go out, I mean half the light bulbs are burnt out, the bathrooms are gross, and the bartender is wearing a *wife beater* despite the fact that the wait staff is wearing all black. Not to mention that the hostess that seated us, who did not do a lick of anything during our stay, looked like she was about to spit nails, no matter how much we tried to lighten the mood.
We ordered the tasting menu, which traditionally is a sampling of the restaurant’s finest dishes. For $ 35 EACH, we got a mediocre salad, mediocre random fish cakes, and mediocre fish rissotto. The fish was very salty, and not one dish was worth its share of the price. Top that off with the fact that the fire alarm went off THREE times, and you have one awful meal. On top of that, nothing was comped to us, despite the fact that I barely touched the Incredibly meager portions I was served, and the intense flashing lights, sirens, and the fire truck parked directly out front.
The only reason this review has two stars instead of one star is because our server was wonderful. She was attentive, witty, and quite frankly, should be working at a restaurant that deserves to charge more than twenty dollars a plate.
Even so, I will return to terroir when heck freezes over, or when they charge an appropriate amount for what they serve.

Terroir offers one of the best wine lists in Longmont. The food has never disappointed, though I’m not a fan of the stark, almost minimalist interior. Service is generally good, and I like their offerings from local growers and farms. However, because of local sourcing and an up-​and-​down economy, you may find they are out of a special or regular menu item if you’re there later in the evening. That’s not usually an issue since they offer plenty of tasty items, but if you have your heart set on a particular dish, have a backup in mind.

OK, let’s start out by saying that the food was really pretty good and the ambiance was upscale and trendy, which Longmont needs. Oh, is this what Longmont needs. I’m also intrigued by some of the special events they advertise on their website. However. The waitstaff left a big nasty taste that overwhelmed the food.
For example; there was a couple that came in and sat at the table next to ours. It was interesting to see the waitress cater to them, while we sat and waited. In fact, we watched while they got bread. Wine. Napkins and sliverware. More water. And we waited. We ended up placing our wine order with our meal order. Boooo…
The appetizer was too big, so we asked for a box. We never got the box back and forgot to ask about it when we left. Another star off… boooo…
Lastly, we noted in our reservation that it was our 17^th anniversary. The waitress said at the end of our meal, «wow, that’s really great». OK, we didn’t need a cake with a sparkler in it, but a glass of wine or maybe a dessert to split or *something* special as a surprise for the S.O. would have made up for a lot. But no.

I first went to Terroir for a wine dinner last summer, and I’ve never looked back. I have yet to try anything a la carte; we always enjoy the prix fixe menus that Chef Tim Payne creates for various occasions; we have been for New Year’s, for Food Day, for Denver Restaurant Week, and the food is always spectacular — get the wine pairings, Melissa does an absolutely superb job. Terroir is the best restaurant in Longmont, period.

I really wanted to come out of this place feeling like a million bucks! Sadly, I could not.
Most of our food was great, but my main dish was just not that good. It was the only vegetarian option, but I wasn’t very impressed. It was okay, just not worth the price.
3-​stars with the hope that I can bump it up higher after another visit.

On a business trip, came out to Terroir during happy hour– could not be more satisfied.
Had an arugula sausage pizza, surprisingly awesome. Paired it with a Malbec, which was very smooth.
Ended up getting full off the small plate (more of a shareable plate) so skipped an entrée.
For dessert i had a blueberry crisp which was delicious. Tart, sweet, very good.
Overall very satisfied, clean, quiet place. Nice staff– and during happy hour my meal was very inexpensive.
Will come back soon

We eat here last night as part of Denver Restaurant Week.
Food was good. In general, I’d say above average.
Nice wine pairings to go along with each course. Our favorite was the Lobster Ravioli and the Strawberry Soup.
French Fry Chick Peas was interesting. Lamb meatballs pretty good. Short Ribs just melted in your mouth. Rib-​eye again was interesting.
If you live in Longmont (don’t want to drive into Boulder or Denver) and want a special place to celebrate. Terroir would be a good place to go.
Terroir is just following in the foot steps of Root Down, Linger and Frasca. Organic, local and with a solid wine list.

Get the gnocchi. At the very least, get a small plate of the gnocchi and split it. It would be a crime to leave here without trying these fluffy pillows of heaven.
I’m thrilled to live within walking distance of Terroir. The food is locally sourced and they have delicious vegetarian options (they make their own seitan and it’s incredible). The portions are not massive, but that’s ok. I was slightly concerned that I only got 3 scallops, but they were so rich and wonderfully prepared that it turned out to be the perfect amount (and left me a little room for dinner).
I’m not a big wine drinker, but I’ve really enjoyed the wine pairings. The service is excellent.

Terroir is a diamond in the rough. Not to call main street longmont the rough, but the dining experience at Terroir is matched only by the finest restaurants in CO, or anywhere for that matter. The food is loved at Terroir. The vegetables are grown locally (with the help of the owners), and the meats and fish are carefully chosen and matched with skill. The menu is both creative and classic. I have had some of the best «versions» of my favorite dishes here. Potato gnocchi raviolis filled with Gorgonzola– are you kidding? Brilliant! Also– for vegetarians. you will be understood here. The owner/​chef offers up AMAZING vegetarian option ALL the time.
The wine list is superb. I dine here often and every time Melissa (owner/​bartender) remembers what i had last time and we discuss the next wine to suit my tastes and my entrée. Best service I’ve ever had. We are lucky to experience a treat like this in longmont. Its not just service skill either. you are being cared for here. guided through an awesome menu with your tastes in mind.
Don’t miss the butterscotch pot de crème if its on the menu, and do yourself a favor and ask Melissa whats good. You will never be steered wrong. I hope to see you there. ill be at the bar taking Melissa’s suggestions. Cheers!

We absolutely love Terroir. This is our favorite restaurant for special occasions. The food is wonderful and innovative with clean and focused flavors. They have a great wine list too! We also love that they have farm dinners, wine dinners and beer dinners! Tim offers cooking classes on the weekends which are really fun with a lot of individual attention. (Very good for people like me who have limited knife skills!) Most recently we had the squash blossoms which are a seasonal favourite of ours.
We are from the SF area so we are quite familiar with foodie food. This fits the bill nicely for us. :-)
And seriously… chain food? Not even close… by a LONG SHOT!

Love the food here. Owners are great. It’s really nice to be able to go out and treat yourself to delicious clean food here in Longmont. The reviewer who compares them to chain food is crazy. I love what they do.

Been to Terrior 4 times now. Some dishes are outstanding and some are disappointing to say the least. Terrior shines when the dishes are kept simple, but often the chef seems to think more is better and fails at the basics. There is no one as creative in Longmont, so don’t take me wrong. The bar is great as is the wine list. I am really happy Terrior has staying power and intend to return seasonally.

I love supporting this great little place! Delicious food every time. Vegan options always. Amazing wine! Melissa is just wonderful at picking great wines, so be sure to ask her advice. The service is always friendly and warm. Lovely to support a yummy, elegant place in LoMo!

I’ve been here 3 times now — twice with in-​laws and once with my husband. Each time, the service was fast and efficient and they were able to handle changes well. The place isn’t huge but they keep good space between tables and (good or bad) the traffic and noise are on the low side. Bonus: they take your coat for you and have opentable.
The negative: my fish was slightly overdone and they are a bit expensive (~30−50 per person).

This place is very special to me, not because of the food, but because of the people.
A few months back I was looking for a place to take my girlfriend who I… cared for a lot. She lives in Colorado and I live in Texas. I wanted to take her on a great date when I visit very soon, so a month ago I called and talked with a manager and told him I wanted the night to be special. Since the place is a little small he was going to make me a special table for two and give me an area that would be quiet and where it would be even more personable. I can’t tell you how many places I read about on Unilocal and how many places I called, but the people I talked to at Terroir were so nice and they showed they really care I had a great time. Well… Just 4 days before the big day, right before I fly up to visit this great place, my girlfriend ended our relationship with me and I had to cancel the reservation.
I will not be visiting this place because of how depressing it will be to go to the place alone when I’m supposed to be with my ex.
I felt it was important to show how fantastic of a place this is and how fantastic the employees and managers area. These people really care and I wish I could have eaten here and enjoy the food I hear is so amazing.
Maybe one day when I move on I’ll be able to visit friends an eat here without any depressing thoughts in my mind.

Had a very nice experience here for Restaurant Week! Though I’ve never really thought about dining out in Longmont, our friends in north Boulder were up for checking this place out — so we tagged along too! :)
This is a bistro-​style dining experience. The décor is sleek and modern, and fits the «new American» cuisine nicely.
You could choose from 4 starters, 5 entrees, and 3 desserts. My choices were:
–Beet salad — mixed greens, roasted beets, walnut-​crusted goat cheese, and beet vinaigrette. When the salad was brought to the table, it looked DRENCHED in dressing. I was scared. However, a couple of bites revealed that the dressing was mostly composed of beet purée so was flavorful and not too fattening. Whew! It was delicious. Only wish there were different-​colored beets for presentation and taste
–Hand-​cut spinach tagliatelle, Long Farm chorizo meatballs, tomato sauce. Of all of the entrees, I felt that this portion was a little small. My dining companions got the duck confit (which was a HUGE portion) and the pork (which was just the right portion size). My pasta was a little light on the portion, and I got 5 silver dollar-​sized meatballs. Great flavor (I think it wasn’t pure chorizo in the meatballs, as they were pretty mild), and nice presentation
–Pear crisp with crème fraîche ice cream. The ice cream wasn’t very fraiche-​y (I like a nice sharp bite), but was delicious nonetheless over the pear crisp. Very nice ending to the meal!
I like that their wine list enables you to order half glass, glass, or bottle. They also give suggesting pairings for each dish on their menu. Unfortunately, I wasn’t impressed with either of my by-​the-​glass pairings and wished the table just got a bottle instead.
The service was a little lackluster and slow at times, but I’m pretty sure our waitress was still in high school!
Definitely would not mind coming back here if I am in the neighborhood!

Out celebrating, keeping it real in Longmont, finally get a chance to see what Terroir had to offer. I am almost self flagellating in my remorse. I had driven by, eyeing the restaurant and even once walked by, stopping to peruse the menu. Only now, during «First Bite» & mid Nov of 2008, do my wife and I finally walk through the doors of Terroir to view the menu and taste locally raised and prepared food. If you are unfamiliar with First Bite Boulder, restaurants participating in First Bite offer a prix-​fixe three-​course menu for $ 26. I am happy to report that Tim Payne’s restaurant is tastefully done, with well trained staff and a nice menu graced with subtlety and some nice refinement. I would definitely show up again (and plan on it).
My wife timed our arrival for 5:30 on a Friday night, in order to start our weekend early. We parked in front and gained the always appreciated Rock Star Parking. We walked in, clearly beating the early dinner crowd. We were first diners on «First Bite». I love that feeling, like some poor allusion to prom night so many years ago or maybe even reminiscing over an old Dirty Harry movie, it was as if we were the ones to finally put the wait staff to work… play time is over punk, let’s see your menu. It was First Bite night and we were first.
For a first course, I asked for their Butternut Squash Gnocchi, prepared with the local produce and also proudly noted on the menu, White Mountain Farm potato gnocchi, Oxford Garden butternut squash, fried sage. Very pleasant to munch without a distracting crunch. If crunch was your main plan, bring along some hard candy sprinkles in a plastic baggy or perhaps a handful of trail mix.
For my main entrée, I ordered the Roasted Pheasant — served with Brussel sprouts, spaetzle & cider sauce. This really was a treat as the last pheasant that I had had was my pet bird from 31 years ago. We had clipped his wings at the time to keep him from flying away, but, I think that just made him prey for either the coyotes or foxes in the vicinity. Because after a few days, I never really saw that pheasant again. It was nice to make an acquaintance again after so many years. I also had a pet raccoon, but, that story doesn’t relate.
For desert, my choices were well rounded with a Haystack Goat Cheese cheescake, a Lavender Crème Brulee or an Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream. Being a transplanted mid-​westerner with only a pseudo vision of misplaced grandeur, I opted quickly and succintly for the Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream and was not disappointed. The portion was fair, but, if I had served it in my house I would have done a double portion. My wife had the Lavender Crème Brulee and it was also FANTASTIC. You could really smell the lavender… who wouldn’t go back to try that?

Nice new place in Longmont – we tried it for Friday lunch, and I was concerned because the place was almost empty, but by the time we left they had a respectable crowd.
Good, affordable wine selection by the glass and we both stuck with appetizers to share, keeping our bill with tip under $ 40. The arrancini was especially delicious, and the overall menu was very promising.

We went out to Terroir in Longmont last night and had a very nice dinner. The chef there is Timothy Payne. Coming into the restaurant had a very nice open feel the tables were placed far enough away from each other to not feel crowded and overall just a very comfortable feel. The room also has bar seating running down one side and in the back the kitchen is half open so you can watch them working to create the wonderful food your about to be served. When we arrived we were greated and promptly seated and asked about our drink preferences, when the drinks arrived our server told us about one menu subsitition (flank steak instead of hanger steak). Before the small plates came out we were served some very fresh focaccia bread with olive oil
The menu they have changes often and looked very good over all we started out with 2 small plates.
The first one was a Gnocchi (a potato dumpling pasta) with golden west sugar snap peas and garlic. The second was Gambas-​Ai-​Ajillo. Chili and white wine sauteed shrimp with 2 pieces of that wonderful focaccia bread that had been grilled.
Next came the main courses the first was Grilled flank steak with a crispy potato cake, heirloom tomatoes and a chimchurri sauce.
The second dish was a Pork loin chop. Long farm pork with a potato (both normal and sweet) hash with tochey farms greens and a great peach compote.
Next came deserts and they had several options the first one we had was A vanilla crème brûlée. This was well done with a nice fresh vanilla taste and a nice crispy top.
The second was a Strawberry rhubarb crisp with a scoop of strawberry ice cream.
We would both highly reccomend Terroir if your in the longmont area! We know we will be going back there the next time we plan on going out with friends in the area.
If interested in pictures of our meal or out chat with Chef Payne feel free to check out our blog.

Terroir is new to the barely-​existent restaurant scene in Longmont, and boy do we need them. As with most Boulder-​area restaurants, it seems, the emphasis is on fresh, local foods and Terroir’s menu proudly touts the local purveyors that they use to create their dishes. I’m a huge fan of any movements towards sustainability, so this makes me a happy foodie.
My husband and I have been to Terroir twice. The first time we came away with a very solid ho-​hum feeling. There were many details that seemed off, and details make all the difference to me, especially when the food is in this price range (hors d’œuvre: 8 – 12, entrees: 18 – 24). I kept my fingers crossed that, as they had just recently opened, they were still working out the kinks.
We returned over the weekend, and our experience was greatly improved. The food was delicious and artistically presented (we had the chicken and the scallops, but the menu changes frequently) and the small problems I had noticed on my first visit had indeed been rectified. The service was good, albeit not impeccable, but it is a casual environment.
Terroir is in an old Main Street building (where Storeyville Creole Café was before it) and they’ve modified the interior so that it is a bit more slick, but it is still quite comfortable. There is a long bar along one side and the kitchen is in the back with the chefs visibly bustling about.
I hope that Terroir does well, and I will be back.