Terra

Stopped in for dinner with biz partners on biz trip to Columbia, SC.
Decent French wine selection.
Course dinner portion was adequate.
Fairly small and quaint restaurant with good view of downtown across the river.
Friendly staff and decent prices for the food.

By far the best restaurant around. Andy is incredible behind the bar, and I’ve never seen Chef miss on any dish. Things I would’ve never thought to try are now my favorites. I wish I could rate higher than 5*

As a «table for one» business traveler I appreciated the attentive service and respect shown to me at a Terra (I often get seated at a less them optimal location near bathrooms or the kitchen).
I was the first customer to enjoy their new appetizer, the lump crab and watermelon salad. It was a rectangle of watermelon topped with lump crab, shaved shishito peppers, a sliver of avocado, tiny minced cucumber, mint and ponzu. It was beautiful to look at and delightfully refreshing. I would have enjoyed a bit more shishito as it was a nice contrast to the sweet chilled melon.
For my entrée I could not decide between the Carolina heritage pork chop or the seared scallops. I decided to have the scallops which were cooked perfectly. I did, however, change the succotash and substituted all the sides from the pork chop. I enjoyed having the Benton ham wrapped peaches and sugar snap peas with my scallops.
For dessert I had two different scoops of hand churned ice cream that were new on their menu. Chocolate mint and Caramel popcorn. The chocolate mint reminded me of a Frango Mint and the caramel corn tasted like Cracker Jacks. Both were served with a huge snickerdoodle cookie. The cookie was the only part of the meal that not outstanding. I thought their coffee was wonderful. Typically decaf coffee is a restaurant is not very good but it was robust and was a lovely way to end a meal.
After three dinners in Columbia this week this by far was my favorite!

Incredible! Fine dining with a nice atmosphere. I love a restaurant that offers an outstanding meal with great service! Also a lovely view of downtown. We had a party of four and everyone loved what they got. From the salads to the dessert it was all delicious!

This place isn’t good. I don’t understand why anyone goes here. I know several people who say it’s their favorite restaurant in town, but I don’t know how. The waitresses and waiters seem like they are all on drugs and the food just isn’t good.
I got a steak here and it was so overcooked I could barely cut it. And it was over $ 30. I’d rather pass.

Everything about Terra is incredible! First off, let me say that I actually lost my wedding ring here once (weird, my second review saying this… I really need to stop playing with my ring!), and the waitress found it and put it into lost & found. Two weeks later I remembered this was a likely spot where I could have lost it, and lo and behold they’d held onto it the entire time! That says a lot about the character of the staff and management.
OK, so now the actual dining experience… all around amazing! The bar is a cool spot to chill out for a drink if it’s crowded and you need to wait for a table. The outdoor seating area is beautiful, and the food mouth watering! The artisanal cheese plate was great, bread they bring to the table incredible, and the steak frites a staple every time I return.
The wine menu is also very good, but the rum-​based old fashioned while waiting at the bar was probably the best I’ve had.

The food is excellent. The staff very friendly. Loved that the dress code is business casual. Do plan to stay awhile, it is not an in and out dinner.

Went here for dinner on the last night I was in town (2÷26÷15) and sat myself at the bar. They have valet parking but I choose to park across the street. The restaurant is pretty dim but you’re still able to see very well; didn’t really pay much attention to the décor.
Decent beer selection and seemed to have plenty of alcohol/​mixed drinks as well. The bartender, Andy, was very friendly and knowledgeable; very good service.
Had a three course meal consisting of: Lamb mac, Duck Confit Pizza, and Pistachio Crème Brûlée. The Lamb mac was very good… toasted crumbs on the top which added a nice texture to the dish. Before I came to the restaurant, I decided on getting a pizza as the other entrees were very expensive in comparison. However, it did not disappoint. Never had duck and cherries on a pizza before but it was quite good. The crust was thin and crunchy. The crème brûlée was also delicious and pleased my sweet tooth.
Overall, great experience but the price of the main entrees were a bit too pricey for me.

I’m echoing what others have said regarding the vegetarian selection at a restaurant that focuses heavily on «locally grown, seasonal produce» — specifically that there is not one.
I brought a large business group to Terra and was embarrassed when several were vegetarian or vegan and all that was available to them was a small green salad and one of the pizzas. Lesson learned.
I applaud Terras sourcing and the location is great, but for their mission and pricing, I expect more.

Oh, Terra. I continuously see you on lists for «best of Columbia» and more recently, I see you left off those lists and highly irate customers demanding you be added. So good for you for creating such loyal clientele!
Now here’s where I feel badly for what I’m about to write. I don’t remotely think you are worthy of any «best of» list. Before I was vegan, I ate here twice with my husband and thought, «eh…some great aspects but mostly just overpriced and the interior feels a touch shabby to me.» (Those saggy booths have got to go!) Since going vegan, we’ve been to Terra twice. The second trip was only to appease the couple that invited us to join them. Here’s the good news — Terra is happy to accommodate vegans. Just call ahead and let them know. Here’s the bad news — they don’t exactly go out of their way to make a good vegan meal. On both occasions they simply took every side dish they had in the refrigerator and scooped a small dollop of each onto my plate, some of which were possibly lurking near the back of the refrigerator in the «Oops, how long have you been in here? Smells okay I guess…» section.
But Terra does have some outstanding qualities — 1. the patio, 2. the lighting on the patio at dusk, 3. the dedication to fresh, seasonal and local ingredient sourcing.
I think I just expect more from the chef. Shouldn’t someone garnering consistent praise and clearly so devoted to using fresh local vegetables be able to easily whip up a quick meal that would impress the entire table? The last time we went was on a Tuesday evening and it wasn’t packed. This is the time when you can experiment!

Unquestionably the best restaurant in Columbia. Chef Davis is a Frank Stitt protégé, and he capitalizes on every bit of that pedigree, while bringing a healthy dose of his own Deep South inflected expertise to the mix. He likewise tolerates nothing less than excellence from all his staff (front and back of the house), and that commitment shows.
If you go on a slower night, ask if chef will cook a tasting menu. Again, DON’T ask for something like this on a crazy night, as that would be a rude and amateur move. If it’s busy, and if you’re unsure, ask your server. They have the best pro servers in town, and every single one can make intelligent recommendations – for both food and wine.
If you have been weaned and satisfied on the cripplingly boring food offered at 90% of Columbia restaurants, then Terra might be too good for you. You may want to stick with your baked potatoes and Caesar salads. But if your foremost concern when dining out is expertly crafted and unfailingly delicious food, then this is your first choice in Columbia.

Having been directed to Terra from a competing restaurant (they were full that night), we weren’t sure what we were getting. The menu posted online looked inviting and they were able to accommodate our 16-​person group easily. And we’re glad they did.
Let me just say that there was not a negative comment about any of the food — the flounder, the short ribs, the catfish, the ribeye, the quail — all of the above received rave reviews from our group. Amazingly, even the Yukon gold mashed potatoes were effusively lauded, to the point that they’ll be a memory I take home for sure. And the wait person’s recommendation of the George T. Stagg Bourbon Whiskey topped off the meal perfectly for me. And outstanding glass to cap off an outstanding meal.
Thanks, Terra. Y’all did darn well by us!

I went to dinner here for a conference awhile ago and while I don’t remember all the details, I just remember how good the food was.

We enjoyed our meal on a very busy Friday evening. Had to wait about 20 minutes for our 7 o’clock reservation which did not make me happy but this is a very popular place. Had a very good wine to pass the
grilled pork chop was cooked to my requested medium rare. It was very good. The pimento cheese flatbread was so-​so. The lamb mac & cheese was the dish that will make me return. The pomme frites were cold and limp.

Yes yes yes… We came in from Asheville for a weekend, I’ve got to say Columbia has treated us right! Terra has definitely been one of the highlights of the trip for us. The staff is attentive (ask for Natasha, she’s great) knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurants décor is tasteful and welcoming. Upscale or casual, they let you do your thing. I’m a chef and foodie… And let me tell you the food here is legit. Chef Mike Davis knows what he is doing. Every interaction I had with a staff member was pleasant, as they were happy to engage and recommend other thing to do in town. If you’re ANYWHERE near Columbia and looking for a wonderful dining experience, Terra is not to be missed.

Outstanding dinner tonight. Service was phenomenal, every plate was incredibly well designed and thoughtfully created. Cocktails were unique and not overdone.
Starters:
artisan cheese plate with fruit and nuts
Fried oysters
Quack madame (duck confit with quail egg and arugula salad)
Entrees:
Ribeye with frites
Seared scallops
Lamb duo
Deserts:
House made kit kat
Marscapone crepes with mascerated cherries
Pistachio crème brûlée

To start this off, I am going to tell you to go to Terra right now. Don’t read this review, just go. Terra is that good.
My husband and I have been going to Terra since we first learned of their Pizza and Pinot Noir special on Wednesday nights and have branched out from there. Our favorite is the Duck Confit Pizza but other memories tantalize my palate thinking about them, roasted fig salads, rabbit sausage pizzas, and charcuterie boards to name a few.
The duck confit pizza, our favorite above all, sits high in my respect alongside the wonderful service we’ve also had at Terra. The manager and waitstaff are always exceedingly kind and helpful. I am always impressed when the manager personally asks if everything is okay and up to par. I want to tell him that yes, everything is great, everything is delicious, but it’s hard to not stay focused on the delicious entrees.
Now, go to Terra if you are still reading. Go there, order a duck confit pizza and a glass of red wine, think about how your dinner life in Columbia will never be the same.
Thank you, Terra, for being a gem in the starving heart of Columbia.

Great bartenders, service, and management! The lamb mac n’ cheese is original and great every time! I’ve eaten other things and never been disappointed. Pizza and Pinot night is a great night to go. The view is hard to beat! Great West Columbia fine dining!

A group of 10 of us from work went out to eat a Terra for a celebration dinner. We had a reservation for 7PM, and arrived a few before 7 and were promptly seated. Our waiter was decent, our drinks sat empty a bit longer than should have, but the place was packed.
Now, the food. For the most part the food was decent. Diffidently good tasting, but it was not «outstanding.» I got the steak frites, which to be honest could have used a bit more seasoning. The «simple salad» was just mixed greens tossed in a sherry vinaigrette. Overall, it was decent meal, but not worth the $ 30, especially if you had the steak frites at Rosso.
Several others got the mixed green salad, which they enjoyed but felt the price was a bit steep for what they got.
The pizzas we got were all very good. We tried all three of them and enjoyed every one. Especially the duck confit one.
While not my most favorite place, Terra is a solid place to grad a bit to eat without driving into Columbia. Price is a bit high, but give it shoot.

My bf made a reservation on Saturday afternoon for 8:30 that night (I’d originally wanted to go at 6:30 but 8:30 was the earliest available).
We parked across the street down in the grassy area (free, and the weather was decent so it was a nice short stroll up the hill).
We were immediately greeted by the hostess who confirmed the reservation and asked if we were ready to sit now because a table was available (we got in around 8:20).
Our booth was nice, cozy AND CLEAN so I felt very comfortable!
It did seem to take a bit for our server to come get our drink orders but it wasn’t too much of an annoyance because we were enjoying each other’s company and the atmosphere of the place.
Note: he and I were stressing out with figuring out what to wear… Unilocal has the attire listed as dressy… we’re mainly a jeans, tank tops, polos, and flip flops kinda couple… once we started to look around there were indeed many people dressed in suits, but there were just as many or more dressed in the typical southern «dressy casual» attire (sun dresses, capris, sperrys, JEANS and polos).
Anyway — our server finally arrived, filled our glasses with refreshing ice water and took our drink order (we split a pellegrino).
When she returned with the sparkling water we placed our app order (butcher’s plate and lamb mac).
The butcher’s plate was interesting I’m glad I tried it but wouldn’t order it again.
The lamb mac & cheese was good, the meat tasted like a smoky pulled pork.
For our entrée we split the duck confit pizza and haricots vert.
The pizza was good, I liked the combination of sweet and salty (duck & port soaked cherries) on the crispy thin crust.
The haricots vert tasted like plain ol’ sautéed green beans to me (I guess that’s just what they are).
All in all it was a pleasant experience and I had a good time…
Especially running back down the steep hill to get back to the car.