Local restaurant Terra Cafe offers decadent dining experience

Flipping through the summer menu, it was clear that he was struggling. It was not hard for Terra Cafe Manager Aaron Russell to find items that were house-made, but not so for items that weren’t.

"I believe I can confidently say 95 percent is made right here," Russell said. "We even make our own salad dressing, so I guess the only thing I can think of would be the tortillas."

At Terra Cafe, it’s all about the food, community and, most of all, the comfort and health of the customers.

"Our biggest goal was to be able to serve food and have the customer know what is in it," Russell said. "That was our main motivational force behind the creation of Terra Cafe."

When the cafe opened in September 2011, the goals of the owners, managers and chefs were all the same. They wanted to give the community a healthy place to eat, as well as a place to be together. Not only does Terra Cafe strive to bring everyone together, but also it supports the area’s economy, too.

"We buy local ingredients as much as possible in order to support the community," Russell said.

"As a small business owner, it’s very important to me to support small, local businesses," said Rae Gean Sielen, a regular customer and the owner of Populore Publishing. "And the food is so good! The soups are great and so creative with some ingredients I’ve never tried."

Along with buying local, Terra Cafe also believes in buying healthy ingredients. Although not all are organic, they are as healthy as possible. The process to be certified as organic is very lengthy and expensive for local farmers, so many simply practice organic ways.

"It is our idea that all of our food is responsibly made," Russell said.

While Terra Cafe takes pride in their ingredients, it is how the ingredients create decadent dishes that can meet various dietary needs that makes Terra popular among its customers of all ages.

The cafe offers an assortment of baked goods, cakes and pastries that are made in-house and freshly baked every morning – many of which are gluten-free.

The breakfast and dinner menu also offer many choices that range from vegetarian to farm-raised meats. Terra is mostly known for its hand-brewed coffee though, which can be prepared Hario pour over or French press.

"Of the half dozen places around town, their coffee is the best," Sielen said. "Their Jamaican blend is amazing – definitely my favorite."

The owners believe when dining or studying at Terra Cafe, comfort is the main ingredient for a customer’s satisfaction. Inside the cafe, customers can relax on or around the oversized couch in the corner or sit at a spacious table set far apart from the other tables for privacy while dining.

Outside, many tables on the patio overlook the rail trail, Monongahela River and the Tugboat Depot Park. Either location is ideal for customers to enjoy their mango coconut scone or piece of double chocolate espresso cake.

Terra Cafe is located in Star City at 425 Industrial Ave., along the Monongahela River. To grab Terra Cafe on the go or to see their menu, please visit www.terracafewv.com.