By Colleen Pierson

How does this sound? A local restaurant that has inspired handcrafted foods that nurture both body, soul and community. Or what about this– A farm to table dining spot where everything is fresh, the pasta is homemade, and the in-house meat processing makes every meat product a delicacy. This is enough to make Terra GR in Eastown an award winner!  The name itself means “from the earth.”

My husband and I recently visited the restaurant during Cool Brew- Hot Eats. A percentage of select entrees went to help out the non-profit organization Feeding America. At the time of our visit more than 110 families were being helped.

Executive Chef Abby Therrien is in perpetual motion. She always strives to perfect her craft and is passionate about what she does. “Everything is hand crafted—everything here is made with love,” she said.

“I like to make food approachable. I am able to explore and play around to use my creative side of cooking.” Abby also enjoys teaching her staff and is always experimenting, constantly learning to create new dishes.

“There’s not a day I don’t learn something!”she exclaimed enthusiastically.

Executive Chef Abby Therrien attended Johnson & Wales University-Culinary College in Providence Rhode Island and has worked at numerous restaurants. She was Sous Chef at Trillium Haven Restaurant, Kitchen Supervisor at JW Marriott Grand Rapids, Sous Chef at Gravity Bar and Grill, and Line Cook at Tapawingo—just to name a few.

She and her staff are warm and welcoming and have created a restaurant décor where the vibe is welcoming and fun. The warm lighting over the bar, wood décor from old barns, and earthy elements made us forget this Michigan’s horrific winter. Diners can watch many of their food items being created at a wood burning pizza oven and open kitchen.

Some of their menu favorites: Seared Sea Scallops, handcrafted pastas, wood-fired pizzas, free range chicken, braised pork belly and miso kale salad. There are also vegan entrees. I have never frequented a restaurant where so much was made from scratch— pizza, sauces, breads, pasta, and their newly added specialty hamburger on a made from scratch brioche bun.

Their daily happy hours are from 3-6:00p.m.  This features deals on specialty cocktails, draft beers & wine by the glass, and half off salads and ten dollar pizzas.

Terra GR is located at 1429 Lake DR SE, Grand Rapids. All of their hours and events are posted on their website at Terra GR.com.

To sum it all up: The freshest, health-filled ingredients from the region’s most dedicated growers go into your meal. Definitely love at first bite!