Terra caused quite the stir when it set up shop in Canberra CBD in June this year. Having mastered breakfast and lunch offerings for worker bees in the city centre, the canteen-style food hub has now turned its attention to after-hours. 

Thursdays to Saturdays will see Terra take care of dinner with a new share-style menu designed by owners (and brothers) Anthony and Marcus Iannelli and chef Sung Son. “Breakfast and lunches have been absolutely cranking, and it’s not rare for there to be a line out the door or people fighting for a seat,” explains Anthony Iannelli of Terra’s early success. “Our guests trust us and what we are cooking, which is amazing and makes what we do really enjoyable. They know they can keep coming back and there will always be exciting new dishes to try.”

The dishes that helped to make them a Canberrian favourite? Straight-off-the-spit smoked and charcoal meats, gourmet lunch rolls, seasonal roasted vegetables, fresh salads and juices, and coffee courtesy of Duke’s. This same focus on local, seasonal produce will remain after-hours for the new dinner offering, accompanied by ‘fun’ cocktails, and a rotating wine and beer list.

As for what exactly you’ll be dining on, expect ample selection of snacks and small plates, served alongside rotisserie, wood-fired and smoked mains, and a selection of seasonal vegetable sides. “We always like to keep things casual, fun and interesting and we want dinners to be somewhere people can come for great food, drinks and music, and enjoy the atmosphere,” says head chef Sung Son. “All the action and aromas coming from the big open kitchen and the charcoal grill flows out and creates a really good, energetic vibe in the restaurant.”

Four or five proteins will form the mains selection, all served slow-cooked on the rotisserie and smoker. Think 100-day grain fed Black Angus beef short rib smoked for six hours and a Terra charcoal chicken with house made hot sauce. For those after a lighter bite, there’s a lengthy snack list. There you’ll find Terra flatbread with fois gras parfait and dill pickles or smoked eggplant with avocado, pepperonata and charred lime. Or perhaps you’ll dive straight into the dessert menu, where you’ll find deep fried cheesecake with banana custard mingling with Jack Daniel’s ice cream and smoked maple syrup.

A liquid meal is also available, thanks to a seasonal cocktail list created by Terra’s venue manager, Sam Carlini (ex Molly Bar, Highball Express). The signature tipple remains as meat-heavy as the food menu; dubbed ‘Smoke in the chimney’, it’s a drink made using the smoked brisket fat from the meats cooked during lunch. Local wines and beers will also accompany.

Terra
40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra
terracanberra.com.au