Mario and I found a newly opened (October) and judging by the number of people seated, apparently as-yet undiscovered dining gem in Charlotte. Terrace Cafe is located in the Southpark area near the mall (I’m not up on my Charlotte geography enough to be more specific than that). We were looking for a brunch spot one Saturday morning and I surfed a few reviews, browsed their interesting-looking menu, and made the choice. Man, am I glad I did.

Terrace

Though I can only speak for the breakfast items, I can’t imagine that the rest of Terrace’s menu would disappoint either. I ordered the Red Velvet Waffle topped with cream cheese drizzle (can’t believe no one in Atlanta has done this!) and Mario threw together a meal from the sides menu of pancakes, scrambled eggs, and bacon:

Red Velvet Waffle

Pancake Breakfast

A red velvet waffle! How creative! Though it tasted more “waffle” than “red velvet”, this was a fantastically made Belgian waffle. I also had a side of berries, which I subbed for the regular fruit cup (or choice of hashbrowns or grits) because cantaloupe makes me nauseous. Mario’s pancakes were something special, I mean literally, there was something special in them. The first thing that came to mind was orange zest, but I thought if it were there you would be able to see it, so I’m not sure what the flavor was, but it was really working.

Terrace Cafe has some really great decor and a very open space, including an open kitchen you can take a look at as soon as you walk in the door. They don’t skimp on the tableware either; from linen napkins and wood-paneled menus to curvy flatware and glassware, they added a touch of class to breakfast. Some of the other yummy-sounding breakfast creations include S’mores French Toast and Eggs Benedict Florentine. They also have YMCA nutritionist-approved breakfast and lunch items. I took a glance over the lunch menu (not open for dinner) and was pretty intrigued as well, so I would love to return at a later hour to try more!

www.terracecafecharlotte.com