A Terra — Restaurant in Ponta Delgada

Before I get into my review I would like to say that we had a great experience here and I do recommend the restaurant. The few critique points are critique on a high level. The food is exceptional, the T-Bone steak was by far the best meat we ate on this island. The service was friendly and helpful. The atmosphere is nice and quiet with calming background music.

Now to my few critique points:

Some of the items are extremely overpriced even in comparison to other restaurants of this caliber on the island. We paid 6 euros for a Super Bock (beer) which usually runs for 1.5-3 euros everywhere else. The cheese selection entree cost us 25 euros for 5 different cheeses (15 pieces) and a rather small bread basket. The Steaks are paid by kg which is usual but they are weighed with the bone and with a whooping price of 90 euros per kg for a T-Bone steak you get about 500g of meat max, the rest is bone.

The bathrooms were definitely clean but the staining on the toilet seats and floor was a little bit critical for this price range.

Not all of the servers appear as friendly and communicative, some of them appearing even judgmental. We all have bad days though and they were never disrespectful just seemed very stressed.

They don’t have any cocktails which was somewhat surprising and disappointing.

Overall I would definitely recommend going there, especially if you want to eat good meat but be aware that it is...

The only mistake I made was booking a table at A Terra on my last night in the Azores - had I known how spectacularly delicious the food was or how spot on the service would be, I’d have made reservations on other nights and made them special, too.

I decided on the 5-course tasting menu and it was quite possibly one of the best food decisions I’ve ever made! Chef Paulo and his team have mastered the art and science of creating delectable dishes made with fresh Azorean ingredients, with unique and delightful twists. I relished every bite of my meal and left with a very full and happy tummy.

What tops even that was the service - Leandro was my main server and I absolutely adored him and his friendly and genuine manner. Everyone else involved was just as friendly, and even the top chef stopped by to present me with a dish. I was checked on at a rate that wasn’t overly in my face and wasn’t too distant, either - it was just right. All the staff were absolutely lovely. I was sad to leave such a wonderful experience. When - not if - I visit the Azores again, a Terra is going at the top of my dining list! Thank you, Chef Paulo and the team for creating a...

First of all, the overall experience was amazing. In the beginning we were unsure if we would be able to enjoy the 9-course-menu as my wife is pregnant, which comes with quite a few dietary restrictions. However the head-chef was very understanding and was able to adapt ingredients, cooking techniques and even swapped out 2 courses to accommodate for my wife's needs. The quick thinking and willingness to help was truly amazing.

The food was a great mix of seafood, meat dishes incorporating local ingredients. My favorites were the suckling pig with crispy skin, tender juicy meat, a hearty sauce and served with a sweet pineapple to cut the heaviness. The chocolate dessert in the end surprised us with new flavors. Green tea and tobbaco leaf infusions were a great play on the appearance of the dish and lifted the chocolate ganache with freshness.

The staff was friendly, helpful and fluent in English.

The atmosphere and interior was spacious and much nicer than the pictures here suggest. Only negative was, that the air conditioning was quite intense. Would totally...