Cafe Terracotta — Restaurant in Littleton

Edit: my review still represents my experience at the time but it’s important to note that the manager reached out to me to discuss what happened and did everything he could to make it right. To that point, management definitely cares about their guests.

Well...that was awkward.

so the scenario is this, we had a siblings dinner out at good old Cafe Terracotta. gift cards were involved, as well as different socio-economic situations from different family members.

Our waiter was obviously experienced and knowledgeable but for some reason he kept throwing shade at different members of our party. I think it was in the spirit of charm or a style of service but it wasn't for us as we just felt attacked, insulted, or condescended to. There was one instance where we ordered a single serving of potatoes and he just kept at us that we should get another one. We declined several times and he walked off mumbling. He also mocked (mimicked) my wife, again, probably in what he thought was in jovial fun. We didn't see it as such.

Then came the bill. I have never seen such a messed up situation in my life. We had gift cards and just wanted them applied to to the bill and we would just pay the rest from a single credit card, no big deal, I imagine. I asked, several times, for just a single bill and we would settle up amongst ourselves. He didn't do that, instead he "anticipated" our needs and spilt up the check. Several people in our party couldn't afford even their portion, which was fine as I was just going to pay the bill and I would settle up later with Venmo from people in our party who could pay. Either way, I wanted a single bill and asked several times and he couldn't, or wouldn't, do it.

What resulted was my sister being charged an amount, that she was not financially able to cover, which the server then proceeded to argue with her over in front of all of us resulting in a mortifying experience for her. Again, she was just invited and the financial responsibility should have been just on me to avoid embarrassing situations like that. We all thought that if he simply squared away what the bill should look like before hand, this extremely awkward encounter would never have happened.

IF we dine at Cafe Terracotta again, we will be sure to communicate to the server what we would like to do before hand (which is what most restaurants and servers do with large parties, as has been my experience).

I could excuse the bill snafu but the side comments and apparent rudeness were beyond the pale of what we have come to expect at this particular restaurant.

It's...

This quaint restaurant nestled in downtown Littleton is one of our favorite places. It ticks every single box when we are craving excellent food but in a quiet, cafe atmosphere. The old Victorian house and lovely gardens are beautiful and make for a cozy ambiance for dining. The menu offers a great selection of dishes to choose from that you don’t always find throughout the metro area, which is nice and makes for a pleasant change. The bar is impressive as well, with a great selection of wine, beer and cocktails on offer too.

On our most recent visit this past week, we opted not to sit out on the patio like we normally do this time of year, just to be different, and ate dinner inside. The staff as always were friendly and top notch. We were asked if we were celebrating anything special that evening and we said no but mentioned how we had intended to come for our anniversary a few months earlier but had to cancel when our cat got sick (which was true) and how disappointed we were to have canceled and this was our first opportunity to get back to Littleton. We had a laugh about how we wished they were closer to where we lived (downtown Denver) so we could come more often.

Our waitress brought our drinks over and some fresh bread and dipping oil. Yum! Then we ordered our entrees. My husband had the lamb with risotto and I had the chicken Wellington with spinach. Chicken Wellington is my absolute favorite entree and Cafe Terracotta’s is outstanding and made to perfection. My husband and I shared our sides as they were both nice sized portions and we enjoyed them both. The spinach was so delicious and the risotto was full of flavor and cooked perfectly.

Our waitress brought us each a glass of wine to celebrate our cats good health and our belated anniversary which was a very nice touch!

I’m not a dessert eater and I was quite full but there was creme brûlée on offer so I had no choice but to order it. My husband ordered the macaroon tart and we both had coffee. Neither of us could say a word outside of ‘mmmm’, we were so busy devouring the deliciousness.

Needless to say we were so pleased with our meal. Without hesitation this is where we go when we have a special occasion or just want to enjoy a great meal together. It is worth every penny as we clean our plates each time we go. They don’t mess around. The food is excellent quality and the staff treat you kindly and make sure you enjoy your meal and look forward to coming back again, which we always do.

Reservations recommended, which you can do directly from...

Cafe Terracotta is located in downtown Littleton in a historic Victorian house. Their menu is classic American fare elevated in a unique way. Dinner is served every night every night 4:30pm to 9pm. I highly recommend the Falafel, Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad, Scallops, & Carrot Cake. Our server Monica and Chef Miles took fabulous care of us - our dinner was fantastic, and service was lovely & attentive all around. The space was intimate & warm - reservations highly recommended.

We started the meal with two mocktails - both were great. The House mocktail was made with seedlip botanic infusion, honey syrup, lime, and hibiscus ginger.

The Falafel was made with celery root hummus, grilled pita, compressed cucumber, tzatziki, & aleppo oil. The Falafel blew us away and we can see why it’s a favorite at Care Terracotta. The perfectly golden-brown falafel was crisp on the outside & soft inside, bursting with savory chickpea flavor. The hummus & tzatziki added a creamy balance to the dish while the cucumber added a fabulous snap & zing of briny flavor.

The Brussel Sprout Caesar Salad was made with shredded brussels & romaine, grated parmesan, crispy brussels leaves, dried cranberries, & Caesar dressing. This salad had a fantastic mix of textures (and the flavors were equally exciting) – I loved the the crispiness of the Brussels sprouts against the sweet chew of the dried cranberries.

The Burrata was made with grilled sourdough, frisee, & balsamic tomato jam. The burrata was milky & smooth on the crisp, chewy bread.

The Scallops were perfectly cooked & served with braised cannellini beans, house-smoked bacon, swiss chard, & parsley. The scallops were tender and had good bounce with a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The bacon added a hint of smokey sweetness to each bite.

The Parisian Gnocchi was made with Italian sausage, Tuscan kale, lemon zest, & grated parmesan. This dish was rich & indulgent. The gnocchi were velvety & the sausage added a savory flavor with a hint of spice. The parmesan added a sharp salty & nutty flavor.

The 10oz New York Strip was served with crispy beef tallow potatoes, buttered haricot verts, and cognac & peppercorn steak sauce. This was a nice robust piece of meat.

For dessert, Carrot Cake (& this is the best carrot cake I've had in Colorado!). The sweetness & warm spices of the cake blended perfectly with the cool cream cheese frosting. My mouth is watering just thinking...