Not that Lower Manhattan lacks for beautiful restaurants, but it’s always delightful to get a new one. Enter, Terravita Downtown (17 Battery Pl.): a stunning new spot in Battery Park City where the food and drinks are just as good as the decor.
Husband-and-wife team Jose and Stephanie Rosa opened the first Terravita in Washington Heights in 2018, in an effort to bring more elevated dining experiences to the quickly changing neighborhood; that location was so successful that the Rosas opened a second outpost in Edgewater, New Jersey in 2021. This past fall, the most recent expansion debuted in our neighborhood, and we’re so lucky it did.
The restaurant’s interiors are truly spectacular, boasting high ceilings, grand columns and impeccable design. “Terravita” means “earth” and “life,” and the Rosas art-directed the sprawling 3,600-square-foot space to evoke earth’s natural palette, using warm neutral tones, natural materials like terracotta, stone and cork and lots of accompanying greenery. The restaurant’s bar, located in an arched alcove to the left of the entrance, is a striking pièce de résistance, making for a picturesque post-work or date night drink spot.
Terravita Downtown’s menu, helmed by executive chef Luis Angel Perez from Spain, is similar to the uptown iteration’s with a few newcomers, focusing on modern American dining influenced by global favors. Standouts include the Lebanese lamb hummus with za’atar naan (outstanding) and the yucca gnocchi with slow-braised short rib; the glazed pork ribs are also excellent, as is the terra masala, a veal lasagna with a South Asian twist. (And if you’re sick of seeing burrata on a restaurant menu, Terravita’s iteration will restore faith.)
The beverage program is distinct from uptown’s, boasting creative options like the kicky Moment of Clarity (Rosaluna Mezcal, pear puree, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, lime, rosemary), the festive Three Day Weekend (Wheatley Vodka, passionfruit-vanilla cordial, lime) and the quirky Grove (Condesa Gin, pink peppercorn, basil, lemon, prosecco). Wines, beers and soft drinks are also available.
Stephanie Rosa hopes Terravita Downtown will be both a neighborhood spot and a destination for diners looking for great food and hospitality, with plans to offer brunch in the near future.. “We want to connect with people and make them feel at home,” she said. Though if your home is as gorgeous as Terravita, please invite us over.
Reservations and more information available on Terravita’s website.
