About Terrain
When you join us for a meal, you may have the sense that you could only be having this meal right here, right now. We constantly update our menu to reflect the freshest ingredients from our local, Northern Michigan harvest. In addition, our chef and managers are three siblings who were raised right here in Bellaire. We think our hometown and region are exceptional, and we cannot wait to share the bounty of the season with visitors and locals alike.
Terrain is a celebration of Northern Michigan’s vibrant and growing smallholder agriculture community. Our ever-changing menu and local beverages are rooted in the land itself – the terrain. We source as many ingredients as possible from Michigan, and we strive to highlight ingredients that are native to our region and are traditionally used – such as the ramps and sumac from our logo. We are devoted to supporting the farmers, mead makers, distillers and more from our fertile region.
Our management consists of three local siblings who all moved away and explored other regions and eventually returned, passionate about Bellaire and Northern Michigan. While many already love Northern Michigan’s natural beauty, we are part of a growing effort to promote the food of our region. We hope that, with time, people may start to add “the food” to the list of things they also love about Northern Michigan.
RANDY, CHEF AND CO-OWNER, worked in Bellaire early in his 19 year cooking career – in Terrain’s building, working for Chef Michael Peterson at Lulu’s, and at Moka. He trained at the Great Lakes Culinary Institute in Traverse City. Subsequently he honed his craft at Roast in Detroit and 25 Lusk in San Francisco, but his dream restaurant was always back home in Northern Michigan. In anticipation of this, Randy moved back to the area, working at Pleasanton Bakery in Traverse City. Finally, when the space in Bellaire came available, it was time to establish Terrain.
JENNA, GENERAL MANAGER, paid for college at Central Michigan University by waiting tables at the former Lulu’s during her summers. After graduating with a degree in outdoor recreation, Jenna worked in a series of roles that demanded her level-headed calm, regardless of circumstances. She spent time working on wilderness programs for teens with ADHD and learning disabilities, was a substitute teacher and in afterschool programs in nearby schools, and then went on to manage the local animal non-profit Help From My Friends. When Terrain was set to become a reality, Jenna naturally and confidently managed the launch and daily operations.
SHANA, CO-OWNER AND BUSINESS MANAGER, also worked at the former Lulu’s during their first year, while attending Northwestern Michigan College and before leaving to join the United States Marine Corps. After her enlistment, she went on to work in human resources and finance roles in Detroit and Miami. In 2013 she returned to Michigan to complete her MBA at Michigan State University. While completing that degree, she created the business plan for what eventually became Terrain. After several years of commuting between Detroit and Bellaire, and thanks to a flexible job downstate, Shana was finally able to transition to a fully remote role in her field. She recently celebrated an official return to Bellaire residency 20 years after she left for the military. Shana keeps the bills paid, the paperwork in line, and takes a lead role in the beverage program at the restaurant.
Our Community
Terrain is proud of our relationships with exceptional community partners. Below are links to learn about some of our friends in the community.
To Eat
To Drink
What People are Saying
1
The atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming. It’s a spot for birthdays and anniversaries but also a place to grab a bite after you’ve finished a hike, spent an afternoon on the lake or hit the ski slopes; a restaurant of this region and for this region.
2
Lauren W., Yelp Reviewer
“So happy this place is here! The cocktails were the best we've had in Michigan. The food was gorgeously presented, deliciously prepared and promptly delivered. The staff were very professional but also warm and friendly. …We had a terrific experience and all for a very reasonable price.”
3
David S., Trip Advisor Reviewer
"The food was AMAZING!!!!! I would drive to Bellaire just to eat there. Distance from Bellaire to my house is about 4 hours. That is how delicious it was. Highly Recommend."
Press
