Brutø

This hip spot from Kelly Whitaker's Id Est Hospitality Group is tucked away in the Dairy Block's Free Market. The team takes a serious approach to locality and seasonality, not only in the produce but also the grains, which they mill or nixtamalize in-house. The mastery of the hearth as the primary cooking implement makes this operation special, and infuses each of the tasting menu's courses with distinct notes. The menu, which is Mexican at its core, has a clear narrative, and is perhaps best displayed in lamb prepared two ways—as a street-style taco and ground lamb leg kushiyaki with a quenelle of mole chichilo. The non-alcoholic pairings are especially intriguing, as in the burnt onion Mai Tai.