"When Braise opened in 2011, it was the city’s first farm-to-table restaurant, and there are still plenty of reasons to go today. Despite the high-end quality of the food, which often takes inspiration from Asian cuisines, there’s nothing fancy about the space. The tables were made out of bowling alley lanes (the building did indeed used to be a bowling alley and arcade), and you can absolutely wear jeans to dinner without getting glared at. Sit in the dining room as opposed to the bar—that way, you can watch the chefs make dishes like steamed pork buns and pollo verde. They also operate a culinary school on-site, in case your meal inspires you to become a better cook." - kristine hansen
