Brutø

This hip spot from Kelly Whitaker's Id Est Hospitality Group is tucked away in the Dairy Block's Free Market. Chef Byron Gomez runs the show here, where the team takes a serious approach to locality and seasonality, including a dedicated fermentation program that highlights both grains and produce. 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 incorporates Japanese and Nordic elements, has a clear narrative, embodied in dishes like kombu-cured diver scallop with fermented crabapple and chamomile. The non-alcoholic pairings are especially intriguing, as in the lamb fat-washed old fashioned.

More in Denver