Brassica

Brassica is a fast-casual, Mediterranean spot with a focus on organic, artisan, and local ingredients. You customize your order as you go down the line, but everything here is a notch better than other places of its kind. Choose either a bowl of greens and grains or a handheld pita, a main (we like the housemade falafel the best), and toppings like hummus, baba, feta, pickled cucumbers, marinated eggplant, and roasted carrots. They offer a limited selection of wine and beers but it’s hard to beat their minty pink lemonade (you can add booze to that too). All of it travels particularly well if you’re on the go. The original downtown location is just a few blocks away from the convention center, and the newer Easton location is great for a quick lunch while shopping. The same owners are behind Northstar Café, another local order-at-the-counter favorite with multiple locations.