Right in the heart of Browne's Addition is a quaint business district with a handful of restaurants. Start with a huckleberry mimosa during brunch at Browne's Bistro. Eat on the patio, weather permitting. Directly across the street is The Elk, which opened in 1999 inside what was once a pharmacy and soda fountain. Make sure to try the searingly spicy gumbo. Next door is El Que, which features Mexican-style street food and house-made tequila infusions. Directly across the street from El Que is the must-try Italia Trattoria. It's so delicious, Food Network just declared the restaurant's Pappardelle Lamb Ragu the best in the country. Perhaps all you desire is a simple slice of pizza. Pacific Pizza, next door to Italia Trattoria, enters stage left.
Coffee shop by day, a cocktail bar by night, Bijou wears two faces. Crafted cocktails are hot right now, and if attention to detail with your drink is something you love, Bijou is the place to stop. It's a tiny space, so you'll be up close and personal as the bartender creates something delicious with handmade craft bitters. For a handcrafted coffee, go to Ladder Coffee--adjacent to Rind & Wheat, a bakery and cheese shop. The beans are hand-roasted, the baristas knowledgeable and the ambiance entices customers to stay longer than anticipated. Caffe Capri, next to Pacific Pizza, rounds out the coffee scene.
