Cask & Ale doesn’t make beer, but the place does showcase local craft and artisan beers as well as international beers made with wheat, citrus, honey, chocolate—you name it. Beer is on tap and in bottles with strange and funny names from far-off places. Servers offer sample shots to help you navigate the maze. Cask & Ale also has a menu of craft cocktails so creative they could take business away from the beers.

What sets Cask & Ale apart from similar beer-centric places here is the food. It’s original. Executive chef Justin Sells pays particular attention to what pairs nicely with beer and what just tastes good on its own. His menu of small plates and entrées is tightly curated and imaginative. A graduate of both The Culinary Institute of America and Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, Sells worked his way up through three Emeril Lagasse restaurants in New Orleans, Orlando and Charlotte, North Carolina. The recipes he’s brought to town are first rate, and the presentations are sophisticated and artistic. The quality of ingredients and the creativity of the chef are reflected in the prices.