Alder & Sage Verified listing

Alder & Sage—the concept from Kerstin Kansteiner, former owner of Portfolio Coffee and Berlin Bistro—has officially opened and has already garnered buzz for well-deserving reason: From whiskey lattes with a side of freshly burned wood to give your olfactory system a bit of smoke to highlight the drink to cold brews with fresh cranberries as a a garnish, it is clear that coffee side of the business is already worthy of praise.

But the largest part of the endeavor—the massive kitchen which can be viewed through glass panels in the space’s apt dining area—is one that has taken off with brunch and lunch. Take, for example, their Jidori chicken wraps.

Succulent, juicy chunks of chicken and butter lettuce leaves can be topped with many things—a cardamon parsley pesto, an Aleppo chile oil, pickled turnips, lemon juice—but the real star of the plate? The restaurant’s fermented mushroom tzatziki, a salty-umami bomb that I could happily eat on crackers alone.

Written by Brian Addison

Photos by Brian Addison / Alder & Sage