Brassica is the rare restaurant unicorn that offers the best of both worlds: By day it's a cafe slinging earthy espresso and tantalizing pastries ( fun ones like donuts, French-toast bites, and pretzel biscuits) plus sit-down brunch items like fried rice and veggie “sausage” breakfast sandwiches. By night, the dining room switches gear into into an inventive small-plates spot with expertly crafted cocktails, a deeply global wine list, and Asian-inspired creative takes like zippy hamachi and scallop crudos, fiery karaage-style fried chicken (the hot sauce is so special it costs extra), and divine classics like expertly grilled steaks and wood-fired seafood. The open-fire kitchen is truly something to behold, and dictates your order at least a few fired vegetables, or Kean's latest charred creation—whether it's succulent seared cod loin or a fat-rendered ribeye.

Brassica is the neighborhood bistro that your JP friends (understandably) won’t shut up about. They’ve got a good thing going with an unfussy atmosphere and a devoted fan base, thanks to regular collaborations and special dinner popups with local chefs. The portions here feel a bit random—some dishes, like the egg sandwich, might leave you hungry, while others, like the chicken and waffles, are enough food for one person plus a hungry friend.

Brassica may be particularly pint-sized, but what this Forest Hills venue lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in stiff drinks and vibrant small plates. A certifiable JP chameleon, the spot slings handmade pastries and sandwiches during daylight hours as Brassica Cafe, then emerges during the evening as Brassica Kitchen, a polished bistro that’s mastered the art of fermentation-forward dining. While the Fried Sweet Rice and B.K.

Located across the street from the Forest Hills T station, this hip JP spot serves gourmet coffee and pastries during the day. On any given morning, guests can find about a half-dozen different kinds of donuts, whose flavors regularly rotate (the white chocolate-apricot is one of our favorites). Be sure to get there early, as these sweet treats usually sell out fast.

Brassica might be on our list of the best restaurants in Boston, but its brunch menu’s chicken and waffles plate, based on a recipe from a former cook’s grandmother, is fashioned Georgia-style: the waffle batter is made with crème fraiche and cultured cream, so it melts in your mouth at first bite. The boneless chicken thighs, meanwhile, are marinated in buttermilk and a brine of fermented peppers and pickles, then dredged in flour. Brassica is a place known for playing with fermented ingredients, in fact, so it even punches up the plate with a bit of bracing maple umeboshi—plums that are aged in salt, then poached in syrup—as well as a house-made hot sauce of fermented peppers pureed with maple syrup.

Much like eclectic Jamaica Plain where Brassica Kitchen + Cafe resides, this place has something for everyone from morning ’til night (at least, on the weekends). During weekend brunch every Saturday and Sunday, fresh doughnuts are on display in rotating flavors like Vanilla Sprinkle, Pretzel, Wild Huckleberry-glazed, and crispy-ridged Churronuts. Pair them with a steaming cup of locally roasted Fazenda Coffee or a refreshing mocktail like Spirulina Lemonade, crafted in-house by the flavor-driven hippies behind this destination-worthy neighborhood spot.

Brassica Kitchen, is a popular spot known for its innovative approach to farm-to-table dining. The restaurant offers a dynamic menu that changes with the seasons, focusing on locally-sourced ingredients and sustainable practices. By day, Brassica serves as a café offering a variety of pastries, coffee, and breakfast items, while in the evening, it transforms into a full-service restaurant featuring an eclectic mix of dishes.

Looking at Brassica Kitchen + Cafe's wood-accented exterior, you'd have no idea that it's one of the best spots for donuts in Boston. If anything, it looks like a carefully curated hipster dwelling that specializes in avocado toast. Funny enough, this trendy spot (which is located across the street from the Forest Hills T Station) does have a pretty killer brunch menu, but let's get back to the donuts.

Brassica may be on our list of the best restaurants in Boston, but its brunch menu’s chicken and waffle plate is based on a recipe from a former cook’s grandmother, Georgia-style: waffle batter with crme frache and cultured cream. So it melts in your mouth the first bite. Meanwhile, boneless chicken thighs are marinated in buttermilk and fermented chili and pickle brine, then dipped in flour.

Since it’s so close to my house, I love walking over to Brassica Kitchen + Cafe for breakfast or lunch. Inside the restaurant, there’s a lot of wood, a lot of texture, and you can see there is a lot of love in that wood. The place is warm and embracing, creating a natural hospitable feeling, and the front-of-house staff is always so chipper!

Locally sourced dining options to go with an ever changing creative drink menu is what you will find at Brassica. Open Table says, “staples include the spicy and floral All Power, (featuring cachaça, chile liqueur, grapefruit, and violet liqueur) and the Gray Gardens (a blend of mezcal, lavender, elderflower, orange blossom, and lime).

Brassica Kitchen + Café brings creative and comfortable cuisine to Forest Hills. By day they operate as Brassica Cafe serving up fresh coffee and unique sandwiches. By the time the sun sets they switch over to Brassica Kitchen, fermentation forward food & drink with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients.

| Cafe | $$ | Try the Duck Ham Benedict, donut french toast, and biscuits and gravy at this Jamaica Plain eatery.