Jeff Osaka’s nearly year-old 12 at Madison is a soothing, cozy place. Osaka is always there, helping manage the dining room and letting chef de cuisine Ashley McBrady run the kitchen; they’re a happy, talented pair, joined by service pros and cooks who seem to be having a great time. McBrady delivers unexpected dishes—rabbit rillettes as lettuce wraps, quinoa turned into congee, veal sweetbreads made approachable as banh mi—but it all tastes so good, you’ll surely appreciate the team effort that brought each to your table. 1160 Madison St., 720-216-0190

Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen
Denise Mickelsen is 5280’s former food editor. She oversaw all of 5280’s food-related coverage from October 2016 to March 2021.