It’s a comfortable summer day, 89 degrees with a slight breeze. You are with some of your friends, walking down main street, stopping at antique shops and other boutiques. As you stroll along, admiring the ages old pine trees, you notice a group of people sitting on a patio, enjoying what seems like tasty food and a welcoming atmosphere.

“Hi, welcome to Braddens.”

Occupying what was the oldest tavern in the area, Braddens Casual Fare is a cozy and welcoming place, perfect to go and have a lunch with friends, or to go on a date. It combines the outdoor patio openness of a pub and grill, with the secluded luxury of a five star restaurant.

Everything about the place is built to your order. Their steaks: custom cut. The sides: you pick whichever ones you want, however you want them, something that manager Sara Miller is particularly proud of.

“Its not like other places where we have where we have things pre-packaged,” Miller said. “Its all cut to what you want.”

The most extensive place of Braddens however is the wine selection. At any given time, they have more than 500 bottles of wine to select from. And they feature internationally renowned flavors as well as local delicacies such as St. James and Hopewell (which you can only get here).

Many customers find the atmosphere comfortable and inviting, crediting much of that homage to the beautiful, all brick patio.

“I really enjoy being outside in the weather,” sophomore Alex Curry-Lipka said. “It makes everything taste better.”

The restaurant came into existance when a few local bartenders, including Sara, decided that they wanted to open up a restaurant. After finding investors and a location, their ambitions became reality, and in that Braddens was born.

“I really do like people. I love to host,” Miller said. “I really do like it here.”