OAKLEY
Madison Rd. & Brazee St. 

For decades, people have flocked to this east side neighborhood?s square for Aglamesis Brothers ice cream, toys from King Arthur?s Court, and more. But lately, it?s not Oakley?s square that?s getting all the attention.

4. For something more casual, check out THE OAK TAVERN, which opened this summer and provides sports-centric east-siders a place to imbibe. ?We?re all sports all the time,? says happy hour bartender Emily Gall. ?I got yelled at by a customer for watching Oprah while I opened the bar one afternoon!? The Tavern subscribes to NFL Ticket and?calling all Buckeye fans?Big 10 Network and has four 51-inch flat-screen televisions. Take that, Time Warner Cable! The Tavern is awaiting approval for its kitchen license;  until then the free peanuts will have to suffice (and yes, you can throw them on the floor).  ANDREW WELSH

1 . When Wendy Smith opened THE REDTREE ART GALLERY AND COFFEE SHOP in May, she wanted to offer local artists a place to show their works. ?It?s an art gallery first and foremost,? says Smith. ?I never dreamed of opening a coffee shop, but I thought it would be a good way to draw people in, and it is.? Inside, hanging partitions and the muted brown and gray decor provide the perfect backdrop for artwork. And there?s a lot of it?large-scale ethereal paintings, handmade greeting cards featuring screen-printed boom boxes, and a contemporary ceramic floral sculpture glazed orange. The gallery?s weekday hours (7 a.m.?7 p.m.) make it easy to get your caffeine and culture fix at one place.

2 . While hot beverages take a backseat to art at Redtree Gallery, they are front and center at  ESSENCHA TEA HOUSE AND FINE TEAS. Owner Tracy Monson emphasizes the ritual of tea drinking and her well-trained staff steeps each cup according to the leaf. (For instance: white tea requires a shorter steeping time as it?s more delicate.) Tea choices start with traditional green and the smoky black Lapsang Souchong, but there?s a dizzying variety: 78 more options are available (read: ask an employee for guidance). The Asian-style caf?as intimate tables, booths, and red-patterned floor cushions that surround one low-seating table and provide a perfectly Zen-like atmosphere for sipping or picking a few loose-leaf blends to go. Hungry, too? Order a cup of miso soup with a cold-smoked salmon sandwich or onigiri (rice balls).

3. Oakley?s newest restaurant, HUGO, named after the 1989 hurricane that battered the Carolinas, offers low-country cooking in a cozy downsized version of the space formerly occupied by Pho Paris. A brick fireplace, candlestick light fixtures, and burgundy and hunter green textiles make the place feel more like a Charleston home than a restaurant. Executive Chef Sean Daly fell in love with southern cooking techniques while attending Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. You?ll find comfort foods, like fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits, and interesting combinations like foie gras mac?and-cheese on the menu.