Cafe Ballou
939 N. Western, Chicago
(773) 342-2909
www.cafeballou.com


Work from home? Make this Euro-cafe your daytime office. Free wi-fi access, plenty of sunlight, and better-than-your-average bear eats make this the gathering spot of choice for Ukrainian Village dwellers and west-of-the-Loop hipsters. Feel free to sip on a cuppa joe, but don't overlook specialties like the Cafe Ballou tea service or the Turkish coffee served with ice water and a piece of dark chocolate. Fortify yourself with a cup of fresh soup, a salad (the eponymous Ballou is a favorite, with its blend of chicken, apples, walnuts and gruyere) or sandwich, such as the roasted red pepper and cheese club, a you'll-dream-of-this-it's-so-yummy combination of herbed cheese spread, white cheddar, roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, onion and vinaigrette on multigrain.

-- Kate Schwartz, Centerstage Chicago