Atomix
This sunny room furnished with 50s-modern-style tables and chairs doesn’t have a huge menu, but who cares when you can design your own sandwich using a grease pencil to mark off options on a laminated card? Ingredients include hummus, cold cuts, and lots of homemade spreads including tapenade, pesto, and garlic-roasted red pepper. Vegans can also order vegan baked goods, veggie chili, or a grilled soy cheese sandwich, and there are plenty of coffee drinks. Atomix is home to a So and So’s Button-o-matic, a vending machine that dispenses one-inch buttons designed by local artists. The cafe’s now owned by former Seam drummer Chris Manfrin. —Holly Greenhagen
Bourgeois Pig
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Fifteen years old now, this charming Lincoln Park establishment might easily be mistaken for having been around even longer. Located in an old brownstone, it’s true to 60s-coffeehouse form, with creaky hardwood floors, hundreds of newspapers and books lining the shelves, and a menu of homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods posted on four huge blackboards. The extensive lineup ranges from a Great Gatsby Club (pesto, bacon, and smoked turkey) to a veggie panini with artichoke hearts and fresh spinach to a daily quiche with a flaky, buttery crust. You can also build your own sandwich or get a half with a cup of soup or salad. The quiet and somewhat unkempt surroundings—an antidote to the antiseptic ambience of newer shops—attract a studious crowd. The pleasant patio was expanded this summer. —Laura Levy Shatkin
Charmers Cafe/Dagel and Beli
Delicious Cafe
Hoosier Mama Pie Shop
