Touting itself as Chicago's first smoke-free coffeehouse, Uncommon Ground's slightly new agey feel meets with a touch of upscale crunchiness. In the winter it's a comfy place to cozy up with a book or enjoy the hours of free wi-fi (so long as you purchase some grindage); in the summer, there's plenty of space on the sidewalk patio for you, your dog, your friend's dog and your big bowl of java. Just beware of surging crowds of Cubs fans barreling through the streets.

As for the food, Uncommon serves an evenly split veggie and non-veggie breakfast, lunch and dinner menu. Omelets spiked with basil and smoked mozzarella and Uncommon Huevos over easy with black bean, corn and brown rice cake counter sweeter, more indulgent offerings like granola, French toast and, yes, even bacon. Comfort foods like mac and cheese, cheeseburgers on onion challah buns, veggie chili, Thai salad and a mix of soups and sandwiches precede the dinner hour, when Uncommon ups the ante with dishes like Jamaican Jerk pork chops, organic salmon salad, meatloaf and pumpkin ravioli.

As of January 2005, the cafe expanded once again to accommodate a full bar in the front room. Liquor is aflowing in the form of wine, bubbly, beers like Stella and Goose Island on tap and by the bottle and featured Belgian beers and seasonal Bells. Expect to spend anywhere from $4 for a beer to $10 for a fancy margarita.

The cafe not only tantalizes your taste buds late into the night; live music performances nightly generally feature acoustic folk artists, and an annual Jeff Buckley tribute concert attracts crowds by the dozen. Every Monday night Uncommon plays host to an open mic session, and after the Cubs season finishes up, the cafe hosts an evening of open mic storytelling every Tuesday. The occasional theatrical performance also takes place.

Centerstage Reviewer: Jessica Herman