Occupying the former space of Vittelos Bakery in downtown Skokie, Sweety Pies is the kind of cafe you can stop in for a quick pre-meal cup of coffee, and, before you know it, you've stuffed yourself silly on four different types of cupcakes. Whoops! Offering pastries like pies, cookies, bars, biscotti, croissants, scones, muffins as well as coffee, espresso and sandwiches gives this family-owned operation a whole host of sugary weapons in its arsenal.

Try a slice of pie for $4-$5, like the blueberry supreme or sweet potato, or simply stick to the classic apple crisp. Daily cookies include oatmeal and sparkly sugar (as opposed, apparently, to dull sugar), but stop by on the weekend for the macaroon, molasses and rugelach varieties. Cupcakes are the main attraction: The carrot cupcake with cream cheese frosting or the gooey Boston crme are worth stopping in by themselves. If you're not craving a sugar rush, there's a create-your-own sandwich option, with honey ham, smoked turkey and hard salami available. Oh, and the coffee: its Intelligentsia, so its strong, tasty and local.

Inside, Sweety Pies walks a tight-rope between appealing to the younger, hip crowd and the blue-collar 7 a.m. clientele. Sure, there's an abstract painting on the wall that looks like an album cover for an avant-garde art-rock band, but theres also a copy of the newspaper on the counter, taunting morning customers to sit down next to it with a cup of Joe while you take in the aroma of fresh croissants.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Andy Seifert