Coffee House Cafe

Suburbanites looking for an alternative to that pesky frappuccino-hawking mermaid ought to give Coffee House Cafe a shot. Free Wi-Fi and a massive covered patio -- complete with a fireplace and outdoor heaters for those chilly evenings -- make this coffeehouse and restaurant an ideal haunt for the laptop-toting set. Those craving central air can head indoors to the brick- and wood-laden dining room and settle into a cozy booth. An expansive menu and table service offer three squares a day with everything from crabcake Benedict to seared tilapia, but the wise stick to the fair-trade coffee (pour over, cold brew, French press or good ol’ fashioned drip) and espresso drinks, and simple breakfast dishes like the light and fluffy lemon ricotta pancakes.