St. Elmo's Coffee Pub is everything one would expect from the name: a neighborhood spot to get your favorite bean-induced buzz, deli sandwiches, pastries, juices and exotic teas. The space is divided into two rooms -- one for lounging and reading the romance paperbacks lining the bookcase, the other for chatting and listening to the occasional live acoustic musician's performance. Bulletin boards display the range of neighborhood concerns, from baby-sitting to political activism. Lots of mix-and-match furniture, photos and paintings and giant sculpted streams of latte winding in and out of the front windows decorate the space.

Unlike some coffee joints, however, the patrons here are notably non-bohemian, with full families and well-heeled older couples in abundance. It just adds to the inclusive, welcoming atmosphere. The space is also well lit, nonsmoking, with lots of plant life. Prices are quite reasonable, even on the cheaper side for the coffee drinks. In warm weather, the sipping and the conversation move out to the patio.

-- Bob Massey