It's no wonder America runs on Dunkin'. Perhaps it's the guilt of sprinkles on a Long John or the gooey glaze of an apple fritter. At Delicious Cafe, an all-vegan pastry selection and "tofurkey" sandwiches remove weight worries so you can stroll through life instead of racing through it.

Guests gather on a stitched couch while sipping cups of Chemex brew, making Delicious Cafe the Central Perk of the North Center neighborhood. Early afternoons modestly fill with students. One crams away inclined against a crafty throw tacked to a white wall, while another takes advantage of free wi-fi, checking his Facebook profile between nibbles of a grilled cheese (available in dairy or soy, $5.95). A few dog walkers stop and refuel as do a number of bicyclists. One cyclist esteems artwork displayed on a chocolate wall – for two months at a time, a local artist may present their work.

Outside of the artwork, assorted chairs, a silver-retro ceiling (the elaborately detailed kind common in old Ukrainian Village apartments) and additional walls of teal and fuschia boldface the charm. Raw-wood floors, that'd require buffing anywhere else, work just fine here. Stacks of free newspapers aside fliers for Buddhist meditation services and race-relations discussions further reveal this family-run place's commitment to the community.

This commitment resurfaces, come time for your first coffee refill, on the house. Drinking tea? Get a free one after your second order. Devoured your sandwich? Have the cashier mark your sandwich card ... eat enough and get one at no cost. Requesting an accommodation? The girls work with you. I found it neat how they reworked the iced lemon ginger tea into a hot version, helping treat my nasty cold. Be bad, without really being bad, and add vegan cakes, cookies and scones ($1.25-$4) to your cart. And don’t miss breakfast, which ends at 11 a.m.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: David-Anthony Gonzalez