Mustard-colored tables and bright red walls fill the space at this slightly gritty Pilsen coffee joint. Whimsical watercolor paintings accent the walls while a few people work and check e-mail on laptop computers. Meanwhile other neighborhood folks chat on sofas next to a chess set. At the back of the store stands a bookcase with books that people can borrow and bring back.

Coffee drinks spark you up, and tres leches cake and chocolate flan beckon. We were powerless to resist the tres leches cake top, which is soft, buttery goodness. Sandwiches and breakfast fare also round out the menu.

With few coffee shops in the immediate area, Kristoffer's is a welcoming treat. The place serves up friendliness (and a reminder when the place is about to close) in a stylish, mostly unembellished setting, and it charms because it's an edgy alternative to so many national brands of cookie-cutter coffee joints.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Mary Susan Littlepage