There's nary a bathrobe or massage table in sight, but Spa Cafe's got the soothing-chic vibe to back up its name. With a seemingly eternal spanking-new feeling, walls alternate between robin's egg blue and crisp white, yellow floors contain patches of faux stone and lush ferns peek out of strategically placed ceramic pots. The piece de resistance is a waterfall trickling down a stony wall.

Plenty of seating accommodates a healthy crowd of Loop workers who take in the chalkboard's diet-friendly menu. "Mix and Match" the modest-size wraps and quesaninis (quesadillas made in a panini press), which include albacore tuna with lemon wasabi dressing, grain-fed beef tenderloin with rosemary sun-dried tomato spread and spice-rubbed Sicilian eggplant with drunken Spanish goat cheese, basil and red pepper dressing.

If you are leaving carbs behind, opt to have your lunch wrapped in lettuce instead of tortilla. And don't pass on the spa sides, seemingly olive oil-free salads like cumin carrot and lentil portobello. At the counter, look for the fountain-style lemon or cucumber water; if you ask nicely, the staff may give you a sample. The drinks go for $1 a cup and somehow feel so much more refreshing than a super-size diet Pepsi.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Jennifer Berg