Shäika

Every neighbourhood should have a place like this. On a corner, across from a tree-filled park, a smattering of tables on the sidewalk filled by unshaven journalists who lovingly coddle coffee cups and smoke cigarettes as they watch the traffic pass by. The 'traffic' is an array of pretty young things popping into the Cuban-styled café for their daily latté fix. Inside, it's an oasis. High, pressed-tin ceilings, tiled floors, tropical plants and white-washed walls hung with local art. Funky moms, students and professor-types munch on homemade soup and sandwiches named after nearby streets, like Le Harvard: smoked turkey with avocado and cheddar cheese. At nighttime tealights are lit, beer and wine flows, and bands cram into the gallery space for acoustic sets.