Welcome to the "town of bread," Artopolis. This large and welcoming European-style cafe is the type of place you could waste away an entire afternoon or be the last to close down at night. Offering that wonderful and all too rare combination of coffeehouse necessities alongside a full menu and bar, this town of bread fulfills many needs inside its colorful and airy space.

With a bakery in the basement, scents constantly rise up and fill the cafe, drawing you back to the open-air kitchen serving wood fired pizzas and Artopitas (flaky dough filled with a variety of meat, cheeses and vegetables for around $6). You can also expect many traditional Mediterranean and Greek dishes like roasted lamb ($12.95), yuvetsaki (beef and pasta in a red wine tomato sauce for $11.75) or a Mediterranean fest plate with hummus, fava, baba-ghanoush, tzatziki, tabouleh and Kalamata olives.

The experience could only be more indulgent if the picturesque front windows opened up onto the Mediterranean Sea instead of Halsted Street. But without the sea, you'll still find a relaxing sunken lounge to sip a glass of Greek wine (running your standard $5 per glass) or coffee ($2, made from Papagallos specialty beans). Although the cafe opens at 9 a.m., don't be surprised if the coffee hasn't been brewed yet or if it's run dry. I stopped in around 10 a.m. on a weekday to find a quiet cafe that at other times of day is beyond bustling, but managed to walk away with some incredible apple- and almond-filled pastries, but no coffee.

A few things to change during my next visit: I'll show up later in the day (though not during the crazed lunchtime crowds); I'll take the L, since parking in Greektown is next to impossible; I'll make sure that I have enough time to linger and enjoy a long meal with wine and friends in traditional Greek style.

Centerstage Reviewer: Heather Blaha