Ball Square'sBall Square’s True Grounds begins where the now-defunct Someday Café left off. This local artist enclave is a true neighborhood coffeehouse with a stellar array of wraps and sandwiches that revel in Somerville's emerging color—including the Broadway (tuna melt with swiss), the Magoun Square (tofu, homemade hummus, sprouts and cucumbers) and the B-Square (roast beef, herbed boursin cheese and tomatoes). While this comfy café is becoming a hangout for up-and-coming musicians and writers (they offer free wi-fi to patrons), True Grounds' claim to fame is its refined aficionado coffees called George H. Howell’s terroir, which is served up in larger-than-usual cups and brewed to perfection. Owners Rhett and Amy also host a music night held the last Tuesday of the month from 7-9 p.m.

This sister cafe to Davis Square's Diesel opened Oct. 2007 to rave reviews. Named after its street address, 11 Bow. St., this hipster hotspot in the heart of Somerville's Union Square is housed in an 87-year-old bank building. However, there's nothing stodgy about Bloc 11. Similar amenities to Diesel Cafe including stellar vegan delicacies, wi-fi access and tempting eye candy and, of course, some of the best java Somerville has to offer.

The artwork hanging on the walls at this neighborhood coffee shop--located on Highland Avenue between Davis Square and Sullivan (take the 90 bus line)--sets a warm and vibrant tone at this hidden Somerville gem. Caffé Rossini serves up quality Italian sandwiches stuffed with quality ingredients and served on bread that’s baked fresh daily. Co-owner Lola Riveras creates handmade Italian pastries (her cannoli is top-notch) while her partner, Joe Sinclair, crafts a mean pizza pie. The cafe is always festively decorated with Lola's artistic flair. Also, the café’s decor and the menu items change to be in tune with the seasons. Caffe Rossini boasts six indoor tables for dining in and they open up their outdoor seating during the summer month. Once you stumble on this lovely café, you’ll keep coming back for more.

With Someday Café closed and Diesel Café thriving, locals initially had an adverse reaction to the Starbucks in Davis Square. This coffee hangout is larger than usual and the décor is modern and comfortable (they even have a fireplace). Also, the Starbucks on Elm Street offers outdoor seating during the warmer months. Perfect for people watching.

Long before the Starbucks and Diesel Café set up shop in Somerville’s Davis Square, this Au Bon Pain has served up its French bistro sandwiches and jolting espressos to the area’s burgeoning yipster crowd. This locale offers spectacular outdoor seating during the warmer months and easy access to the Davis Square T stop.

Popular with Tufts students and displaced Teele Square denizens not willing to make the trek to nearby Davis Square, Soleil Café’s claim to fame is their around-the-world gourmet selection of sandwiches and freshly made breads. Their take on the “Pilgrim” (turkey, stuffing and cranberry) sandwich is to die for—they use Indian-style turkey, fennel and herbed stuffing—and their Saigon is a Vietnamese-style interpretation with softer-than-usual bread and veggies. One caveat: they have odd hours and recently closed completely down for several weeks over the holidays.

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Nestled in the entranceway leading to the Davis Square T stop, Au Petit Pain is a small, quick-stop convenience mart perfect for that soda or coffee on the go. While the name implies that it offers bread, they do have a decent selection of pre-made muffins and snacks. And yes, the “petit” part of this shop’s name is applicable—this hole in the wall is small but packed with a lot of goodies for the on-the-go commuter.

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