Bites Nearby: Cafe on the Common

The Cafe on the Common, at 677 Main St. in Waltham, just across from the Common, has been thriving for seven years -- so it must be doing something right. For one thing, it's spacious, with two airy rooms. In them, one can settle into a comfortable chair and read one of the free newspapers or your own material, or use the free wi-fi to surf the Web, while having a cup of gourmet coffee or tea and homemade sandwich or dessert. During the summer, there's also an ice-cream bar that's otherwise unused.

What to eat: All the food is made on the premises, including soups, quiches, sandwiches, pastries and cookies. The cookies are chewy and not overly sweet, such as the molasses and oatmeal ones ($1.75), as are the desserts, such as carrot cake and tiramisu. And along with the many variations on coffee drinks there are a dozen kinds of invigorating, gourmet loose-leaf tea, from English breakfast and champagne Darjeeling to oolong and green ($1.85 for a cup, $2.35 for a pot).

The vibe: Laidback and cosmopolitan -- sit as long as you like.

Cool factor no. 1: The coffee beans are fair trade (and organic).

Cool factor no. 2: Free newspapers and wi-fi.

Cool factor no. 3: Good but unobtrusive cool jazz in the background.