Bites Nearby: Red Leaf Cafe

The Red Leaf Cafe is located just inside the Watertown Free Public Library at 123 Main St. Opened in 2009, it may be less well-known than other eateries in the Watertown Square area, but it's well worth a visit. The menu is modest, but the food is good and fresh, the service prompt and the atmosphere relaxed and stimulating. In sunny weather, one can take a lunch, dessert, drink or snack outside to one of several tables on the front lawn. The café's main feature is that it shares the same well-lit room with the library's used book store. The walls are lined with hundreds of "gently used" books, CDs and free magazines that have been donated, and are sold for a dollar or less.

What to eat: The sandwiches are simple and tasty and the bread fresh and chewy. You can't go wrong with the raspberry chicken salad or honey-baked ham and cheese. The café also specializes in pastries and other desserts, with a good variety of them, including brownies, lemon squares, raspberry bars, Mexican wedding cookies, Italian pizzelle, biscotti and fresh fruit, to go with a cup of coffee or a selection of gourmet teas. They're going to try soups again beginning this month.

The vibe: Despite being inside the library building, the café is lively, with both adults and kids hanging out at the tables, conversing, perusing the books or hunched over laptops.

Cool factor no. 1: There's no lack of reading material, since the library's used-book store is in the café.

Cool factor no. 2: If you want to use a laptop, and didn't bring your own, you can sign one out at the front desk.