Perhaps no other word besides "eclectic" can do the Wildflower Cafe justice.  There’s a giant bamboo bar with a “happy days” sign, vintage sofas and chairs strewn throughout the small room, and artwork covering every last inch of the walls.  With a menu including everything from PB & fluff to vegetarian chili to ambrosia to home-made cookies, the Wildflower feels more like your parents’ basement than a music lounge and coffeehouse.  While the food is nothing you couldn't make in your own kitchen, Wildflower is a great venue for live music.  And if you’re a musician yourself, make sure to stop by for their open mike nights on Monday and Tuesday.

Spooners Café, in the heart of downtown, serves up delicious homemade soups as well fresh salads, sandwiches and baked treats.  Opened in 2006, Spooners has a funky feel, with old posters, whicker seat chairs, and sleek hardwood floors.  The daily soup and sandwich specials are listed on a giant chalk board near the register.  We recommend the Jail House Chili – it’s meaty and delicious (but definitely has a kick, so keep the water close by).  Pair it with a half sandwich, like the roast beef and red pepper or turkey and avocado, and you've got a delicious combo.  And if you want to turn lunch into a full afternoon out, take advantage of the checkerboards and checkers at every table.  They’ve even got breakfast fare for those of you up early enough.  Eat in or take food to go (they also cater).  (Open M-F 7a-4p.)

Who says you can’t go back? This café makes time travel possible and worth the trip. The golden oldies on the radio and walls plastered with records and signed photographs make you nostalgic for the days when rock and roll was, well, rockin’. And if the ambiance doesn’t, the menu certainly will, with options like the “Mama Cass” hot ham sandwich, the “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” crab patty and “You Ain’t Nothin’ But a Hot Dog” (Elvis sighting, anyone?). Unfortunately, this cafe certainly does not rock around the clock—it’s closed by 2pm. But, if you’re up early (they open at 7am) or looking for a new lunch spot, it’s a fun and tasty place to try. (Open daily 7a-2p.)

610-432-3221

www.panerabread.com

Panera is European café meets cozy ski lodge. There’s a fireplace in the main dining area, toasty on a cool autumn evening. The bakery is old world too, with a vast assortment of pastries, breads and bagels lining the wooden shelves. The sandwiches, soups and salads are inexpensive, and sometimes inventive: Try the soup in a sourdough bread bowl ($5) or the popular grilled panini sandwiches (around $7). Just don’t forget to order a café mocha and a caramel pecan brownie for dessert. We promise Dr. Atkins won’t come after you. (Open M-Sa 6:30a-9p; Su 7a-7:30p.)

If you’re downtown for lunch, drop by chef Lee Reinhard’s eponymous bistro, just off Hamilton Street in the shadow of the PPL Building. The place is cheerful—bright yellow walls and checkered floors—but the main event is the fresh and delicious fare. Try the bagels, muffins, and pastries, but save room for the “city-style” sandwhiches (double the meat) or the succulent Angus burger ($6.25).  The local-produce salad bar is full of brightly-colored freshness, and the coffee, Seattle’s Best, is joined by a full espresso bar. For breakfast, try “Lee’s Famous bull’s eye egges” ($2) or the syrup-drenched French toast with powdered sugar ($2.50).(Open M-F 6:45a-4p.) 

When they say “Welcome to Jumbars,” they’re not kidding. The inviting atmosphere—think buttercup yello walls adorned with watercolor paintings—and the fact that every patron seems to know one another offset any discomfort from the cramped quarters.  The breakfast menu includes the standards – French toast and pancakes – along with homemade bread.  The whole-wheat waffles topped with strawberries and bananas ($7) are amazing.  If you go for an omelet instead, be sure to add caramelized onions ($5).  For lunch, both the grilled ahi tuna salad ($9) and pulled pork panini ($6.50) come highly recommended by the regulars.  And don’t fight dessert – it’d be a hopeless battle considering the counter is laden down with everything from sticky buns to chocolate cake.  Trust us, pretty soon Jumbars will be a place where everybody knows your name, too. (Open W-F 8a-3p; Sa-Su 8a-2p.)

Tucked away in an old row house on 19th Street, this funky coffee shop is the soul of the emerging 19th Street “bohemia.” Industrial beams hold hundreds of hanging mugs; the checkerboard, tiled floor makes you think you’re in a country cottage kitchen one second and an elegant ballroom the next. If you’re hungry for brunch or a light lunch, they’ve got homemade pies, muffins, bagels and scones to quell your appetite. Most important, though, are the brews. They know their coffee, and serve up an array of blends as well as fancier lattes and cappuccinos. Time your visit so you’re not arriving with the crowd emerging from the neighboring Civic Theatre. You can bring a book, but the soothing classical music and dim lighting may be more conducive to catnapping than to getting that reading done. The menu proclaims that coffee's "far better...than wine" --- how true! (Open M--Th 8:30a-11p; F-Sa 8:30a-midnight; Su 10a-10p.)

This restaurant/snack spot/tea room is sure to make you lie back and think of England (or Ireland—whatever).  Voted “best tea in the Valley” by Lehigh Valley Magazine for the past two years, Granny McCarthy’s offers a homey ambiance with tasty treats.  A variety of soups, salads, pastries, shepherd’s pies, quiches, and hot and cold beverages are offered daily, and Guinness-battered fish and chips are available every Friday evening.  Pass the crumpets!  (Open M 11a-3p; Tu-W 11a-4p; Th 10a-8p; F 10a-9p; Sa 9a-5p; Su 9a-3:30p.)

For those groggy, slightly hungover mornings where the last thing you want to do is see someone you know, the DogStarr Cafe provides quality food with a side of guaranteed privacy.  Adjacent to the Allentown Symphony Hall, the café has been serving local business people for over ten years. It’s got an exceptional (and reasonably priced) menu of breakfast and lunch items, from bagels to salads and sandwiches. And who needs a mainstream Starbucks when the funkier Dogstarr has everything a coffee- or tea-lover could wish for? You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the list of lattes and cappuccinos, flavored coffees and Chai and regular teas. And no one will judge you for your sweats. (Open M-F 8a-4:30p.)

The Amazon Café calls itself a healthy alternative to fast food. It’s certainly more figure-friendly than next-door neighbor Johnny Mañanas. The menu , along with a giant toucan mascot, includes nutritious soups, paninis, wraps, salads, and pastries.  But it’s their delicious signature smoothies—like Paradise Lust, The Coldblaster, and Bananaramathat make the drive downtown worthwhile. Keep in mind that the Amazon Café is pretty cramped—it’s only got a counter with some stools, a pair of tables, and a couch—so take your smoothie to the fountain-filled plaza outside. Be warned that resistance to a fountain drenching is, in fact, futile.