Shaw's Coffee Limited

Shaw's could be an art gallery, or a $1 million penthouse loft. The former bank space is a breathtaking architectural marvel, with an honest-to-goodness pressed-tin ceiling, transom windows and a still-intact safe-deposit vault you can sit in while you sip a macchiato. Other Euro-style beverage options include French and Italian bottled sodas and granitas (drinkable Italian ices). Eats are just coffeehouse nibbles and pastries, but the java -- oh, the java! Co-owners Walt Boyle and Gail Maher bring in beans from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Sumatra and other locales, then roast them on-site in a gorgeous old roaster. With décor to die for and a quiet, comfy atmosphere, Shaw's might just be the perfect place to while away an afternoon or to engage in an intimate tête-à-tête.