La Farine Bakery

Bigger is not always better. But in the case of La Farine, it is.

The West Town bakery recently relocated to the northern border of Logan Square, tripling its size and ambition. It's now a full-fledged café, with ample space for lingering over a flaky croissant ($2.50) or a savory tart layered with caramelized onions, tomatoes, roasted summer squash and béchamel ($5).

Racks are stocked with Rida Shahin's crusty loaves, like sea-salt ciabatta, sourdough, baguettes, and ficelle, smaller and skinnier than a baguette and studded with sesame, fennel and flax seeds.

Start the day with a fried-egg sandwich with Pecorino and roasted onions on ciabatta ($6), or a "briochetta," a slice of the enriched bread topped with goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and fried or scrambled eggs.

Come afternoon, there are roasted-eggplant ($5) or tarragon chicken-salad sandwiches ($6), and an array of new vegan salads. Wheatberry salad ($5) was the standout of a recent visit, colored crimson from roasted beets, accented by dried cranberries and dressed in a curry vinaigrette.

Bridgeport coffee is served as espresso or cold-brewed, but chai ($4) is La Farine's most noteworthy caffeine source. Don't miss the house-made blend, rich with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and black pepper.