Terra Cotta Caf?? is like a breath of fresh air for downtown Dayton.

It stands out in the area because there is nothing similar to it around, and the caf?? seems to provide a serene escape from the busy downtown streets.

Walking into the caf??, it seems like a place where everyone would know your name. Although, they probably won't actually know your name, everyone working in the small, family-run business greets each customer with warm smiles and fairly prompt service. Their menu even says in a letter to the patrons, 'We will always give you a warm welcome and do our best to make sure you feel right at home in our little caf??,' signed warmly from the Terra Cotta Caf?? staff.

The caf?? caters to a laid back environment with music in the background, comfortable seating and even a bookshelf stocked for customers to browse through while dining. The set-up of the caf?? makes it seem smaller than it actually is, giving off a homey feeling, but there are close to 20 tables and booths.

The caf?? features quite a few extras that help to add to the caf'??s ambiance. There are colorful vases with flowers and miniature lamps on each table, as well as local artists' artwork adorning the tan walls. The caf?? almost seems European and gives off a sense of community.

Besides an appealing d??cor, the food is actually good. They carry gourmet coffee drinks (all fair trade coffee products), soups, salads, wraps, paninis and sandwiches. Customers can either have a deli sandwich with a choice of roast beef, corned beef, ham, turkey, chicken salad or tuna salad or choose from one of the five specialty gourmet sandwiches, including a Reuben and the Terra Cotta Classic. There are also fresh baked goods available every day.

The prices are comparable to those of Panera or Bagel Caf??. Coffee prices range anywhere from $1 to $4, lunch prices range from $2.25 for a cup of soup to $6.95 for a panini. Wraps, sandwiches and paninis, however, all come with a side choice of chips, pretzels, coleslaw, applesauce or potato salad.

Terra Cotta Caf?? is a quiet little place tucked away at the corner of Fifth Street and Ludlow in downtown Dayton. It's a great place to study or catch up on some reading or with an old pal.

The caf?? is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for dine-in or carry-out. The caf?? serves breakfast until 10 a.m. and lunch is served until 2:30 p.m. Evening hours are available for parties, events and meetings with advanced notice. The caf?? also delivers within a three-block radius. To contact them, call (937) 226-1662.