Damned good bread is possibly the best trend since scratch-made everything. And you can expect both at this roomy 56-seat café serving French Canadian–ish breakfast and lunch at Humboldt Park’s corner du jour: Augusta Boulevard and California Avenue.

The thick-sliced loaf has a crusty exterior and a soft, springy interior—perfect for simple yet standout sandwiches, such as ribbons of marbled house-cured ham and sweet pickle coins with a smear of butter ($7 half, $13 whole) or the Veggie Dagwood with shaved veggies, salty Parm, and herbed mayo ($6 half, $11 whole).

Bread gratification aside, the beluga lentil dish with pucks of peppery housemade sausage and raw endive ($12) warms and satisfies, while the salt-and-sugar-brined, house-smoked quarter chicken ($10) delivers juicy meat and crackly, almost candied, skin. Everything’s à la carte, so assume you’ll spend another $4 on a side of home fries, dusted in seasoned salt and fried till crispy. 1001 N. California Ave., 773-904-7660