I’m not sure exactly how French chef Frederic Zahm wound up ditching his gig at the Peninsula’s Pierrot Gourmet to head up a tiny coffee shop on a dreary stretch of Logan Square. But I’m sure the locals are thankful regardless. Most of them, anyway. Blue Line commuters can now forgo the brown water J.J. Peppers passes off as coffee for a cup of steaming Dark Matter (plus pick up a toasted ham-and-cheese pretzel sandwich to boot), but I’ve overheard a few hipsters cut from the New Wave cloth complain about the $10 price tag for sandwiches like the fancy grilled cheese with honey butter on brioche. To those naysayers, I offer these arguments: The six-buck soup-and-half sandwich combo is a steal; all full sandwiches come with a side; ingredients are top-notch to help justify the pricing; and last but not least, a surly New Wave barista is not going to turn your lunch time into something memorable. Rewster’s (which already has plans to expand, recently securing the space next door for additional seating) just might. 3152 W Diversey Ave (773-647-3432).
By Heather Shouse