What’s Not to Like About Ula's Café?

You probably already knew that the baked goods at ’ are outstanding. The popular popovers ($1.95) are the stuff of legend, and there are commuters who go miles out of their way to pick up one of the fresh, baked-on-the-premises delights each morning. 

also has a tasty selection of other breakfast pastries like muffins ($1.95) and scones ($2). The decadent or fatally-slim among you might elect to match your morning macchiatto with one of their delectable dessert offerings, like éclairs ($3), cupcakes ($2.25), brownies ($2) or cookies (.75-$1.65). 

Personally, I’m partial to “Mexican Wedding Cookies.” Although matrimony has eluded me until now, if I ever wed, I plan to have a simple reception and will probably serve nothing but these scrumptious confections with champagne. 

Healthier and more substantial breakfast offerings include oatmeal ($3.20) and homemade granola ($3.20). On weekdays, “Strata” ($3.95), a savory egg dish made from bread and cheese, is offered in a changing variety of versions. On weekends, the flaky biscuit and fluffy scrambled eggs ($2.50) with mushroom gravy ($2.50) are a filling and flavorful bargain brunch.

For lunch, vegetarian diners can choose from several meatless sandwiches. One is really better than the next. Co-owner Korinn Koslofsy said that she strove for the meatless items to be as delicious and satisfying as any of the restaurant's other offerings.    

Koslofsky and crew apparently created an omnivorous success with the “Sweet Potato” ($7.80 whole/ $5 half) sandwich, which she noted is Ula’s most popular item. The inventive sandwich includes thinly sliced roasted sweet potato, Monterrey jack cheese, peppers, onions, sprouts, and  tahini-poppy seed spread. 

The vegan “Hummus” ($6.85/$4.45 half) sandwich features the café’s homemade spread, thicker than customary, and is dressed with fresh vegetables and ginger-curry vinaigrette. The” Egg Salad” ($6.75 whole/ $4.40 half) sandwich goes beyond the ordinary with the addition of fresh dill and peas.

Containing locally made tofu from the Brewery’s 21st Century Foods, with green apple, scallions, raisins, cucumbers and sprouts, the vegan “Curried Tofu” ($7.45 whole/$4.85 half) is the right balance of savory and sweet. also offers what it calls a “Guest Sandwich,” a rotating item that changes regularly. This month’s ($8.25 whole, $5.25 half) is a tasty vegan combination of tempeh, peanut spread, red onion, cilantro and lettuce. 

All sandwiches are served on artisanal breads from Roslindale’s Fornax Bread Company. The option of having a half-sandwich is a good one for smaller appetites, and also for those who would like to accompany one of hearty sandwiches with one of their soups or salads. 

The “Curried Tofu” and “Egg Salad” can also be served as delicious additions to a salad ($4.75 small, $6.75 large). Unfailingly fresh, other salads include the “Garden Vegetable” ($4.25 small, $6.30 large) containing crisp greens, tomatoes, sprouts, red onion and carrots, and the “Fruit and Nut” ($6.95 large, $4.75 small) with greens and goat cheese.

The hearty “Soups of the Day” ($4.75 bowl, $3.95 cup) are made from scratch, and there’s always at least one vegetarian or vegan choice. Welcome warm-ups during this chilly, damp spring have recently included “Green Bean and Almond,” “Carrot Fennel,” and “White Bean and Kale.”

Since it opened four years ago, s has become a friendly spot that draws a devoted crowd as diverse as JP itself, ranging from local workers to moms and kids, bespectacled hipsters and Zumba dancers from neighboring . There’s usually plenty of seating, and even an outdoor patio. 

With its industrial beams, exposed brick, blond wood and brushed steel details, the place exudes a hip, post-industrial atmosphere that is balanced by its earthiness. grows its own cilantro and other herbs in a container garden outside, and was one of the first local businesses to be certified under the . 

So what’s not to like about Ula's? Recently voted Best Local Coffee Shop in the annual Boston Phoenix’ Readers Poll, about the worst thing you can say is that they don’t always have the “Mexican Wedding Cookies." (Honestly, I'm not ready for marriage now anyway.) The vibe lies somewhere between Bauhaus and bean sprouts, but manages to hit it all just right.

Located at 284 Amory Street at the Brewery, (617.524.7890) is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.