A Chi coffee institution returns

The hiatus is an opportunity to come back bigger than ever, like Gandalf The White, or Kirstie Alley The Used To Be Skinny. Following in their augmented footsteps, Filter.

The beloved Wicker Park cafe and wireless hub that gave way to a bank a few years back is making its triumphant return, just south of its old haunt in a sprawling space that dwarfs the old digs; they've kept the mismatched vintage furniture that gave the place an eclectic, consignment shop feel while making all manner of environmental upgrades to earn coveted LEED certification, though we aren't sure what Leprechaun Emergency Evacuation Day has to do with the environment. The menu's also undergone an expansion, with breakfast options like a skirt steak omelet with green pepper/mushroom/onion/tomato, build-your own breakfast sammies in the delivery method of your liking (panini, croissant, wrap, etc), and a three egg/hash brown/veggie/cheese amalgamation called "Hipster Hash", which'll make sure your jeans are anything but skinny. More lunch friendly fare comes in the form of poblano-chicken quesadillas, housemade falafel w/ hummus and Jerusalem salad, and a turkey/cranberry/sweet potato fry-filled "Thanksgiving Wrap" that's desperately struggling to rhyme "Pilgrims".

They've even taken their coffee up a notch, having installed a huge machine that will let them roast their own in-house, just like Kirstie does, with entire sides of beef.