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Brewed Awakening 2305 E. Sahara Ave., 702/457-7050. Nearly hidden in a gargantuan strip mall, this is the tiny coffeehouse that could. The coffee is good, the staff effervescent and the selection of pastries and baked goods sensational, making Brewed Awakening a great place for Sunday morning brunch. Live acoustic and jazz on weekends. Note: although they have a Sahara address, the café actually faces Eastern.

Café Copioh 4550 S. Maryland Pkwy., 702/739-0305.Tranquil coffeehouse by day and smoky exotica by night. The word atmosphere almost falls short in describing the mixed crowd that packs Copioh every night: collegiates, batcavers, candy ravers and all manner of cultural misfits. The coffee is pretty damn good, though, and the mismatched furniture gives the place a funky, you’re-starring-in-somebody’s-independent-film feel. Try the coffee slushes — they’re delightful. You’ll just have to get past the fact that there’s enough mascara flowing through this joint to float an ocean liner.

Café Espresso Roma 4440 S. Maryland Pkwy., 702/369-1540. This is where UNLV comes to study: at any given time, there’s at least thirty students here, perusing the Utne Reader, playing chess or simply doing their homework. The java is tasty and reasonably priced, and the Roma plays host to a Vegas institution: an open-mike poetry reading that’s gone on as long as we can recall. Visual art installations change regularly, and live acoustic acts play frequently. Keep checking our calendar.

Café Sensations 4350 E. Sunset, 702/456-7803. On the doorstep of the Green Valley Athletic Club, it’s where the beautiful people go! Offering live music on the weekends, a top-notch cafe menu, beautifully prepared desserts, and perhaps the best café au lait this side of the Big Easy, this relaxing bistro is an ideal place to break training for an afternoon. Misted outdoor seating is available when weather drives necessity.

Enigma Garden Café 918 1/2 S. Fourth St., 702/386-0999. The Gateway District’s original outdoor café only gets better every time we visit. Under the attentive care of Lenadams Dorris, Enigma’s ambience, food and drink are nonpareil. The menu features everything from shrimp cocktails to veggie sandwiches, with more than a hundred distinct beverages to wash ’em down. Visit the art gallery by day; enjoy live music, open-mic poetry or just some great conversation on the patio after sunset. And don’t miss their “Mochas Past” —every one named for a defunct Las Vegas hotel/casino. Closed Mondays.

Jitters 2457 E. Tropicana Ave., 702/898.0056; 8441 W. Lake Mead Blvd., 702/256-1902; 671 Mall Ring Circle, 702/898-6626; 4343 N. Rancho Dr., #128, 702/655-3660; 2295 N. Green Valley Pkwy., 702/434-3112. Adding a location almost daily, Jitters stands ready at the dawn of every new day to serve its huge, mostly Boomer following hot coffee and fresh pastries. Indoor or outdoor seating is always available: we recommend the West Lake Mead location for its slower pace, soothing fountain and tasteful Southwestern decor.