Homegrown’s menu is a nicely curated list of classics—turkey-bacon-avocado, catfish po’boy, Reuben—served with house-made kettle chips. A few seasonal choices round out the sandwich menu—grilled cheese gets some interesting twists during melon season—and there are also salads and a few daily soups. Some people complain that this kitchen complicates things too much, but compared with some of the culinary hijinks out there, hazelnut romesco on a crab cake sandwich seems pretty run-of-the-mill. Sandwiches are well made, well balanced, and, with the exception of the “Bluffernutter” (house-made marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and bacon), free of idiotic Gen-X nostalgia. The only truly lame sandwich is the regular vegetarian option: sprouts, hummus, and avocado on toasted bread.

The Capitol Hill branch gets more attention for being part of the recently opened Melrose Market, which is in a renovated building and includes a butcher, cheese shop, florist, and the awesome Sitka & Spruce. However, the seating at this tiny outpost sucks. There are a few outdoor tables—cute, but awfully close to dumpsters—and a few high butcher’s blocks that are way too close together (and to the line).

The Fremont space is more of a real café: the perfect cross between nondescript Seattle Euro-bistro and nondescript Seattle coffeehouse.