Birchwood Kitchen

More-than-meets-the-eye artisanal cafe in Wicker Park.. At first glance, this Wicker Park restaurant seems like a straight-up coffeehouse, but typecasting it as such would be a mistake. Stepping up to the counter does reveal a lineup of sandwiches, and espresso sipping is de rigueur; however, here the turkey club with smoked bacon is slathered with tomato jam, the mozzarella cheese is house-made and many of the meats are roasted on site. It’s no wonder everyone seems so jovial--eating the lamb French dip with pickled onions on homemade bread is a near-religious experience, especially when you grab bench on the salvaged church pew.…