Talk about bum luck: Arabia Cafe quietly opened up on an overlooked stretch of Milwaukee Avenue with big plans to expand and serve a full Middle Eastern menu in addition to hookahs, coffee and tea. But mere months after the menu was planned and the kitchen was ready to go, the state smoking ban went into effect and hit hookah bars hard: absolutely no food or liquor could be served in a smoking establishment.

Still, the small cafe pressed on. Currently, hookahs are $15 (and come with disposable mouth pieces so you don't get the cooties from anyone else) and are available in a variety of flavors, including double apple, peach, menthol, watermelon and orange. The coffee menu is a simple selection of lattes, espresso and hot chocolate, but everything is made well and with attention to detail. Fresh smoothies, Moroccan tea, bottled water, juices and canned sodas round out the menu.

Arabia is BYOB and has free wi-fi. The space is filled with comfy day couches, tall cocktail tables and Middle Eastern inspired paintings, light fixtures and statues. During the week, Arabia is very quiet, which can at some places can mean an awkwardly over-attentive staff, but here, you're taken care of with a smile and left alone to enjoy your hookah and conversation. Things pick up on the weekends, making Arabia a great alternative to nearby Guess Hookah, where on a busy Saturday you may not get a table without a reservation. Things are looking up for Arabia Cafe, too; it's making a name for itself among Chicago's hookah enthusiasts, and there are plans to move the hookah operation next door and use the current space to open a full service Middle Eastern restaurant.

Centerstage Reviewer: Maya Henderson