Patrons of Bat 17 talk non-stop about two things: its mouthwatering gourmet sandwiches and the self-indulgence required to shell out $14 on a sandwich. Luckily, this college-heavy café also offers deals a thrifty student can appreciate, including free coffee and tea. Bat doubles as a nightspot with a full bar, TVs playing sports and bottom-dollar daily drink bargains like $2.50 Blue Moon pints on Tuesday and $3.95 martinis on Saturday.

Lip-smacking sandwiches made with primo ingredients, such as bread from long-established Bennison’s Bakery, corned beef and pastrami from Kelly Eisenberg Gourmet Deli Products and free-range chicken and turkey, come in two belly-busting sizes: regular and full-size, which you'll need to grip with both hands to pick up. The Brooklyn Bambino, with hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing on pumpernickel bread grilled to perfection, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite.

All-day breakfast includes inventive dishes like Door County cherry pie French toast and the Diego Rivera Balawat—spicy chorizo, queso blanco, scrambled eggs and guacamole with hash browns and sourdough bread. Grab-and-go items run the gamut from bagels to pounds of take-home deli meats, imported cheeses, specialty condiments and fancy olive oils. Most meals range from $8-$15, with full-size specialty sandwiches hovering above $10.

Though a large painting with bat-like figures decorates the space, the inspiration for its name comes from a not-so-obvious abbreviation: Bat 17 stands for Benson Avenue Tavern on the 1700 block.

Centerstage Reviewer: Kate Rockwood