If dining at Charlie Trotter's is but a distant dream of yours, then Trotter's To Go is your dream come true. Don't be fooled, though—this place isn't cheap. That said, it's certainly an affordable and quick purveyor of top-notch food. Trotter's To Go is a deli and market in one, offering a selection of take-away foods, bottles of fine wine and ingredients and products favored by Charlie Trotter himself.

Trotter's quality has clearly carried over to its take-away little brother: Fresh ingredients are a staple, and organic ingredients are used whenever possible. The soup selection itself is astounding. At $5.95 for 20 ounces, flavors range from caramelized cauliflower to carrot and cardamon. The cold deli case packs a variety of entrees and sides like cous cous salad, brussel sprouts with apple cider and octopus salad with fingerling potatoes and wild mushrooms.

Gourmet sandwiches, like a Darjeeling tea-cured smoked salmon version, cost $6.95 and come in hefty portions. Chicken, duck and lamb spit-roast behind the deli, filling the space with a hearty, homey scent. Leaving without dessert is tantamount to criminal behavior. Homemade vanilla bean pudding and Venezuelan bread pudding with fresh caramel can be a meal in themselves.

In addition to take-away, Trotter's To Go does an enormously popular catering business, providing weddings, banquets and corporate events with specially prepared menus.

Average cost: $21-$30

Centerstage Reviewer: Emily Fiffer