To classify Vera's Cafe as a gay establishment would be somewhat misleading. All kinds of folks--from multi-pierced teens to stoop-shouldered retirees--gather at this charming Uptown coffee shop. They come for the caffeine and the cuisine--scrambled eggs, huge fresh salads, soups and sandwiches--but also for the camaraderie. It's one of the friendliest joints in town no matter what your age or occupation or sexual orientation. But the fact of the matter is that the crowd at Vera's tends to be overwhelmingly gay and overwhelmingly male. This is particularly true during late-night hours when the music gets louder and the table-hopping more pronounced. (The coffee shop is open until midnight every day.) This makes Vera's an enticing alternative to the boozy excesses of downtown clubs and bars or the grim solicitations of the personal ads. You might even meet a boy that you won't be ashamed to take home to Mama next Thanksgiving.