Guilt-free espresso, eco-friendly operation, support for local artists, and chocolate. Welcome to Common Grounds: A Fair Trade Coffee House in Salisbury.

Since opening in April 2009, Common Grounds has been more than just a place for the AM caffeine fix. It’s not just that there’s a cozy conversation corner with sink-into-them couches or Wi-Fi access and tables with room enough to spread out your papers and work while you sip your double mocha latte. It’s the first certified green restaurant on the Shore (by dinegreen.com). It was built with environmentally friendly materials, uses biodegradable supplies, runs with energy-efficient lighting and HVAC, and recycles just about everything.

It’s also a Fair Trade business. All the coffee, tea, and chocolate come from sources that pay their farmers and suppliers a fair wage to work in safe working conditions. Pictures of the people who grow and harvest the coffee hang on the walls. So does artwork by local painters and photographers with 3-D art in its separate display.

Supporting local artists is almost as important as brewing a superior latte. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, there’s live entertainment that highlights a cross-section of young local talent and groups coming through. On any given night, there’s acoustic folk and blues, swing, jazz, karaoke, oldies, Irish traditional, even the world drum ensemble from Salisbury University.

The food menu, which changes daily, is limited to sandwiches, soups, and pastries. If you’re undecided, go with the soup, that’s always homemade, fresh, and wonderful. Also wonderful are the occasional special event nights, like the recent coffee and chocolate pairing. What more could you ask for?

Common Grounds: 701 E. Naylor Mill Rd., Salisbury. Open Mon-Wed 7-7, Thurs/Fri 7-9, Sat 8-9. Closed Sun. 443-736-4598. www.sbycommongrounds.com. Facebook followers get regular invitations for upcoming concerts and events.