It’s been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Since MIT is a hothouse of innovation, it stands to reason that any place in its vicinity serving food — a necessity — would encourage that creativity. K2 Café fits the bill.

Imagine a restaurant designed by Frank Gehry and decorated by Judy Jetson, and you’ll have an impression of K2’s character. The atmosphere is ideal for integrating ingredients from the salad bar ($4.80/pound) or coordinating components for your made-to-order sandwich (prices vary).

But K2 (which, by the way, is mathematical shorthand for Kendall Square) knows that some of us aren’t as good at improvisational assemblage, so it provides an extensive array of sandwiches and salads. While the furniture and solar-panel-like wall fixtures lend the shop an intergalactic, space-age slickness, the sandwich selection stays strictly earthbound. The menu takes your palate on a globetrotting tour of a number of nations. Head south of the border with a hot veggie-fajita wrap ($5.20), take a dive in the Mediterranean antipasto wrap ($5.25), or head across the pond for a London-broil hoagie ($5.50). Asian excursions are also available, with wraps like Thai noodle ($4.45) and chicken-teriyaki stir fry (5.74). And to ensure a smooth trip, you can choose from as many frozen fruit drinks ($2.05 and $3.40) as there are time zones.

K2 Café, located at 290 Main Street, in Cambridge, is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (617) 583-7000.