Indianapolis
Coffee Crawl
Welcome to my coffee crawl journey through Indianapolis! I made it my goal to find the best coffee shops in our area, and I found quite a few. This list is not all inclusive, I've visited so many great shops this semester and only decided to highlight the top 5 for college students. The shops were judged based off taste, menu size, aesthetic, and seating for studying.
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For the sake of consistency, I ordered an iced americano (my go to drink) at each shop, although some had quality lattes. This was a good choice because I was able to taste the espresso itself to determine the subtle differences in what makes a great cup of coffee.
Red Door Cafe
Order: Iced Americano
Hours:
Sunday: closed
Monday - Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturday: 8am-2pm
Taste: 10/10
Very smooth and flavorful espresso, great on its own or in a latte.
Menu size: 7/10
Plenty of flavor syrups for lattes (not listed on menu), traditional drinks, Turkish coffee, variety of teas, and a few pastry options
Seating/Space: 10/10
Plenty of comfortable seating with a new room. There are many plants all around providing a calming atmosphere. Overall a great quiet space to study and get work done.
Tinker
Order: Iced Americano
Hours:
Sunday: closed
Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
Saturday: closed
Taste: 8/10
Good flavor, very strong, slightly more acidic than most other espresso drinks
Menu Size: 9/10
Wide variety of great drinks, pastries, and some food
Seating/Space: 7/10
Not much available seating. There are some tables and chairs, an outdoor patio, and a bar with stools.
Provider
Order: Iced Americano
Review
Hours:
Sunday: 8am-4pm
Monday - Friday: 7am-4pm
Saturday: 8am-4pm
Taste: 8/10
Good espresso, leaves a bit of an after taste on its own. Very good in a latte.
Menu Size: 8/10
Pastry display, decent selection of unique lattes and drinks, plus a newly added selection of food. There is also a bar that serves alcoholic beverages.
Seating/Space: 9/10
Seating is usually available, there is also a bar-hight table with stools and a large outdoor patio. The lighting and decoration provides a unique and fun atmosphere.
Bovacanti
Order: Iced Americano
Hours:
Sunday: 8am-4pm
Monday - Friday: 7am-4pm
Saturday: 8am-4pm
Taste: 9/10
Very good espresso, a little bit more acidic than other espressos
Menu Size: 8/10
Nice variety of lattes and teas, and a pastry case with a rotating selection.
Seating/Space: 7/10
Very cool backroom, barstool seating, and outdoor patio. Usually quite busy so seating can be hard to find at peak times. Overall a neat place that is well decorated.
Commissary
Order: Iced Americano
Hours:
Sunday: 8am-4pm
Monday - Friday: 7am-4pm
Saturday: 8am-4pm
Taste: 8/10
Very good flavor, a little bit more acidic than other espressos, and very strong on its own (not a bad thing). The espresso used is great in lattes as well.
Menu Size: 7/10
Unique seasonal lattes and teas, and a small pastry case with a rotating selection. Not an extensive list of flavor syrups for lattes. They have quality classics, and unique creations.
Seating/Space: 7/10
Half the space is a coffee shop and on the other side is a barber shop. There is a handful of seating, not much, which quickly fills at peak times. The underground shop and decoration provides a neat environment.