Indianapolis, Indiana

The best coffee in Indianapolis

Nine Indianapolis roasters and cafés — one of the deeper coffee scenes in the Midwest.

9 places

Indianapolis has seven distinct local roasters and eight active roasting sites, which is more than most cities its size and more than its reputation suggests.

Broad Ripple, Fountain Square, Mass Ave and downtown hold the highest concentrations. What stands out here is the mix: serious roasters, multi-roaster cafés, nonprofit neighbourhood shops and coffee bars that genuinely function as third places.

  1. 1.Tinker Coffee

    The local roaster with the strongest independent presence in the city, and the first name to try if you only have one stop.

  2. 2.Hubbard & Cravens

    Broad Ripple

    Two café-and-roastery locations, in Broad Ripple and SoBro. The most established local roasting operation.

  3. 3.Monon Coffee Company

    Broad Ripple

    Serving Broad Ripple since 1997 with organic, fair-trade coffee. Long enough to have outlasted several trends.

  4. 4.Calvin Fletcher's Coffee Company

    A neighbourhood shop that operates on a nonprofit model, and one of the reasons the local scene has the character it does.

  5. 5.Helm Coffee

    Part of the city's current roasting bench and firmly in the modern camp.

  6. 6.Blue Mind Coffee

    One of the seven local roasters, and among the newer names worth tracking.

  7. 7.Limelight Coffee

    Rounds out the local roasting options.

  8. 8.Julian Coffee

    The smaller end of the Indianapolis roasting bench.

  9. 9.Black House Cafe

    Fountain Square

    A horror-themed café with drinks named after the films. A gimmick, included because Fountain Square is worth the walk and this is the most memorable stop on it.