The Best Coffee Shops to Work From in Indianapolis

Coffee shops have always been a haven for those wishing to get some work done outside the confines of an office. The workforce’s shift to remote and hybrid working over the last few years has given more flexibility than ever before to many of us with non-traditional work practices.

Indianapolis especially has long been a hub for non-traditional workers and creatives who have busted out of cubicles to work from wherever we please, and there are many local coffee shops in Indianapolis that heard our call for public places to meet and work. They’ve outfitted their cafés with blazing fast wifi, comfy seats, and outlets galore to caffeinate and shelter the laptop brigades.

What makes a coffee shop a good working space?

As I’ve said before, every local coffee shop serves a different purpose and offers different things to the community. For the purposes of this list, there are a few criteria we decided to use to determine whether or not a coffee shop is good to work from.

Working from a coffee shop criteria:

1. Space: We listed cafés with 10+ indoor tables and a variety of seating so that the laptop brigade isn’t commandeering too much space.
2. Wifi: Some cafés don’t have wifi, and that is totally fine.
3. Location: Location, ease of access, and parking can also be determining factors.

Without further ado, here’s a list of some of the best coffee shops to work from in Indianapolis, and some highlights of a few places we tend to find ourselves working from. Before you pack up your stuff to go work from a coffee shop, I also highly suggest checking the shop’s Instagram feed before you go so there are no surprises waiting for you.

Community note: Working from these local coffee shops is a huge privilege we have. Let’s make sure we are supporting them in relation to how long we spend there. Please be cognizant that these small businesses rely on every order that comes in the door. If you’re hanging out for longer periods of time, make sure to order more coffee or treats to account for other customers who may not be able to enjoy the space. Oh, and always tip your baristas! It’s the least we can do.

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Local coffee shops to work from

Parlor Public House

When the owners of Parlor Public House downtown Indy set out to create their space, they knew what they were doing. Amidst the overflow of greenery and decor, there are dozens of different seating arrangements with power and wifi available at every turn. They’ve got velvety couches and leather chairs. They’ve got sturdy tables and polished bar tops. They’ve even got several individual meeting booths to sequester yourself for a little more quiet during heads-down work or important meetings.

All of Parlor Public House’s cozy space plus ample parking and a delicious coffee menu makes this café one of the best spots in Indy to work from.

Crema / Almost Famous

When you want to open a swanky bar but don’t want it to sit empty during the day, what do you do? You take your love of coffee and turn your bar into a hybrid space that offers top-shelf cocktails in the evening and top-of-the-line coffee during the day. And that’s how we got Crema.

Smack-dab in the middle of Mass Ave, Crema offers a sophisticated take on working from a coffee shop. Not only do they have outlets at every turn, but they also have the fastest wifi money can buy downtown. Unlike all other times, parking on Mass Ave is a BREEZE during the day, so you’ll never have to hunt for a spot like you would on a Saturday night.

Post up at the bar, grab a small table, or cozy up in a velvety booth. Wherever you land, you’ll have all the space and amenities you need to take meetings, meet your clients, or peck away on your keyboard.

Coat Check Coffee

I’m having a hard time thinking of a list Coat Check Coffee wouldn’t be on because they really (coat) check every box. If you’re looking for a coffee shop to work from downtown Indianapolis, let me tell you about our friends at Coat Check.

Nestled inside the Athenaeum at the corner of Mass Ave, Michigan, and New Jersey, Coat Check Coffee has so much space for working remotely, and it has long been one of my many favorites. Yes, the coffee is some of the best in the city, but they’ve also got all kinds of chairs and tables and things to keep the whole dang city comfy. You can usually find me at the tall bar-height table with my laptop plugged in, at one of the two-tops meeting a client, relaxing on the big couch thing by the window, upstairs in the atrium with my heads down, or in the lobby surrounded by all of that gorgeous woodwork. You know, just any number of those places depending on my mood.

Calvin Fletcher’s Coffee Company

Hear me out: Calvin Fletcher’s Coffee Company in Fletcher Place is one of my favorite coffee shops to work from in the city. They’ve got amazing coffees that they roast on-site plus a ton of indoor and outdoor seating.

One thing I love about Calvin Fletcher’s is that it is always moving. It’s never too loud or too quiet, but there’s a calm hustle that really motivates me when I’m there working. Because it’s on the Cultural Trail and right in the heart of Fletcher Place, it’s easy for anyone to drive, bike, or walk to, and the community really takes advantage of that.

Commissary

Commissary has a certain vibe that makes it a great coffee shop to work from. Maybe because it’s partly subterranean, maybe it’s all the exposed brick. Maybe it’s the combo of the grooving music and the delicious coffee. Whatever it is, it’s magic. We regularly post up at Commissary to get grab a snack, sip some coffee & tea, and get some work done. (Usually every other Wednesday, but who is counting?)

Lincoln Lane Coffee Company

In my head, Bates-Hendricks is far away, BUT IT REALLY ISN’T. It’s just passed Fountain Square, so none of us have any excuses to not regularly visit Lincoln Lane Coffee Company. Besides being a hub for the community, Lincoln Lane has so much space and plenty of tables that are perfect for sipping delicious local coffee and getting some work done.

Command Coffee

Command Coffee on College & Fall Creek is honestly an ideal place for everyone to work from. They’ve got plenty of space and seating options, and their menu is stocked with coffee drinks, treats, and locally-sourced foods to keep you energized while tapping away at your keyboard.

Foundry Provisions

Foundry Provisions on 16th Street is one of those cafés that screams “work from this coffee shop.” Maybe that’s the vibe they’re going for, maybe it isn’t. Either way, they have plenty of seating—inside and out—as well as so many treats to fuel your work day.

The new Quills location

On Monday, August 15, our friends at Quills Coffee opened their newly relocated café at 941 N Meridian St. Just like their previous location, the new space has loads of seating and outlets everywhere (they are slyly hidden under the countertop). The new space is bright, beautiful, and welcoming—everything we’d expect from our friends at Quills. With ample space and plenty of parking, they have really prepared for the laptop brigade to camp out and get work done. (Just remember to keep ordering more coffee and treats!)

Leviathan Bakehouse

If I have to schedule an in-person food meeting—breakfast or lunch—there’s a 99% chance that my first suggestion will be Leviathan Bakehouse on College. It’s centrally located, and there’s something for everyone on the menu. Catch us here almost every Sunday morning with our headphones in, coffee in our cups, breakfast sammies in our tummies, and cookies on our plates.

Mansion Society

Oh, were you looking for a local coffee shop to work from with immaculate vibes? That’s where Mansion Society comes in. This vintage-inspired oasis at Central State is one of my favorite comfy coves to park and get work done. Typically the noise levels are pretty low, so it’s a solid place to escape the hustle of downtown while also being able to enjoy great local coffee.

MOTW Coffee (both!)

If you haven’t heard me scream about MOTW lately, let me take this as an opportunity: MOTW IS AMAZING, AND YOU SHOULD GO THERE OFTEN.

But seriously. Both MOTW locations (W 38th St and 116th in Fishers) are so welcoming and spacious, filled with smiles, good coffee, and delicious treats. The MOTW team has cultivated such a special place for all communities to converge, so posting up at either of their locations is always an amazing opportunity to experience friends from all walks of life.

Neidhammer

Exposed brick. Comfortable tables. Delicious coffee. Relaxed music. Spacious rooms. Crepes.

Is there anything else I need to say to convince you to pick a day to work from Neidhammer Coffee? Would telling you that they have a coworking space upstairs convince you even more?

Noble Coffee & Tea

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about coffee shops to work from downtown Indianapolis, but the suburbs arguably do just as good of a job at creating perfect environments for getting some work done. Take Noble Coffee & Tea in Noblesville as an example.

Noble Coffee & Tea has plenty of comfy space in their many rooms, they have delicious and freshly roasted coffees, plenty of munchies, and smiles for days. Their location on the square offers plenty of parking options as well as tons of other local businesses to support if you want to make an adventure out of it.

Indie Coffee Roasters

When we lived in Carmel, Indie Coffee Roasters was our go-to if we needed to get out of the house to work from a coffee shop, and I think plenty of Carmelites typically have the same idea. They’ve got plenty of seating inside and outside, though my favorite spot will always be at the counter where they pull shots from their Modbar and make pour overs of their featured coffees. I’ve always loved how the staff at Indie Coffee Roasters approaches customer service, and working from their café lets me experience it firsthand.

Tea’s Me Café

Our current favorite coffee shop to work from is…actually a tea shop? But hey, they serve coffee, and they’re on the Indianapolis Coffee Guide so it definitely counts! The original Tea’s Me location on 22nd Street is so cozy with amazing smells constantly wafting your way. The new Tea’s Me location at Tarkington Park is honestly on a whole other level with JUST SO MANY SEATING OPTIONS, huge windows, a giant patio, and a host of friendly faces behind the counter. There’s just something about the setup they’ve made that makes me feel like I’m in Indianapolis and Manhattan at the same time. It’s just so good.

Tinker Coffee at The Amp

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. I’m a broken record, and I’m a Tinker Coffee Fan Page. But you know what? Okay. I’ll take that.

The Amp is easily one of my favorite spots in Indy (better than other food hall options, in my opinion), and the fact that Tinker Coffee serves up their world-class coffees there sends it over the edge for me. It’s probably the coffee shop I work from most often (and that is even excluding the full 3-week stint I spent there when the internet was out at my house).

Besides being truly local, The Amp is the most spacious food hall in town with so much seating that your rear end may never sit in the same place twice. Free public wifi. Tinker Coffee dialed in. Local food options everywhere. More seating than your behind can handle. It’s a true 10/10.

Working from a coffee shop recommendations

Shoo. There are so many options in Indianapolis when you want to work from a coffee shop, and I wanted to tell you a few of my favorites. As I’ve said many times before, every coffee shop is my favorite for a different reason because they all have different vibes and offer different approaches to their communities.

I spend a lot of time working on the Indianapolis Coffee Guide and its many projects, but I also have a full-time job in tech that is completely remote, so I spend a lot of time actually getting real work done at different local coffee shops. It’s just one of the many sacrifices I’m willing to make to provide you all with the best information about our amazing local community.

Hopefully, I gave you a little bit more insight into some of the best coffee shops to work from in the city, and what my experience is usually like at each. I could talk about this all day long, and I’m always happy to give recommendations for specific environments you’re looking for.

What are your favorite coffee shops in Indianapolis to work from?

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Community note: Working from these local coffee shops is a huge privilege we have. Let’s make sure we are supporting them in relation to how long we spend there. Please be cognizant that these small businesses rely on every order that comes in the door. If you’re hanging out for longer periods of time, make sure to order more coffee or treats to account for other customers who may not be able to enjoy the space. Oh, and always tip your baristas! It’s the least we can do.