Indie Coffee Roasters
220 East Main St. Carmel Arts & Design District, Carmel, IN 46032
Smart, clean, crisp, and efficient and all wrapped up in friendly. That’s how I’d describe Indie Coffee Roasters in Carmel Arts and Design District. The neighborhood full of interesting shops, restaurants, art galleries, public art installations, and design shops for graphics arts, interior design, furniture. I wompled through in the early spring but it’s apparent that this is a place with a very vibrant outdoor scene when weather accommodates. They also have a store in West Lafayette, IN.
Coffee:
My drip was their Nicaraguan blend which tasted of cocoa and skin of red grapes. My cortado was served in a smoky Gibraltar glass using their Circle blend from Brazil and Ethiopia. It was chocolaty, well balanced, medium roast. Both were delicious. Their espresso machines were under counter with just the spigot heads visible and the entire area was spotless.
Barista:
I sat at their barista counter and had a pleasant and engaging conversation with the barista staff who without planning were attired in the same putty/mustard colored shirts. My comment on this fact brought about a lively discussion on who should go home and change and they both decided that the first person to arrive at work gets dips on wardrobe palette. I also let them know how much I appreciate the presentation and execution of their cortado and I mentioned that its a drink that is easy to screw up. One barista mentioned that its recently become his favorite coffee drink and the other knowingly nodded at my comment saying, “there’s no where to hide with a cortado”. Two lumps of goodness.
Vibe:
If I had to choose one word to describe Indie Coffee, it would be smart. The interior space is mostly black and white. The chairs and the walls in the barista area are black, but most everything else is a crisp white except for some wooden tables and a chocolaty wood floor. The aesthetic is crisp and minimalistic with black graphic artwork painted directly on the white walls. The floorpan is open but creatively laid out so as to have six distinct seating areas with a variety of work tables, bar counters, and lounge areas. Unisex bathrooms were on the small side but private, clean, and well appointed. Music was understated, I shouldn’t even decipher what kind of music they were playing give, partly because their preponderance of hard surfaces created an acoustic echo of the patrons conversation and laughter. That’s just one element of their design that seemed intentional and I actually found it rather pleasant. They didn’t have a lot of merch but all of it uses their wiener dog logo or some dog based imagery.
Make You Better
This seems like a place to grab a coffee, have a phone call, or host a meeting, but given the lack comfortable, loungy seating, not a place to hang out. Their minimalist interior is its own vibe, but I’d like to think there would be a way to add in some local art while remaining consistent to that theme.
This is a thoughtful and well executed neighborhood coffee shop. While I have a warm spot for funky, ICR’s crisp, clean and smart identity was refreshing and appreciated. And their staff was exemplary.
Carmel is a planned community with a vibrant integration of public art, art industry, and commerce that is definatly worth a womple, as is Indie Coffee.
~ Clyde <3
