Cheap Eats in Indianapolis

Tinker Coffee Roastery Cafe ★ 4.8

speedway · 1125 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Tinker Coffee Roastery Cafe on West 16th Street in the Riverside neighborhood, Indianapolis. The specialty pour-over cafe of the city's leading roaster.

Tip: Free roastery tours Saturday at 11:00.

Long's Bakery ★ 4.7

haughville · 1453 N Tremont St, Indianapolis, IN 46222

Long's Bakery in Haughville, Indianapolis is the West Side donut counter since 1955. Hot glazed yeast donuts are the breakfast locals queue early to claim.

Tip: Sunday mornings sell out by 10:00. Cash and card accepted Best in the morning before noon.

The Cake Bake Shop ★ 4.7

broad-ripple · 6515 Carrollton Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

The Cake Bake Shop on Carrollton in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis is Gwendolyn Rogers's storybook pastry room. iconic layer cakes, sit-down high tea, full bar.

Tip: Reservations recommended on weekends. Parking is very limited.

Long's Bakery ★ 4.7

haughville · 1453 N Tremont St, Indianapolis, IN 46222

Long's Bakery in Haughville, Indianapolis runs hot glazed yeast donuts at 10 dollars per dozen since 1955. Cash and card accepted. A trusted stop in the city.

Taylor's Bakery ★ 4.6

meridian-kessler · 6216 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Taylor's Bakery on Allisonville Road in Indianapolis since 1913. The sugar cream pie counter where Indianapolis families pick up their Thanksgiving dessert.

Tip: Order pies a day ahead for holiday weekends.

Amelia's ★ 4.6

fletcher-place · 653 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

Amelia's is the in-house bakery at Bluebeard on Virginia Avenue. The sourdough that supplies half Indianapolis's kitchens opens to the public at the counter.

Tip: Loaves move fast on Saturday morning. Get there before 10:00.

Cafe Patachou ★ 4.6

meridian-kessler · 4901 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46205

Cafe Patachou at 49th and Penn in Meridian Kessler, Indianapolis is Martha Hoover's flagship since 1989. A trusted stop in the city. An Indianapolis favorite.

Tip: No reservations, first come first served. Weekends queue from 09:30.

Shapiro's Delicatessen ★ 4.6

downtown · 808 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225

Shapiro's Delicatessen on South Meridian, Indianapolis runs the Reuben for 14 dollars. Cafeteria-style ordering since 1905; cash and card both fine.

Workingman's Friend ★ 4.5

haughville · 234 N Belmont Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46222

Workingman's Friend in Haughville, Indianapolis is a 1918 lunch counter. The thin-patty smash double cheeseburger is the West Side standard.

Tip: Cash only. Lunch counter; in and out. Closed Sunday.

Rene's Bakery ★ 4.5

broad-ripple · 6524 N Cornell Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Rene's Bakery in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis runs a French-leaning bakery and deli since 2004. Croissants, country loaves, sandwich lunch counter.

Tip: Saturday queue from 9. Sell out by midday for the croissants.

Calvin Fletcher's Coffee Company ★ 4.5

fountain-square · 647 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

Calvin Fletcher's on Virginia Avenue in Fountain Square, Indianapolis is a charitable-foundation cafe where all profits fund local nonprofits.

Tip: The cafe doubles as a neighborhood meeting room.

The Garage Food Hall ★ 4.5

bottleworks-district · 906 Carrollton Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202

The Garage at Bottleworks in Indianapolis is the city's largest food hall. Two dozen counters cover pizza, ramen, tortas, ice cream and many more options.

Workingman's Friend ★ 4.5

haughville · 234 N Belmont Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46222

Workingman's Friend in Haughville, Indianapolis runs a smash double cheeseburger for 7 dollars. Cash only, since 1918. A reliable Indianapolis pick.

Circle City Sweets ★ 4.4

downtown · 1220 Waterway Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Circle City Sweets at 16 Tech in Indianapolis runs scratch French-style pastries, laminated croissants, kouign-amann, macarons and artisan breads.

Tip: Sold out by midday most Saturdays. Order ahead for events Best in the morning before noon.

Good Morning Mama's Cafe ★ 4.4

broad-ripple · 1001 E 54th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Good Morning Mama's on 54th Street in Indianapolis is a breakfast pastry shop. Cinnamon rolls bigger than a fist, scratch quick breads, day-of-pickup only.

Tip: Saturday queue from 7:30. Cash-friendly, fast counter Best in the morning before noon.

Please & Thank You Bakery ★ 4.4

mass-ave · 849 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Please & Thank You on Mass Ave in Indianapolis bakes the city's reference chocolate-chip cookie and pours espresso under a vinyl-wall counter.

Tip: Vinyl wall is the other reason to visit. Pickup peaks at lunch.

Heidelberg Haus Cafe and Bakery ★ 4.3

irvington · 7625 Pendleton Pike, Indianapolis, IN 46226

Heidelberg Haus on Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis runs a German cafe, bakery and grocery for over 55 years. The rye for Indianapolis's German tables.

Tip: The gift shop runs the deepest German grocery selection in the region.

Macaron Bar ★ 4.3

mass-ave · 915 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Macaron Bar on Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs scratch French macarons in 20-plus flavors. A downtown branch of the Cincinnati pastry shop, fresh daily.

Tip: Daily flavor list rotates. Pre-order boxes ahead for parties.

Endangered Species Chocolate ★ 4.3

northwest · 5846 W 73rd St, Indianapolis, IN 46278

Endangered Species Chocolate factory store in Indianapolis runs a bean-to-bar program with 10 percent of profits funding wildlife conservation.

Tip: Free factory tours by appointment. The store stocks bars not in retail.

Hubbard & Cravens 49th & Penn ★ 4.3

meridian-kessler · 4930 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46205

Hubbard & Cravens at 49th and Penn in Meridian Kessler, Indianapolis is a cafe and bean shop from a 1991 local roaster. A pour-over standard in the city.

Tip: Quiet for working before 10:00. Wifi is reliable.

Yats Broad Ripple ★ 4.2

broad-ripple · 5363 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Yats Broad Ripple in Indianapolis runs Cajun-Creole on North College for over two decades. Bowls of jambalaya, etouffee and drunken chicken over rice.

Tip: Order at the counter, find a table. The hot sauce on the table is the move. Cash and card both accepted.

Yats Broad Ripple ★ 4.2

broad-ripple · 5363 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Yats Broad Ripple in Indianapolis runs Cajun-Creole on North College for over two decades. Bowls of jambalaya, etouffee and drunken chicken.

Tip: Order at the counter. Hot sauce on the table.

The Flying Cupcake ★ 4.2

mass-ave · 423 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204

The Flying Cupcake's Mass Ave shop in Indianapolis bakes scratch cupcakes from local single-origin chocolate. Daily flavors plus seasonal rotations.

Tip: Pre-order for parties; same-day delivery available across the city.

Cookie Plug ★ 4.2

mass-ave · 646 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Cookie Plug on Mass Ave in Indianapolis serves oversized stuffed cookies that are part cake, part brownie, part cookie. Late hours, hip-hop themed shop.

Tip: Late-night dessert run for after Mass Ave dinners.

Bovaconti Coffee ★ 4.2

fountain-square · 1042 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

Bovaconti Coffee in Fountain Square, Indianapolis runs an espresso program featuring local Indiana roasters. The Virginia Avenue room is the anchor cafe.

Tip: Weekend mornings draw a queue. Bar seating turns fast Cash or contactless, both fine.

Yats Broad Ripple ★ 4.2

broad-ripple · 5363 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46220

Yats Broad Ripple in Indianapolis runs Cajun-Creole rice bowls at around 10 dollars on North College. Counter-order, big portions, hot sauce on the table.

Jack's Donuts ★ 4.0

downtown · 135 W Market St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Jack's Donuts on West Market in downtown Indianapolis is the Central Indiana donut institution since 1961. Cake donuts and coffee, no frills.

Tip: Sells out by 11 on Sundays. Cash and card.

Quills Coffee Indianapolis ★ 4.0

downtown · 941 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Quills Coffee on North Meridian in Indianapolis. A Louisville-rooted specialty cafe with origin-named bean menus and a strong espresso program.

Tip: Window-counter seats work for laptops.