5 Spots to Grab a “Little Treat” Drink in Indy
“Little treat” culture: has it gone too far? Absolutely not!
Little treat culture is exactly that: when you treat yourself to a little something special — like a fancy latte during a morning commute or a fun soda during lunch — because you accomplished something (or just because you deserve it!).
In Indianapolis, there are a lot of local businesses that fall into the “little treat” world for me. A cute bakery like Amelia’s or Rene’s? Yes. A fancy latte from a local coffee shop like Crema or Chalet? Yes. A fun trinket or kitchen item from Rooftop Fruit? Yes. To me, these purchases are little acts of self-care — and because my dollars are going toward local businesses, I’m also taking care of them.
Try one of these spots for a hit of dopamine:
A Special Tea at Tea’s Me Cafe
Tea’s Me Cafe, owned by Olympic gold medalist and hall of famer Tamika Catchings, is a gem on the north side of downtown. (There are technically several locations, but this one is the original and my favorite).
They offer a selection of black, green, white, and oolong teas, as well as herbal blends. You’ll often find fruity or floral flavors in their teas. They truly have a tea for everyone!
I typically find myself ordering their tea of the month, which is available iced or hot. After a long walk in warm weather, there’s nothing like sipping on a freshly brewed iced tea from their cafe.
Tea’s Me Cafe, 140 E 22nd St B, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Mangonada at La Palapa
Summer in a cup: That’s what the mangonada from La Palapa is.
For the uninitiated, a mangonada or chamango is made with any combination of fresh mango, mango puree, and mango sorbet. Rimmed with Tajín and layered with chamoy, mangonadas are mostly sweet with hits of salty, spicy, and savory.
La Palapa’s mangonadas are absolutely beautiful, bright orange and layered with sweet and tangy flavors. This is the ideal beverage/dessert hybrid when it’s too hot out to do anything but chill out.
La Palapa, 601 E Hanna Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46227
A mangonada topped with chamoy
A hot pistachio latte at Coat Check Coffee
Pistachio Latte at Coat Check Coffee
This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about this drink on the blog, and it won’t be the last. Coat Check Coffee’s pistachio latte is a top-tier coffee beverage for me.
All of this shop’s specialty lattes are incredible thanks to their homemade syrups (that, in addition to pistachio, include flavors like butterscotch, chocolate, and ginger). The pistachio is incredibly nutty, made with a specially sourced pistachio butter from California. Hot or iced, there’s no wrong choice with this drink.
Pro tip: You can also order this latte at Coat Check’s sister shops: Provider, Chalet, and Landlocked Baking Co.
Coat Check Coffee, 401 E Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Milkshakes at Lick & Gordon’s
A two-for-one special: milkshakes from two incredible local businesses, located right across the street from one another.
Lick, located in The Garage, is known for their creative flavor combinations like cedar & whiskey, berries & champagne, and chocolate cherry amaretto. While a scoop of ice cream is great, blending their inventive flavors into a drinkable format is even better (especially for consuming as much ice cream as possible, a personal goal of mine). They’ll turn any of their ice creams into a milkshake for you.
Across the street at Gordon’s Milkshakes, the flavors continue to impress. Order the strawberry cheesecake milkshake and you’ll be greeted with an entire slice of cheesecake on top of your shake! Classic flavors like cookies and cream and salted caramel are also available.
Lick, 906 Carrollton Ave (inside The Garage Food Hall), Indianapolis IN 46204, Indianapolis, IN 46201
Gordon’s Milkshake Bar, 865 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Hot Chocolate at Cafe Patachou
Patachou’s hot chocolate is made the real way, enough said. That means no sad powders mixed with hot water — this is straight up chocolate, made with dark chocolate and warm milk. Cold day? Rainy day? Tuesday? This hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream, hits the spot any day.
Cafe Patachou, multiple locations in Indianapolis
Bonus Round: Where to Find More Little Drinks
Rooftop Fruit’s drink fridge is stocked with lots of fun functional beverages, including Ghia’s canned spritzes.
Dear Mom’s drink fridge is also packed with tons of delicious drinks, including fan favorites like Recess as well as brands you’ve probably never heard of.
Goose the Market’s fridge is also a great place to find funky seltzers and sodas — often from producers in Indiana!
Cafe Babette’s gingerbread hot chocolate is one of the best drinks I’ve had all winter. If you see it on their menu (likely a cool weather-only drink!), order it. Trust me.
