Downtown hangout Coat Check Coffee has been named to USA TODAY’s 10Best list of independent coffee shops.
Nominations for USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards come from a panel of industry experts. 10Best editors then narrow down those nominations and present them to the public during a four-week voting period (IndyStar does not weigh in on the selections).
Coat Check took eighth on the coast-to-coast list, coming behind Jones Coffee Roasters in Pasadena and in front of Panacea Coffeehouse, Café and Roastery, located just outisde Asheville, N.C. The top spot went to Monomyth Coffee in Lubbock, Texas.
Meanwhile, a handful of chains with locations in Central Indiana — Starbucks, Dunkin’, Colorado-based Ziggi’s, Arkansas-based 7Brew, Arizona-based Dutch Bros. and the Oregon-based Human Bean — appeared on 10Best lists for coffee chains and drive-thru coffee.
The first venture of the once-expansive Small Victories Hospitality group, Coat Check opened in 2017 under co-owners Neal and Paul Warner.
Last year the Warners handed over operations of Coat Check to the Athenaeum Foundation as part of a substantial downsizing that also saw the transfer of near eastside coffee shop Provider to the Tinker House Events venue, as well as the closure of northside coffee and wine bar Chalet (since reopened as a Tinker Coffee location) and Landlocked Baking Company in Irvington.
USA TODAY praised Coat Check for its lattes and pastries as well as its atmosphere. The spacious café occupies part of the west wing of downtown’s historic Athenaeum building, which once served as the literal coat check room for the Basile Theatre located above. Now crowded with steaming mugs and people typing away at their laptops, the space features large windows overlooking Massachusetts Avenue, broad staircases and ornate wooden archways.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin and stay up to date with Indy dining news by signing up for the Indylicious newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Downtown coffee shop named one of best in nation
Reporting by Bradley Hohulin, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
