Commissary Barber & Barista: The Weekly Wave #03
Welcome to The Weekly Wave, a weekly newsletter highlighting the amazing local coffee shops in Indianapolis. This week, we're introducing you to Commissary Barber & Barista downtown Indianapolis!
What we love about Commissary Barber & Barista
First, let’s take a quick moment to appreciate and thank Jes Nijjer, owner of Pretty Not Bad Visual Studio, for this week’s gorgeous photos. :)
There is so much to love about Commissary. As the name suggests, Commissary is half barber shop and half coffee shop. Yes, they are technically in the same space, but they are very separated, so you’re not about to get hair in your coffee ;) They’ve also recently opened at night under the guise of Blind Tiger, a swanky speakeasy-style bar (but more on that in a minute).
Brandon Burdine opened Commissary in October 2018 because he longed to create a barbershop where people could build community and have a place that was more than that. Originally, the coffee program was supposed to be a supplement to the barber space but has since turned into one of Indy’s best spots for local coffee.
Since Patrick and I moved downtown in 2021, we’ve been going to Commissary to get our hair cut (hey, Nick & Kendall!), and it has since been a very special thing for us. Every two weeks, one of us is due for a haircut, so we make a day of it—we’ll park a little early for our appointments and get coffee and tea. One of us will go get cleaned up. Then, we’ll hang out for a bit to get some work done while continually ordering more coffee, tea, and pastries.
MARK YOU CALENDAR
The purpose of The Weekly Wave is to tell you all about one coffee shop you need to visit that week. NEXT WEEK, we’re going to be doing something special. So mark your calendars and watch your inboxes, because we’re going to be doing a full coworking day at next week’s featured café.
When: March 23
Time: 9am-4pm
What: Hang out time! Pop by for a drink or sit down and work for a while.
Where: You’ll find out next week ;)
The vibes, y’all
The vibes at Commissary are cool, the barber team is cool, and the barista staff is cool. The space itself is also just…cool. Located on the corner of New York and Alabama, Commissary is technically subterranean, meaning you’ve got to walk down a short flight of steps before entering the space. Somehow still, all of the windows let in so much natural light and provide a cool perspective of Indy’s vibrant city streets. The design of the space was heavily influenced by raw Brooklyn cafés with black accents, natural wood, plants, natural light, and exposed brick. Like most spaces and tastes, it has evolved over time and continues to adapt, and the vibes will always be on point.
One thing I especially love about Commissary is the people. Everyone at Commissary—barbers and baristas alike—is always smiling and having fun. They provide such quality products & services and they have the freedom to be creative in all that they do, and that really shines through. Like I’ve said, they’ve really been stepping up their game in a lot of ways these last few years. I don’t even think it’s been that intentional—I think they’re really just those people who really care about what they do, they care about the people that come in, they care about learning and growing, and they care about exploring cool sh*t.
Amenities
Centrally located Downtown Indy
Half coffee shop, half barber, half swanky speakeasy
Turns into a cocktail bar at night on Thurs-Sat
Subterranean
Killer vibes
Free parking at Needlers!
What to order
The Commissary team has really stepped up their coffee game in the last few years, and I am just blown away by how far they’ve come. They are brewing up incredible coffees from incredible roasters: My Sip of Coffee, a micro-roastery here in Indy; Sey Coffee, a contemporary micro-roaster out of Brooklyn; and, of course, Tinker Coffee.
Commissary crushes the basics, but their current seasonal and specialty drinks are also incredible. Here’s what to look forward to:
Pineapple Ube: Probably the first of its kind in Indy, the Pineapple Ube (oo-bae) is made with a house-made pineapple syrup, ube reduction (purple yam), and espresso. You’ve got to taste it to believe it.
Yuen Yueng: I just posted about this on Instagram because Jes hasn’t stopped ordering it. Half black tea, half black coffee, and topped with sweetened condensed milk (vegan options available). It’s a traditional Chinese beverage that is out of this world and definitely unique to Indy.
Honey Blossom Cortado: This tiny glass is packed with orange blossom honey, orange-blossom-water-infused milk, and that good Tinker Coffee espresso. The floral, sweet, and creamy notes are perfectly balanced.
Other favorites & specials include:
Pineapple Hibiscus Matcha
Earl Grey Latte
Espresso Sodas
Commissary is one of those cafés that doesn’t miss, so you really can’t go wrong with whatever you order. All of their sauces and syrups are made in-house, so you know it’s all fresh and delicious.
The location & hours
304 E New York Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Café hours:
M-W: 8a-6p
Th-F: 8a-midnight
Sat: 9a-midnight
Sun: 9a-6p
Barber hours:
M-F: 9a-6p
Sat: 10a-3p
Commissary is on the corner of New York & Alabama, which makes it super accessible. There’s a bike lane along New York, The Cultural Trail follows along Alabama, and many IndyGo stops nearby. There’s also tons of street parking AND you can park at Needlers for freeee!
Blind Tiger: Commissary after hours
One of the more recent expansions of Commissary is Blind Tiger, the moniker adopted by Commissary as the sun goes down, the music switches, and the spectacular cocktail menu comes out. During the prohibition era, speakeasies were often called blind pigs or blind tigers to avoid attention from law enforcement. So they leaned into Commissary’s tiger logo with a little addition of a blindfold and Blind Tiger was born.
Friend-of-the-guide-and-friendly-face-behind-the-bar TJ Dougherty is the bar manager for Blind Tiger and has been crushing it with the cocktail program. If you haven’t been for a drink, you must go.
The world of Commissary
Commissary Barber. Commissary Barista. Commissary the bar. They offer a lot to us and the community, but there’s also even more. The geniuses behind Commissary also own & operate True Love Salon (also downtown) and Goldie Provisions, a new plant-based hair care line that’s made here in Indy and is as cool as you’d expect (Patrick swears by the Peace Paste). Brandon, the owner, is also an incredible photographer and artist who also is typically working on a cool project of his own and/or with some friends.
Besides all of that, Commissary is also home to a number of music events, meets-ups, and artist pop-ups. Make sure to follow them on Instagram (@commissaryindy) to stay up to date on events.
OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS
PRETTY NOT BAD VISUAL STUDIO
You can call her Jes Nijjer or you can call her Pretty Not Bad Visual Studio. Regardless of what you call her, her work speaks for itself. Jes is a great friend, and she's also a massive creative talent. I've worked with her personally & professionally for so long, and there aren't many people I trust as much as her. Plus, she's the Director of Photography for Batch, so.
YEAHRIGHT TYPE STUDIO
You already know how much I love Yeahright Type Studio. I’ve been using their hand-crafted typefaces on all of my design projects since I first fell in love with them. They have a wide range of beautiful typefaces, and they’re all designed right here in Indy.
The Weekly Wave is made possible thanks to our amazing sponsors & partners. If you’d like to support the Indianapolis Coffee Guide and get your logo in our newsletter, you can learn more about Weekly Wave sponsorships.