Crema: The Weekly Wave #04
Welcome to The Weekly Wave, a weekly newsletter highlighting the amazing local coffee shops in Indianapolis. This week, we're introducing you to Crema on Mass Ave!
What we love about Crema
Mass Ave is a special world that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. When I first moved to Indy, all of ‘my spots’ were on Mass Ave. This short little strip of downtown has so much going on and feels like several different neighborhoods wrapped into one cool street.
One of my newest favorite spots on Mass Ave is Crema, the swanky 21+ coffee shop that is also home to one of our favorite bars, Almost Famous.
Crema is located on the block of Mass Ave that is also home to Tini, Chatham Tap, Mesh, and FortyFive Degrees. You might even remember it by the space’s former tenants: ComedySportz.
We love Crema for a lot of different reasons.
First, they do a great job with their coffee program. They’ve got those sweet, sweet beans from Tinker, a beautiful Modbar setup, and a team that really loves what they do.
We also love Crema because of their location and setup. We live downtown, so we’re just a few skips away from Mass Ave. Their setup is also perfect for us because it’s easy to get in and get out, but there’s also just so much room to park for a while to get some work done.
As we mentioned, Crema is the coffee program during the day, and at night, the bar is Almost Famous. When Almost Famous was being built out, they knew they would eventually be opening for coffee during the day, so they were intentional about how they designed the space. There are plenty of different seating options, there are outlets strategically placed everywhere, and they quite literally sought out the best business internet you can buy downtown. Some of our favorite coffee shops to work from constantly run out of seats, have notoriously bad wifi, or don’t have any outlets available. Not Crema.
COME GET COFFEE AT CREMA WITH US
The purpose of The Weekly Wave is to tell you all about one coffee shop you need to visit that week. THIS WEEK, we’re going to be doing just that.
Come hang, drink coffee, and get some work done with us!
When: THIS THURSDAY, March 23
Time: 9am-4pm
Where: Crema!
The vibes, y’all
Like I said, Crema and Almost Famous are the same business with different names for their different programs. And Almost Famous is a bar; therefore, the space is 21+ up, regardless of what you’re there for. There are plenty of coffee shops that are great for taking your kiddos, so I’m not worried about that. I bring that up because that’s a huge part of what makes up Crema’s killer vibes.
The bar top is swanky and spacious. Tables are surrounded by lush green velvet booths. The sound system constantly pumps out chill vibes. The dark and luxurious decor makes the space feel like a high-end speakeasy. It’s a vibe you won’t find anywhere else where you can get coffee and get work done. Oh, and the wallpaper…
When the service shifts in the evening, coffee is still available (for all of y’all looking for a late-night fix), but the dimming of the lights paired with a robust cocktail menu makes Almost Famous one of the coolest spots downtown.
Almost Famous has a ton of regular and rotating shows (did I mention they have a stage?) that are always a blast to go to. We’ve had a blast at a handful of drag and burlesque shows, including their Brunch AF series.
Another fun fact: Crema & Almost Famous are owned by the same folks who own Tini, the cocktail bar just a few doors down. Curtis, the owner, was actually one of my very first friends when I moved to Indy. I used to work with him at PF Changs, Palomino, and Tini (all over 10 years ago at this point). So many wild stories (most including Irish car bomb cocktails), but we’ll save those for another day. :)
Amenities
Centrally located Downtown Indy
Half coffee shop, half cocktail bar
Hosts incredible shows every week
Is a bar, so it’s always 21+
An incredible food menu
The wallpaper (IYKYK)
What to order
The team at Crema may be small, but they are MIGHTY. They love dreaming up fun and inventive coffee drinks, and their new spring menu is gonna knock your socks off. They’re still dialing things in, but here’s a sneak peek at what you can look forward to!
Orange basil latte: Holy smokes. I had one last week, and it was so good. The basil was perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the orange.
PB & Jelly latte: This was still in the works, but the word is raspberry, honey, and peanut butter (are you drooling?).
Sweet Thai iced black tea
A secret something involving a lavender creme fraiche cold brew
Regardless of what you order, you’re going to get something you like. They’ve also recently expanded their tea menu to include a nice variety of caffeinated and herbal options.
The location & hours
721 Mass Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Café hours:
M: Closed
T: 10am - 4pm
W-F: 10am - 1am
Sat: 10am - 2am
Sun: 10am - 5pm
Crema is on Mass Ave, which makes it super accessible. It is quite literally on The Cultural Trail and close to many IndyGo stops. There are plenty of parking spots on Mass Ave that are typically open during the day. You didn’t hear it from me, there are also plenty of neighborhood streets nearby with free parking (East, St. Clair, Park, Myron, Broadway…)
OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS
AUS BLAKE COACHING
I have a lot of GymAnxiety™ so it takes a lot for me to feel comfortable in a fitness setting. Since we moved downtown, we've been working with Austin (aka Aus Blake Coaching) at Indy City Barbell at the corner of Delaware & North, right on the Cultural Trail. I love working with Austin because he's a good friend but also because this is literally what he went to school for. Patrick and I both get personalized programming from him—virtual training that we can do anywhere—and we also each workout with him once a week.
If you are feeling stagnant about your fitness or if you're just looking for something extremely personalized, Austin is definitely the guy for you. He offers virtual programming wherever you are and also in-person personal training at Indy City Barbell.
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.