Where Is Sondra

Tag: lifestyle

  • Local Coffee Shops in Indianapolis & Central Indiana

    Local Coffee Shops in Indianapolis & Central Indiana

    Don’t hate me, but… I’m officially taking away your excuse to go to Starbucks. Below, you will find a list of local coffee shops in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas. So whether you’re in Downtown Indianapolis, Carmel, Plainfield, Greenwood, or any of the surrounding Central Indiana suburbs, I hope this list can help you find your new go-to coffee spot in Indy!

    These are all Central Indiana local coffee shops that I have actually tried and given the Where Is Sondra stamp of approval (trademark pending). So please, please, please give these a try when you need a pick-me-up. I’ve even indicated the Indy coffee shops that have drive-throughs and easy parking with this emoji 🚗 for when you are on the run!

    P.S. Click the names of each coffee shop to get a video guide to each location.

    Coffee Shops in Downtown Indianapolis

    The Alchemist 📍 1660 Bellefontaine St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Blue Collar Coffee 📍 850 Massachusetts Ave #104, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Leviathan Bakehouse 📍 1101 N College Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Provider 📍 1101 E 16th St Floor 2, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Foundry Provisions 📍 236 E 16th St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    The S E L E N E by OVA 📍 OVA Lofts, 1317 Prospect St, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Walk-Up Window

    Blue Mind 📍 646 E 38th St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Hubbard & Cravens 📍 Meridian Kessler Area, 4930 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, Indiana (They also have a location in Broad Ripple)

    Coffee Shops on the West Side of Indianapolis (Plainfield, Avon, Danville, & more)

    Founders Grounds 📍 1552 N Main St Suite 104, Speedway, Indiana (NEW LOCATION in the Speedway City Garage just down the street)

    The Coffee Haus at Guggman 📍 1701 Gent Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Borage 📍 1609 N Lynhurst Dr, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Walk-Up Window

    Mansion Society 📍 202 Steeples Blvd, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Trader’s Point Creamery 📍 9101 Moore Rd, Zionsville, Indiana (Not a “coffee shop” but I dream about their butterscotch latte)

    Toast & Thyme Breakfast Cafe 📍 773 E Main Street, Brownsburg, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    MOTW Avon 📍 9263 E US Hwy 36, Avon, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Roots Market + Eatery 📍 115 W Main St Suite 150, Plainfield, Indiana

    The Green Room Cafe 📍 200 W Main St, Plainfield, Indiana

    The Beehive 📍 55 E Main St, Danville, Indiana

    Hattie’s Coffee House 📍 607 S Main St, Whitestown, Indiana

    Local Coffee Shops on the North Side of Indy (Carmel, Noblesville, Broad Ripple, & more)

    Ascend 📍 5941 E 86th St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Fire & Ice Cafe 📍 6211 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, Indiana (This Indy cafe is completely gluten-free and allergy friendly!) 🚗 Easy Parking

    Bovaconti 📍 2 W Main St, Carmel, Indiana (They also have a Fountain Square location)

    Prufrock 📍 275 Veterans Wy Suite 120, Carmel, Indiana (They also have a Broad Ripple location)

    1832 Brew Espresso Bar 📍 111 W Main St Suite 130, Carmel, Indiana

    MOTW Carmel 📍 12761 Old Meridian St, Carmel, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Cafe Jardin 📍 3200 Sheridan Rd, Noblesville, Indiana (Inside of the cutest home decor shop!) 🚗 Easy Parking

    Chapter Book Lounge 📍 996 Conner St, Noblesville, Indiana

    Doubting Thomas 📍 840 Daniel Dr, Kokomo, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking & Drive-Through

    Carmel, Indiana has a few spots on this list, so if you live on the northside of Indianapolis, or you are visiting the Hamilton County area, check out this video for coffee and brunch recommendations in Carmel, Indiana.

    Coffee Shops South of Indy (Greenwood & more)

    Anecdote Coffee 📍 1625 East Southport Road, Indianapolis, Indiana (Formerly Known As: The Mocha Nut)

    Milk & Honey Coffeehouse 📍 8505 Southeastern Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking & Drive-Through

    Fresh Pots 📍 50 N Madison Ave, Greenwood, Indiana (They moved locations, so the video is showing their old building)

    Antilogy 📍 5867 N State Rd 135, Greenwood, Indiana

    Coffee Shops East of Indianapolis (Fishers, McCordsville, & more)

    RIZE Ironworks 📍 2721 E 86th St, Indianapolis, IN (Not a coffee shop, but one of the best brunch spots in Indy! They also have locations in Fishers and Carmel)

    Niyyah 📍 8100 E 106th St, Fishers, Indiana (They also have locations in Indianapolis and McCordsville) 🚗 Easy Parking

    Coffee at the Crossing 📍 7745 N 600 W, McCordsville, Indiana 🚗 Easy Parking

    Clearly, there is no shortage of amazing coffee shops in Indy and Central Indiana, and these are just a few of the local coffee shops I have tried recently. If you have a suggestion on which Indy local coffee shop I should try next, leave a comment on this post or send me a message on Instagram. I would love to try your favorite coffee shop next!

    Want to see a list of all the coffee shops I tried last year including some out-of-state locations in Kentucky, California, Michigan, and more? Or maybe you’re more interested in burgers, sushi, pizza, or romantic Indy restaurants. Whatever it is you’re looking for, Where Is Sondra has tons of local guides and Indy lists, so you never have to spend hours searching for the perfect place to eat.

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  • Must Try Sushi in Central Indiana

    Must Try Sushi in Central Indiana

    Contrary to a Facebook comment I got a couple weeks ago claiming Indianapolis gets its sushi from the city sewers (yes, I’m calling you out, Jim!!), we really do have some awesome sushi spots in Indy and Central Indiana.

    One thing you may notice with this particular Indy sushi list, however, is that many of the spots below are more of a “restaurant that also has sushi” rather than an honest-to-goodness sushi restaurant. While I am a sushi fiend, my husband… is not. So, I have made sure to note the restaurants below that are “Land-Lover Approved,” meaning it is a restaurant that also caters to our friends who prefer their food to come from above sea level.

    Here are just a few sushi spots (or spots with sushi) I have tried recently in Indianapolis and the surrounding areas:

    Prefer a video visual? Click the names of each restaurant for video guides.

    SALT 📍 Multiple Locations

    SALT is a seafood restaurant that has a handful of crowd-pleasing sushi rolls on the menu. During our last “girl dinner,” we got about 5 different appetizers here and shared them all, which I highly recommend doing! And you can definitely share the large Birkin cocktail or mocktail while you’re at it. 😉

    Salt on Mass 📍 505 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Salt Carmel at City Center 📍 11 City Center Dr Suite 101, Carmel, Indiana (featured in the video)

    Salt at Geist 📍 10158 Brooks School Rd, Fishers, Indiana

    FortyFive Degrees 📍 765 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana

    *Land-Lover Approved

    FortyFive Degrees on Mass Ave is such a vibe! The colors and flavors are always vibrant and unique. They also always have great specials going on like Sushi Sundays (half off rolls 3-10pm), Wednesday half-price wine bottles, Thursday half-price cocktails, and a $10 lunch special!

    Harmony Steakhouse 📍 Multiple Locations

    *Land-Lover Approved

    Not only do they have amazing sushi, but the hibachi is sooooo good! I can’t wait to go back in the summer because they have some hibachi grill tables outside on the patio. Plus, this is one of the best lunch specials in Indy: 2 Rolls + Soup or Salad for $17 or 3 Rolls + Soup or Salad for $21.

    Downtown Indy 📍 5145 Noggle Way, Indianapolis, Indiana (featured in the video)

    Greenwood 📍 220 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Whitestown 📍 6124 Mills Drive, Whitestown, Indiana

    COMING SOON! 📍 1030 W Main St, Carmel, Indiana

    1933 Lounge 📍 Multiple Locations

    *Land-Lover Approved

    This is deeeefffinitely one of those “restaurants that also have sushi,” but I love getting a little of that famous St. Elmo’s cocktail sauce on my sushi roll. Perfect place for those of us with partners who prefer steak over seafood!

    Downtown Indy 📍 127 S Illinois St, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Carmel Indiana 📍 175 S Rangeline Rd Suite 100, Carmel, Indiana (featured in the video)

    Fishers Indiana 📍 9707 District N Dr Suite 1120, Fishers, Indiana

    Blue Sushi Sake Grill 📍 2721 E 86th St STE 100, Indianapolis, Indiana

    *Land-Lover Approved (and this one is actually our favorite!)

    I fell in love with Blue Sushi while I lived in Lexington for college. So, to find out they had a location in Indianapolis was an “angels singing” moment for me. Their happy hour sushi specials are LEGIT with reduced price sushi, apps, cocktails, and more ALL DAY every Sunday + open to 6:30pm the rest of the week.

    Sushi Yama 📍 6020 E 82nd St Suite LL03, Indianapolis, Indiana

    ALL. YOU. CAN. EAT. SUSHI. Yup, you heard that right. What I love about this AYCE sushi spot in Indy is that the sushi rolls, appetizers, salad bar, and ice cream are all included in the one price. The dinner price is $35.95 and lunch is $22.95.

    Hanami Sushi + Sake Bar 📍 703 Veterans Wy, Carmel, Indiana

    This sushi is FIRE… literally. Now, not all the sushi rolls come out on a bed of flames, but this one does! And I love that I can taste the fiery grill flavor on this roll. This is that place in Carmel, Indiana with all the pretty bright pink trees out front! Perfect for girls’ night out or a little solo date action.

    Noah Grant’s Grill House + Oyster Bar 📍 91 S Main St, Zionsville, Indiana

    Another great happy hour deal at Noah Grant’s in Zionsville, Indiana! $10 sushi rolls, cocktails, and oysters 4-5pm Tuesday-Saturday when you sit at the bar. Keep an eye on this one when Devour Indy rolls around. They always have a really good deal during those events!

    Chiba 📍 228 Park St, Westfield, Indiana

    I really love Chiba for their patio dining (click the video to see what I mean). And now that it is getting warmer out, this is definitely a place to add to your list! Come on a Wednesday for all night happy hour deals!

    The Courthouse Club 📍 110 N 9th St, Noblesville, Indiana

    *Land-Lover Approved

    One of the meals that altered my brain chemistry in 2025. The sushi, the views, and all the other food we tried here are absolutely worth the drive up to Noblesville from Indy. Make a day of it and explore Noblesville afterward! They have adorable shops, clothing boutiques, and the cutest book cafe ever.

    The Boathouse Kitchen + Swan Dive 📍 409 W Jackson St, Cicero, Indiana

    *Land-Lover Approved

    I already have a plan to come back here this summer because it was THAT good. Plus, the views are unmatched. A warm Indiana summer day with a sushi roll, live music, and cocktails in hand while watching the sunset over the water? Say less.

    I hope you enjoy this Indianapolis sushi guide! If you didn’t see your favorite Indy sushi spot, let me know what I should try next by leaving a comment on this post or on my Instagram. If you have a recommendation for the best sushi in Indianapolis or Central Indiana, I would LOVE to hear it!

    Here are a few sushi restaurants I have on my list for this year:

    Five Bucks Sushi & Boba 📍 883 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana (yes, the sushi rolls are really only $5!)

    Ichiban Sushi Bar 📍 8265 US 31 S, Indianapolis, Indiana

    Yokohama 📍 67 N Madison Ave, Greenwood, Indiana (P.S. They have a sushi-making class I’m dying to try!)

    Green Ginger 📍 1675 W Smith Valley Rd E1, Greenwood, Indiana

    If you’re not super into sushi, no worries! Check out these lists for a roundup of Indiana burgers, Indy pizza you have to try, or you can view my top restaurant recommendations in Indianapolis on my 2025 Restaurant Guide.

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  • Local Coffee Shops I tried in 2025

    Local Coffee Shops I tried in 2025

    This year filled my cup in more ways than one, but the local coffee shops I visited in Indy, and beyond, deserve some special recognition. Here is my 2025 recap of coffee I had in Indianapolis, Indiana, South Carolina, Arizona, and beyond! If you’re looking for the best coffee shops in Indianapolis, save this list!

    You know that song that asks how you measure your year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee? Well, I really took that to heart in 2025 and made a point to visit as many local coffee shops in as many places as I could. In a year that brought me to more destinations than ever before, taking slow mornings in places that pay attention to every comforting detail, every particular ingredient, every song on the coffeehouse playlist, allowed me moments peace and joy during a year that harbored a lot of change and risk.

    I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee.

    Not many know this, but the idea of Where Is Sondra was born in a coffee shop. The very first destination I ever showcased was Evvy’s Coffeehouse in La Porte, IN. I walked into this shop while my husband was coaching a baseball tournament and immediately felt inspired. Every detail of every space within Evvy’s was thoughtfully curated to bring people together over good coffee and conversation. I held on to the images I captured that day for over a YEAR, before I finally started @whereissondra. I would often look back at those photos and know they had to be seen. I had to get over my fear of starting social media again, and tell the people about this business that inspired me so much.

    Evvy’s has since closed down, but I do believe that you can still see that dream within so many local coffee shops, no matter where you are. The dream to intentionally create moments of peace, of collaboration, of laughter, and of creativity. Because I know it’s more than “just coffee.” A local coffeehouse, or any local business, is someone’s dream they once saw within the clouds of their coffee.

    And with that, let’s get into the 2025 Coffee Round Up:

    Indianapolis + Indiana Coffee Shops

    Downtown:

    The Alchemist – 1660 Bellefontaine St, Indianapolis, IN

    Leviathan Bakehouse – 1101 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN

    The S E L E N E by OVA – OVA Lofts, 1317 Prospect St, Indianapolis, IN

    Westside:

    Borage – 1609 N Lynhurst Dr, Indianapolis, IN

    Mansion Society – 202 Steeples Blvd, Indianapolis, IN

    The Beehive – 55 E Main St, Danville, IN

    Southside:

    The Mocha Nut – 1625 East Southport Road, Indianapolis, IN (They are rebranding, so stay tuned for the new name!)

    Fresh Pots – 50 N Madison Ave. Greenwood, IN (They moved locations this year, so the video is showing their old building)

    Milk & Honey Coffeehouse – 8505 Southeastern Ave, Indianapolis, IN

    Hopscotch – 212 N Madison St, Bloomington, IN

    Northside:

    Blue Mind – 646 E 38th St, Indianapolis, IN

    Hubbard & Cravens – Meridian Kessler Area, 4930 N Pennsylvania St
    Broad Ripple Location, 6229 Carrollton Ave

    Ascend – 5941 E 86th St, Indianapolis, IN

    Fire & Ice Cafe – 6211 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 

    Bovaconti – 2 W Main St, Carmel, IN (They also have a Fountain Square location)

    Prufrock – 275 Veterans Wy Suite 120, Carmel, IN (They also have a Broad Ripple location)

    1832 Brew Espresso Bar – 111 W Main St Suite 130, Carmel, IN

    Cafe Jardin – 3200 Sheridan Rd, Noblesville, IN (Inside of the cutest home decor shop!)

    Chapter Book Lounge – 996 Conner St, Noblesville, IN

    The River Coffeehouse – 127 S Main St Ste D, North Webster, IN (This video shows their North Webster location, but they are also in Warsaw and Winona)

    Carmel, Indiana has a few spots on this list, so if you live on the northside of Indianapolis, or you are visiting the Hamilton county area, check out this video for coffee and brunch recommendations in Carmel, IN.

    South Carolina Coffee Shops

    Vintage Coffee Cafe – 219 Simmons St, Mt Pleasant, SC

    Owlbear Cafe – 1964 Riviera Dr J, Mt Pleasant, SC

    Summit – 411 Hibben St, Mt Pleasant, SC 

    Millers All Day – 120 King St, Charleston, SC

    Arizona Coffee Shops

    Little Snitch – 8700 E Pinnacle Peak Rd Suite 106, Scottsdale, AZ

    Tourist Home Flagstaff Cafe – 52 S San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ

    Kentucky Coffee Shops

    The Amsden – 151 S Main St, Versailles, KY

    California Coffee Shops

    Herst Coffee Roasters – 3400 Via Lido, Newport Beach, CA 

    Looking for a Google Maps List for easy access to all these places? Check out a full list here.

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