When the world opened up from the pandemic, I was desperate to leave the house. I wanted a place where it would be expected and acceptable for me to spend hours reading and studying, with or without friends. Upon exploration, I fell in love with coffee shops and the robust and complex tastes that can be found in coffee.
When I began a new chapter in my life, starting my college journey, I yearned for the warmth and comfort in the coffee shops I found back home. It took me a while to to learn about the Greater Lafayette area coffee shops; some were obvious, and others took me years to find. Inspired by this, I went on a “coffee crawl,” a term affectionately coined by a manager of mine (I am a part-time barista), who wrote and experienced the first “coffee crawl” three years ago. Inspired by her, I spent most of a Thursday crawling from an iconic staple in the local coffee community to another.
The Eleventh House: On Thursday morning, I started at a coffee shop that took me years to find, The Eleventh House on Third Street in Lafayette. Originally started as a pop-up shop in November 2019, The Eleventh House found its footing during the pandemic. It shared a space with The Spot Tavern and eventually got its own space in the downtown area. The space is filled with a mismatched assortment of high tables, couches, barstools, tables and coffee tables as well as local art.
For my first stop, I had their “ringleader” latte and kimchi bagel sandwich. Their latte featured an in-house miso salted caramel syrup, which resulted in a complex umami, sweet, and savory taste in my morning cup of coffee, accompanied by the spice from the kimchi and gochujang mayo from the breakfast sandwich.
Sacred Grounds: My first roommate in college claims this place made him fall in love with coffee shops the same way I had many years ago. Sacred Grounds was my second stop, located on Wabash Avenue. It’s a family-owned business, with the owners having an intense passion for creating a warm environment with their overhanging lights, comfortable furniture, and friendly staff. It creates a great environment to catch up with friends, get coffee with a stranger, or plan a community-wide events (all of which I have seen firsthand).
I ordered an iconic drink off their menu known as the “dirty hippie,” which is their take on a “dirty” masala chai. What makes theirs unique is that it is not a concentrate or anything premade, but they make the masala chai fresh to order with their spices and then add a double shot of espresso.
Indie Coffee: This was the first coffee shop I fell in love with—well, not here. They have their first location in Carmel, where I became enamored with the flavors and the space they occupy, but we both moved to West Lafayette in the fall of 2021, so it felt like we were starting the journey together. Indie Coffee Roasters, located on Mitch Daniels Boulevard, contains simple and elegant furniture that matches the theme of black and white. I tried a latte featured on their fall menu that their manager created called the Golden Crisp, which is a well-balanced version of a caramel apple latte.
Greyhouse, The Lobby: Greyhouse states, “They care about coffee because they care about you.” My last two stops of the day were two different locations of the same coffee shop, which they are definitely places to hit when coming to the Greater Lafayette area that also has a popular food menu. Greyhouse, located on 100 Northwestern Avenue and founded in 2008, has a diverse menu, including crepes, breakfast sandwiches, coffee, and various teas. While on my visit, I enjoyed an iced dirty chai latte with their hen crepe, which includes potatoes, gouda, eggs, bacon, and chives. They have a secondary location on Purdue’s campus, located in Campus House that serves only drinks, and to-go food.
To wrap up my coffee crawl, I ended at Greyhouse’s downtown location, The Lobby on Main Street. Compared to its other location, The Lobby has a very classy feel. While it has the same coffee and tea menu as its location on Northwestern, it also serves cocktails and has a food menu that serves brunch and then switches to an evening menu that boasts charcuterie boards, fun desserts, and sandwiches. I had a decaf latte with a creme brulee to wrap up my night.
I had never made an effort to visit this many coffee shops in one day, but it opened my eyes to how many people feel the same, the liveliness of these places, and the community they can provide. Check out more Coffee & Tea in Lafayette/ West Lafayette, and be sure to return to the Home of Purdue for more fun experiences in the city.
Purdue University Student, Matthew Bergeron, shares this blog. This blog is part of a series of articles submitted to Visit Lafayette-West Lafayette through a cooperation with a 400-level travel writing class at Purdue University.
