Monon Coffee Co: The Weekly Wave #02
Monon Coffee Company has been a local coffee staple to Indianapolis since 1997. Yes, that’s right. 1997. (Were some of you even born in 1997?) Leslie Dolin, the current owner, started working there in 1998, and she and her mom bought it in 2016.
Monon is one of those cafés that is just perfect. It is a true community space that exists for everyone. It’s just part of the neighborhood, you know? They don’t rely on expensive Instagram aesthetics or anything to draw people in—you go to Monon because it’s just the place. Leslie and her mom hang tight to that 90’s coffee shop vibe. They remember how important it was back then, to them and to all of us. They do it in such a great way while also staying current and leaning into their community and local partners.
So many of us have special connections to Monon, and I always love hearing those stories. My husband and I spent part of our first date at Monon. So many of you spent long college days in the back room, studying and chugging White Zombies. We’ve all read books, sketched, laughed, and cried inside Monon. It’s a classic third place that means so much to all of us.
Do you have any special memories of Monon? We’d love to hear about them!
Centrally located in Broad Ripple
Quick access via the Monon
Very close to The Red Line
SO MANY TEAS
Great specialty drinks
Cozy seating
Tons of local foods, drinks, snacks, and goods
When I go to Monon Coffee, I typically get something different (which says a lot about their menu). They’ve got great drip coffee options (including Blue Mind!), they’ve got a HUGE loose-leaf tea selection, and their specials are always on point.
Here are some popular guest favorites:
White Zombie: highly-caffeinated white mocha made with flash-roasted espresso
Mona Lisa: MY FAVORITE with cinnamon and honey
Matcha Latte
The smoothies!
Monon is transitioning from their winter menu to their spring menu, but here is a sneak peek at what’s to come on their seasonal drink menu:
Honeysuckle Latte: a latte with lavender, honey, and vanilla
Affagatos: Espresso poured on top of locally made Bric’s ice cream
A secret drink made with Thai Iced Tea Powder from Rishi tea
Monon is always really inventive with their drinks, so be on the lookout on their social media (@mononcoffeeco) for the spring seasonals!
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920 E Westfield Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46220
Parking: there’s a small parking lot out back, plenty of metered parking throughout Broad Ripple, loads of neighborhood streets around, AND it’s right off of the Monon and just a few steps away from IndyGo’s Red Line.
Recently, Leslie posted a call to action on her personal account asking for support for Monon because of some challenges they’ve been running into lately—rapidly raising costs of all supplies, continual construction and road closures in Broad Ripple, and so many other challenges. These hurdles aren’t necessarily unique to Monon, but they’ve been hit particularly hard this winter.
A handful of us on social media saw her message and posted our own calls to action, and you all DELIVERED. My post alone was shared and liked by thousands of people, and tens of thousands of people interacted with it in some way.
Since Leslie’s post, business has picked up in many ways. Y’all are showing up and keeping the line nearly out of the door. More local partners have reached out to see how they can help and work together. Out-of-state customers who used to be regulars have purchased gift cards to use next time they’re in Indy. Lots of first-timers have shown up to show their support, people have written letters, and so much more. They also received a free new POS system, which is a HUGE deal because those tend to be very expensive, and their existing system was…well, I’d wager Leslie has already forgotten about it.
That is what community is about. When one of us gets knocked back, we all step up, we show up, and we keep showing up.
Thank you for reading The Weekly Wave! If you’re enjoying this content, we’d love it if you’d share if with a friend or two who also love local coffee! Your support helps us so much!
Though y’all have really shown up these last few weeks, that doesn’t totally mean that Monon is out of the woods. More construction and road closures are planned soon for Broad Ripple, which is going to continue impacting all of the small local businesses in the village. On the bright side, spring is approaching, which should bring a lot more foot traffic via the Monon and folks just being out and about more.
Monon is also working with new local partners like “Yes, It’s Really Vegan” out of Noblesville to continue to switch up and grow their drink and food menus. They’ll also still be serving up delicious local coffee and tasty treats from Rene’s Bakery and 4 Birds Bakery. It is also worth noting, their retail shelves are always stocked with incredible goods and gifts from talented local artisans. The art on the walls also regularly rotates and is almost always available to purchase. (Leslie is also an incredible artist and often showcases her work amongst many other talented local artists.)
Speaking of partners, Monon is always happy to host pop-up shops and special events! The team also regularly hosts drop-off boxes for local organizations like No Questions Asked Food Pantry and Indiana Youth Group (IYG).
This week we’re going to wrap things up with a little note from Leslie:
First, I'd like to say thank you to everyone that continues to support our little shop in Broad Ripple. We definitely have held onto our 90's coffee shop roots, and I think that's what makes us unique. I spent most of my teen years and college days hanging out in coffee
shops like The Abbey and The Village Idiot, and it gave me a sense of belonging and community. That's the real reason that I love the Monon so much and I want to see it succeed. I think now more than ever, we all need a safe and comforting space where we can be ourselves. I hope the Monon can provide that, as well as a great cup of coffee.
Make your plans! Text a friend right now to set up a coffee date (or a real one) at Monon Coffee!
OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS Last but not least, I’d like to thank our wonderful sponsors who make The Weekly Wave possible! I love Maywright & Yeahright Type, so make sure to give them some love for loving local coffee.MAYWRIGHT PROPERTY CO. Maywright Property Co. is an exceptional Indianapolis real estate brokerage serving clients and central Indiana neighborhoods. They're fully local and women-owned, too. I’ve loved working with Maywright as sponsors for Batch, and I cannot recommend them enough. 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.ncG1vNJzZmihnpm2orrAqaaloaOYvKeyxJ5lrK2SqMGir8pnmqilX6V8rrvNqKVmm5%2Bbs6axjJymZqyYmnq4scSko7Jlp5bDpnmPaw%3D%3D