The Commonplace Coffeehouse and Roastery

Brace yourself for a hipster comment: I’ve been coming to the Commonplace since before it was cool.
But let’s be honest, the Commonplace was always cool. I just mean I’ve been going to the coffeeshop since 2010…2009 maybe? It’s undergone some renovations since then so it’s nice and freshly painted. All of the seats sit sturdily on the ground, but it’s retained its extremely chill demeanor although there are many more patrons in house nowadays.
Today, I was especially satisfied with my Counter Intelligence. Historically I’ve gotten the Milky Way Latte, but I wanted to try something new. At the recommendation of my barista I got a mocha with chili syrup. It was so delicious — I couldn’t stop drinking it. I think I finished it in less than five minutes. I also got my mom a coffee (which I neglect to remember the name of) and she couldn’t stop talking about how good it was. All of the good coffee bean flavors without the aftertaste.
Later in the day I was trolling Instagram and found that they use a Clover which is a fancy machine that makes coffee taste amazing. Case in point.
To sum it up, I love my little hometown coffeeshop and I’m glad to know its not just the memory of good times here, but also that they’re baller baristas, constantly honing their craft. Way to go Commonplace!

I love coming here when I visit IUP. The coffee is all roasted there and they have a great selection of loose leaf teas. This is a must stop for anyone who is a coffee liver in the area. The flavors are amazing and never dissappoint.

I’ve been going to commonplace for over a year now and the drinks never seize to amaze me. The flavor play is absolutely wonderful, and the workers take time to put extra love into their drinks. When I am in town, I make it a point to grab a tea or coffee.

Plenty of free parking, great coffee, friendly workers and a relaxing environment to be in to escape the routine of everyday life! :-)

Support your local businesses and find much higher quality than the chains. I’m enjoying a traditional macchiato with seltzer and the quiet moment to myself is a bonus.

Best coffee and espresso in Indiana. Their homemade syrups are really good, orange spice is personally my favorite. If you’re getting a latte for the caffeine fix just get a small. All sizes get 2 shots of espresso. Great vibe, but it’s always kind of crowded, so maybe not the best place to get extreme studying done. The Thai chai tea are really great in the summer too!

I’ve recently started coming to this place because I needed a new place to get some work done, and I have been very satisfied. It is not very large, but it has enough space to go around.
I am not a coffee drinker, but I do like tea, and they have a nice selection.
Overall, everyone is friendly and it is a nice place to hang out and conversate or do some light reading.
Support counter intelligence!

I was in town for business and managed to run across this GREAT coffee shop to relax and unwind at in the evenings. Highly recommend.

One of the best coffeehouses in the country is in Indiana, PA. They roast their own coffee (during my college days, it was in Indiana but now they’ve expanded to Pittsburgh) and it’s exceptional. I always looked forward to seeing what the daily brew would be. Their staff is friendly and talented. You don’t feel too pressured to hurry.
The cons: I used to be evangelized to at this location quite often several years ago. I’m glad those people have either cooled it or moved on. The students can get a little overwhelming, especially during finals. It drives me a little nuts when people are hanging out or bring food to microwave when they aren’t customers just because it think it’s discourteous to the business and the other customers.
None of these slight cons are the fault of the owner or the staff. I just wanted to present a balanced view of this place.
The Commonplace will always be a bittersweet reminder of my times in Indiana, PA. It’s a local institution and I hope it carries on in that tradition for years to come.

I’ve been going here since 7^th grade and now I’m a junior in college. Best coffee in town. Coolest atmosphere. Great owner.

I highly recommend the Milky Way latte. Very good coffee, and a nice alternative to Starbucks. Nice atmosphere, pleasant employees and reasonable prices.

A small but pleasant place near campus, with great coffee, and knowledgeable, friendly baristas. The atmosphere is spoiled, though, when some pretty predatory evangelizing is often going on loudly around you.

Nice, traditional coffeehouse. Very good coffee and herbal teas. Seating could be better. Nice seats tend to get filled when I am there.

The coffeehouse of my undergraduate career — it’s wonderful.
When this place opened, it was an opening to a new kind of social environment that wasn’t the drunkeness of most of the campus. And the owners fostered a new communal atmosphere, much in the way coffee shops do, gaining a loyal fanbase.
Their coffee is pretty spot on — plain coffee, americano, and lattes are awesome. They also do ridiculous coffee shakes (like almond joy and others) that appeal to the sweet tooth and are basically the best comfort food. Many times there would be a day i’d need a shake in order to feel better about the day — and Commonplace always delivered.
If you’re passing through Indiana, PA, stop by this place for a drink. It’ll show you a different side to the town than you might have seen before.
If you life in Indiana, make sure you end up here at some point — perhaps to read a book, relax, and enjoy a nice space for awhile.

Yep, 5 stars all the way! Best coffee and Roastery you’ll find, in town and out, as CC&R has slowly expanded its small business into both the local medical center and even the Pittsburgh suburbs. Conveniently located in University Square on the IUP campus, you can never enter here without seeing numerous students working on their laptops (free WiFi) while sipping a latte or locals comfortably congregating on one of the big couches with a specialty drink.
I recently had the opportunity to stop in here again to enjoy a Milky Way Latte and blueberry muffin and everything about this cozy little shop was exactly how I remembered it, for which I was thankful. It’s hard to believe Commonplace has been around for nine years already, but I give a ton of credit and praise to T.J., Julie and all of their employees for making their dream such a popular, community staple. Thank you and I wish you continued success.

Nice indie coffee shop located in the heart of Indiana. They roast their own coffee, and this place has some of the best espresso I’ve ever had.
Pros: Incredible coffee, friendly staff, decent baked goods
Cons: Gets crowded fast (especially during the school year), WiFi is flaky and gets pretty slow when the shop fills up

Love this place! It’s been my happy place in Indiana, PA. Good coffee, tea, and very friendly service. I am really happy that there is also a location in Pittsburgh so that I can get my Commonplace fix.

I got hooked on the Commonplace early in my college days at IUP. Being a commuter, I would spend countless hours each week in the coffee shop working on my laptop while drinking infinite amounts of coffee, espresso and specialty drinks. Their coffee sets the bar, as far as I’m concerned. I have always loved trying the different blends they roll out.
The shop has changed over the years. No longer do they do their roasting in the shop, as they now have a warehouse in Indiana where that takes place. The coffeeshop is still a cozy, quiet place to meet and talk, write, do homework or just socialize with the always friendly staff.
Living in North Carolina now, I still make it a point to visit the shop in Indiana each time I’m home and have coffee shipped to me here in NC.

It’s sad that I didn’t become a coffee drinker until grad school… because I missed out on being a coffee-​loving townie with Commonplace around. I always enjoyed the polite service and baked goods. They always had an assortment of board games for people to enjoy. It was my group’s «go-​to» spot.
I love any place that offers a discount for a correct trivia question answer.

Only been there a few times, but my drink was great each time. Not burnt like most places like to do.
The place is pretty much what you’d expect: an incredibly hipster coffee place for the college kids too indie to go to Starbucks. Not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Really cool atmosphere in the place itself, although the outdoor-​style seating in the lobby-​type area is a little awkward and strange, although that’s not really their fault; it’s a bit of an awkward (yet really interesting) building to begin with.