10 Johnson Avenue

This place is a great local coffee establishment to get some work done because it isn’t as busy as other places. The coffee is good, but not as good as Thirsty Scholar, or even closer the, Coal Yard. They are going to need to step up their game when it comes to the espressos verses the lattes and the type of bean they are using.
It is very open and the hours are nice because you can go when its late or early, and in Irvington there isn’t much open around those hours.
They also have some cute outside seating, so it will be nice in the summer.

Great place to meet friends for coffee or sandwiches, or both! The naming of coffee and food is really cute. The staffs are really kind, my friend lost her student ID in here, eventually she found it safely~:)

So this is the second time I’ve been here. The first time was when I came to do the Irvington Ghost Tour. 10 Johnson had just opened at the time and the line was out the door due to everyone wanting a warm drink during the cold, long tour.
I was honestly shocked to see another coffee shop here because Starbucks and Coal Yard Coffee are within walking distance from one another.
My initial thought when I walked in was that the place was very bright, clean, and modern. I loved the countertop and backsplash. It didn’t fit the cozy vibe I usually look for in a local coffee shop. However, it felt like a place I could come to have a business meeting. They have two separate entrances — the building is split in two sections. One main seating section and then a bar seating area near the main counter.
Once I got to the counter I was overwhelmed by all of the options. The barista was very helpful when I asked what types of teas they have. She even got the containers of loose leaf so I can smell and choose what I wanted. I ended up getting a black tea which was pretty tasteful.
The overall all first experience was pretty good. The place wasn’t fully furnished at the time so I thought I’d come back once the place was a little more established.
Fast forward from October to January. The place looks a bit more put together. I asked the barista what she recommended, she said the dirty chai is her favorite and so that’s what I got. It’s quite delicious. The atmosphere still seemed a little cold with all the neutral colors and no cozy vibe.
Pros — Friendly staff (came to check on me and brought me a glass of water), plenty of seating, great coffee and tea selection, gluten-​free options, they make the syrups in house as well as many of their other ingredients, free wifi, plenty of outlets, cute mugs, clean area and clean restrooms.
Cons — Parking can get hard to find, the seating is new, but not very comfy, the staff was friendly, but didn’t really try to engage in conversation, no children seats, and the menu wasn’t accurate.
I’d recommend that 10 Johnson get some cushions to put on the wall benches to make it feel cozier and maybe get a couple of lounge chairs. I also didn’t see a place to seat kids so I’d say it would be nice to designate an area for that. Also, I had ordered a bagel because I saw it up on their menu — the barista said that they were out of them. I think it would be smart to erase what they don’t have that day because they have everything written on a chalkboard behind the counter — easy to do and there would be no confusion or frustration to hear they’re out of something you were looking forward to get.

I’d been meaning to check out 10 Johnson Avenue ever since hearing it had taken over the spot vacated by the former Lazy Daze Coffeehouse in Irvington just across the street from Bookmama’s/Irvington Vinyl. While one might think very little had been done considering the space changed from a coffeehouse to a coffeehouse, the folks behind 10 Johnson Avenue have spruced up the space quite a bit and given it more of an open, airy feeling rather than the urban intimacy of Lazy Daze. The outside deck is still intact, though I don’t necessarily recommend it for use considering it’s December in Indiana.
Maybe later.
10 Johnson Avenue hosts live music and, unlike Lazy Daze, they actually look like they have enough space so that there’s room for more than a small group and their friends. Admittedly, the space is still small but it feels roomier and has a more user friendly layout.
There’s artwork on the walls from a local artist, though the pricing is on the high-​end (think $ 200 and up) and definitely doesn’t have that sort of neighborhood coffeehouse vibe to it. That said, the artwork is a nice touch considering the re-​design has given 10 Johnson Avenue a lot less personality than was present with Lazy Daze. 10 Johnson Avenue also does offer up free wifi and does offer restrooms that are fairly accessible.
10 Johnson Avenue serves up fine coffees, teas and a variety of gluten-​free baked goods. They advertise on their Facebook page that they are a «Gluten-​Free Restaurant» and I did note that they had a handful of other food options. The menu is posted on a chalkboard along with the establishment’s prices. I’m not sure if drinks are all one size, though when I ordered a house coffee, offered the choice of Ethiopian or something else I can no longer remember, I was served up a 16 oz. for $ 2.07 including tax. I got it «to go» and, as has been noted, the «to go» cups are styrofoam.
While I don’t know the story behind the demise of Lazy Daze, it’s hard not to wonder how much the Starbucks that moved in a couple blocks away played a factor. Starbucks is located right on East Washington Street with easy parking and a fresh, fairly roomy building. On the other hand, Lazy Daze was and 10 Johnson Avenue is located on a side street with modestly less convenient parking and an interior that is less roomy (though it has been improved now). I can still remember the rumbling that went about when Starbucks decided to move into the Irvington area, though the rumbling sure never seemed to hurt their business.
Here’s the thing. If you want me to «buy local,» you need to provide me a quality product at a fair price and, quite honestly, you’d better have service that surpasses those corporate guys. Will I pay more for good service? Absolutely. Will I pay more simply because you’re local regardless of quality, price and service? Nope.
As a wheelchair user, I’ll note that parking around 10 Johnson Avenue is a little tricky. As a neighborhood, Irvington is an older area that isn’t particularly wheelchair friendly anyway. There’s an identified accessible spot across the street and there’s street, non-​metered parking but true ADA parking is actually only available on the other side of East Washington Street. The front door heading into 10 Johnson Avenue is a little tricky, as well, as it’s an older wooden door (with glass in it) and doesn’t shut very well independently. It’s not heavy, but if you have limited range-​of-​motion you’ll struggle a bit (and despite having 3 employees and only two customers when I arrived, no one seemed particularly interested in being helpful). The interior is pretty wheelchair friendly — you enter and you’re pretty much facing the order counter. To the right, you’ll have the area where you can actually stay there and eat/​drink or listen to music. The restrooms are in this area.
As I approached the counter, I noted the 3 employees behind the counter (actually one was outside the counter initially but went back there). I’m not sure I was ever actually greeted until I said something. I surveyed their menu for probably 3 – 4 minutes, actually apologizing for taking so long but also kind of hoping that my greeting would inspire someone to be social, offer help, suggest something or at least show some interest in my business. The closest I got was when I finally ordered the coffee and was informed they had two «house coffee» options.
Here’s my big tip. If you want to stay in business, you might actually act like you want business. If I go over to Starbucks, I’ll be greeted enthusiastically and actively engaged. The best coffeehouses are the ones that create a sense of community and belonging — I wasn’t greeted, let alone warmly. When I stalled at the menu, no one inquired as to whether i had questions or if I was new or even if I had a usual favorite. The coffee? Decent enough, but closer to warm than hot.
10 Johnson Avenue is open until 10pm six days per week and offers live music, poetry and more!

This is my favorite café in Indianapolis! The coffee is fantastic (as are the pastries and tea), the staff are warm and attending, and the ambiance is just great. The space is big and bright, and is a great place to spend a few hours working, reading, or hanging out. Highly recommended.

What a great renovation of the space. So inviting and plenty of room for just hanging out. Muffins were very tasty. Would likely have the flavoring reduced in my barista beverage, a little heavy/​sweet for my palette. 11÷6÷15 visit

This coffee shop opened a week ago Thursday where Lazy Daze used to be. The furnishings and the restrooms are new and pristine. There’s WiFi.
The coffee is good. The go cups are styrofoam. Staff is working out the kinks. Good things will surely be forthcoming.

Awesome spot in the heart of the IRV. Great coffee, awesome baristas, plus they have delicious baked good. And cake and Lunch everyday. You gotta try this place.
It’s great to see a sustainable business back in this location. This place is going to be a force to reckon with. Come check out the poetry on Thursdays nights.

I was battling with how many stars to give, but since it has only been open less than a week I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Average latte, seemed more like a cappuccino, however. I know that seems like I am nitpicking, but I have barista experience, so I know the difference! :) I did, however, really like the flavor of their espresso and look forward to trying again.
I give the 5 stars for efficiency, which is probably why my latte wasn’t exactly what it should be, but since I was there at the Irvington Halloween Vest and there were literally hundreds of people waiting to get coffee, it was pretty much magic on some level that I got my coffee so dang fast.
In comparison to Lazy Daze (which I truly loved), it’s stark and clean, with lots of white and lots of lights and pine furniture — what you might see in a more upscale establishment. Compared to LD, with its comfy, old and sometimes stinky couches and easy chairs it’s like landing on a new planet.
They are still rocking a live stage and hopefully when it’s warmer the deck and outside will be available for sitting and sipping coffee and tea on Saturday morning.
One suggestion, because Irvington is a very family-​oriented neighborhood. I did not see one child’s seat or high chair. I think that will be a serious issue and will definitely leave a HUGE section of our community out. There is a large number of SAHM/​work-​from-​home/​homeschool moms in this hood and lordy, don’t get that gang riled up because you won’t last long! We like to work in coffee shops and will spend oodles of money, but you better have somewhere for our kids to sit!
I didn’t try the baked goods, but they looked great and I think I will be going back to the gingerbread cookie is nothing else. It looked divine.

As with any new business, 10 Johnson Avenue has a couple of kinks to work out before it becomes a favorite.
I stopped by around 7:30 on a Monday evening, not even sure if they would be open. I was happy to see that they are open until 10:00 six days a week; I really appreciate a local coffee shop that’s open later than 6!
While the place has a clean, modern feel too it, it’s a bit too sterile for my liking. It has no real «charm» yet. Additionally, there were four employees up front fighting for space and literally running into each other. It was something of an awkward scene, like watching a stressful, mad dash to get orders out for 50 thirsty patrons when in reality, there were only about three total in the shop at the time.
Currently, they use Square to process their payments, and I’ve become accustomed to this with many small local businesses. However, after placing my order for a chai tea latte, rather than ringing me up, the barista disappeared behind the monster coffee machine and left the Square register in front of me. What do I do here? Am I ringing myself up? Do I select one of these tiny pictures on the screen?
Sure enough, once the barista returned, he asked if I’d gotten it all taken care of. Really? Is this a thing? If I am supposed to be able to check myself out, someone please tell me where I sign up for the class.
I’m also so used to most coffee shops automatically using paper cups, that I didn’t even think to ask for my order to go, so it was served in a mug that read «10 Johnson Ave». Okay, so there is a *hint* of charm here after all.
Even with all of the chaos inside, I enjoyed my latte and gluten-​free cookie on a rare warm November evening on the patio. I say without hesitation that both were delicious. The latte was spicy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a good amount of foam on top. And I could serve that gluten-​free cookie to any wheat-​eater and they’d never know the difference.
I look forward to returning in a month or two once the business has straightened itself out. I hope to have a favorable review update at that time!

Delicious coffee & chai, gluten free baked goods, great service, live music, and poetry. Exactly what downtown Irvington needed. A (new) neighborhood gem!

I have been waiting for this coffee shop to open for a while, and I was extremely impressed with their initial opening.
The shop is modern with artistic flair, they have a spot for live music and look like they will be hosting plenty of local performers!
The coffee was great, you can tell by who they describe, even just a cup of dark roast, how much effort and care they put into it.
I am really looking forward to seeing them grow and am happy to add them to my morning coffee runs along with Coal Yard Coffee.

Finally a new Irvington coffee shop taking up digs in the long time empty former space of Lazy Daze! They just opened today, so of course they are adjusting to the fervor of a new business. They are off to a great start by giving free products this morning until noon, and they have a poetry reading tonight. They will have music on Mondays and poetry readings on Thursdays. They have baked treats made in house and gluten free. They eventually want to add soups and sandwiches to their menu. The space is brightly lit, and the light shines off the chrome furniture and coffee equipment. We had a mocha and a hazelnut latte and thought both had wonderful flavor.