Books & Brews

★★★★☆ 4.3 (175) • $$

"Just my favorite chill place. Non-pretentious, chill, welcoming and quiet. I visit every time I come to Indy. Also the beer is delish!"

Books & Brews - Brownsburg

★★★★☆ 4.3 (48) • $$

"Was here on vacation and it's a fun little spot. Perfect for Adults and families . They have plenty of games to play or to purchase. Food was reasonably priced and tasted really good .They switch up their beer and ciders frequently"

Capstone Cafe - Binford

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"If you drive by Northview Church's Binford campus, then you've undoubtedly witnessed the growth of what had been a decently sized medical office building into a genuine church campus that includes the church itself, Capstone Cafe (part of the church), and Pathways Learning Academy. It's actually a rather beautiful campus that seems to have really perked up this area of Binford Boulevard. I'd been curious about Capstone Cafe ever since I saw it pop up as a church offering. It's located on the south wing of the campus and is clearly marked. The entire church has quite a few accessible parking spots as they have a defined ministry for children with disabilities. I will admit this is part of why I wanted to support Capstone - as an adult with a disability, I feel strongly about churches that work to be inclusive of those of us with disabilities. They also do have an automatic door, though it actually was open when I arrived since they were bringing items in/out. Capstone Cafe is essentially a little coffee house. The nearest comparison might be The Haverstick, though this is not really defined as a "co-working" space. That said, as I arrived a group had gathered at one table and appeared to either be working or studying. It's a really comfortable space for either one, though I didn't see plug-ins around and I'm not sure if they offer wifi. The first thing I noticed about Capstone, though, was the sense of welcome. It was immediate and it felt very genuine. Several people were present decorating for the holidays and there was a sense of hospitality everywhere I turned. I had one person turn around from what she was doing and open the door for me and I was greeted by at least 3-4 people working in the church. However, in case you're wondering, it didn't have an agenda to it. The employee working was also super friendly. She showed me both of their menus (drinks and food) and other things around like snacks. They keep things pretty simple here and they support local roasters including Indie Coffee Roasters, Tinker, and Limelight. I ordered a 16-ounce drip coffee (Tinker) for $2.75. I also opted for a grilled cheese weaving together gruyere and mild American for $4.00 (I think it might have actually been $4.25 as I'm pretty sure I paid $7 total - surprisingly, it also included a small serving of Broad Ripple Chip Co. chips). Regardless, it was a definite value to me. They offer a variety of drinks including a variety of coffee variations, teas, and hot chocolate along with soft drinks. They also have smoothies and fountain sodas. They have a breakfast and lunch menu - it's definitely on the lighter side including breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, a panini, a grilled cheese, a soup and sandwich combo, turkey chili, some baked goods, some chip varieties, and a handful of other options. Everything is reasonably priced and you can easily pick up a light lunch here for under $10 and all of their coffee options are under $5 with the highest price I saw being $4.50. There are tables around Capstone and a few tables spaced out around this particular wing of the church. Between the church, the school, and Capstone this place stays steady if not busy. I'll admit that the 5-star is possibly generous as it might build up unreasonable expectations for what is truly just a simple church-based coffeehouse type shop that keeps things simple and focuses on hospitality. The thought that kept coming back to me was that this felt like actual ministry. In some churches, this type of operation either feels like a "business," which makes me feel icky, and other times feels like nothing more than a "gotcha" opportunity. This felt like actual ministry and I really, really liked it. Admittedly, the hours are not the most convenient for me during the week. I happened to have taken a day off work and wanted a place to relax. This was perfect. However, they do also offer Saturday and even Sunday hours (I'm assuming in conjunction with their morning worship). While I expected to appreciate Capstone Cafe, it actually exceeded my expectations in both hospitality and actual quality of offerings. The employee was friendly and helpful and welcoming, the coffee was delicious, the grilled cheese hit the spot, and the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting. I may not be back as often as I'd like, but I'll definitely be back."