Crossroads Cafe

I live very close and I’ve always thought a coffee shop/​café in that space would be perfect. I can only echo the reviews stated before me, but I had a quicker experience receiving my food, maybe because I got a cold sandwich? It was delicious and so were the pastries I tried. I got plenty of meat on the bread (usually skimped at most places) and the service was exceptional. I agree with others that this place has a fantastic mission and it feels great knowing your hard earned cash is not only satisfying your belly, but helping others work toward a job they can be proud of. We need more of these places throughout Indy! I hope they are successful and stick around for a long time. I’ll definitely be back, this is a much needed addition to a transitioning neighborhood.

The food is good, but not spectacular. The service can be slow. So why am I giving this place 4 stars? Because of its mission.
If you’re a do-​good kind of person, you can dine with a purpose at Crossroads Café. They describe themselves as «a social enterprise that provides opportunity and success to young people through food-​service, life skills, and job readiness training.» Crossroads is affiliated with Aftercare for Indiana through Mentoring (AIM) and opened in April 2015. It is «designed to provide training to at-​risk youth in Marion County, both in food-​service and in life.» All proceeds are reinvested back into Crossroads to continue to help young people in Indianapolis.
They strive to use local products and make everything from scratch as much as possible (like breads and English muffins!). I ordered the southwest breakfast wrap (scrambled egg, sausage, diced tomatoes, onion, salsa, and cheese on warm tortilla, and I added avocado for extra) for only $ 4.50. Yes, you read that right; this place is cheap! Breakfast will cost you $ 2-​$ 5,and lunch is $ 5-​$ 9. Affordable! Breakfast for 4 people with coffee came to $ 20. What? And the waffles were huge for only $ 2.75!
My wrap was good, but not out of this world, and it did take about 30 minutes to get. But, the gentleman at the counter was kind and he was a one-​man show for the morning!
Also, this place is big inside and a great place to get work done — plenty of four top tables, plus an additional room with a huge mural of Traders Point Creamery, complete with farm scenery. Plus there’s a piano and a small rental library.
Crossroads is a neat place with a great mission and I encourage you to check it out and support their cause!

This little café is housed nicely in a historic former Hardware store. The charming corner it resides on is hidden deep in Butler-​Tarkington, where older architecture abounds.
The interior has a café/​coffee house feel and look to it. Seating is plentiful, being a double store front, with four top tables and a large L shaped couch. The sun light finds it’s way in from the large front windows encased in glass blocks. The whole atmosphere is highly conducive towards reading, studying, or small business meetings.
The menu is easy to read, the items are relatively simple and they are priced reflectively. Take note the coffee is Starbucks and is served piping hot.
Service is kind and genuine, but the extra and fourth star is gained from the outreach program they provide. This café trains at-​risk teens to learn the ways of the hospitality industry. I have also witnessed the chef running still warm loaves of fresh baked bread to the food bank across the street. To me, that is the big difference between this and other cafes and why I will keep going back.
So if you’re feeling the need for a minimalist panini and a hot cup of coffee to help motivate you to crack a book, this is your place.

I drove through this neighborhood for the first time in a long time the other week and spotted Crossroads Café in the old Boulevard Café storefront and was intrigued! The lettering on windows was attractive, so I set up a lunch-​date with a few co-​workers and we popped in for lunch!
Highlights of our visit:
–The prices are appropriate for the portion size and food quality
— Homemade everything (bread, roasted sandwich meat, soups, etc.)
— Service was friendly, casual and approachable
— Spacious dining area
— The mission (to help young people gain job skills via food service work)
— Extensive menu!
The only area of improvement I’d suggest is speed of service. It took a bit from the time our food was ordered to the time it was presented. But, after one bite of the homemade whole wheat bread I didn’t care. :)
Bonus! They will be selling their homemade bread at the 38^th & Meridian Farmer’s Market this Summer!