Street Savvy — 16th Street
STRETCH
Tree House Yoga (1) was the first place to offer hot yoga downtown, and rooms were designed specifically for the type of practice performed with temperatures in the 90s. If the hot flow sounds too advanced for you, the standard-flow classes keep the room at 80 degrees. 22 E. 16th St., 602-7707, treehouseindy.com
TASTE
Dishes like Penn & Palate’s (2) corn cake appetizer are the epitome of comfort food for the adventurous epicurean. The menu draws inspiration from Indiana’s agrarian roots, balancing perfectly between familiar and trendy. 28 E. 16th St., 602-6975, facebook.com/pennandpalate
LEARN
Look for see-through backpacks to find Herron High School (3)—the administration provides each student with one for security. A placard out front explains the building’s rich history, though it leaves out one bit: The architect also designed the Central Library. 110 E. 16th St., herronhighschool.org
DRINK
Along with late-night hours and a demure 1920s feel, boozy coffee bar Thirsty Scholar (4) now offers sandwiches from Penn & Palate across the street. Order at the counter and wait for your nibbles at a marble-topped table. 111 E. 16th St., 602-3357, thirstyscholar.net
Quirky clutter at Queen Bee Vintage.
SHOP
Queen Bee Vintage (5) is not your grandma’s closet, unless Nana was a ’60s go-go dancer. The boutique is packed with funky throwback finds along with some quirky homegoods with a sense of humor. For all your retro-fur-coat needs, come here first. 111 E. 16th St., 916-8125
TREAT
Alana Cobb, owner of Princess Confections (6), opened up shop in June of last year. Along with custom cakes, the cute and cozy bakery offers an assortment of cookies, cupcakes, triple-chocolate brownies, and cake pops. 111 E. 16th St., 626-2931, princessconfections.com
CREATE
Art Mix (7), formerly VSA Indiana, is an adaptive studio for people with disabilities. Every First Friday brings a free art workshop just down the hall from the Harrison Center for the Arts, and community classes start at $20 for an eight-week course. 1505 N. Delaware St., 974-4123
BROWSE
One of the Harrison Center’s four galleries holds some of the complex’s best secrets. City Gallery (8) features pieces all based on downtown Indy neighborhoods, and has a cafe-esque vibe where anyone can stop in, grab a free cup of joe, and work or chat with artists and staff. Don’t be deterred by the locked door; ring the buzzer and someone will be happy to let you in. 1505 N. Delaware St., 396-3886, citygalleryindy.org
SAMPLE
In the explosion of local coffee-roasters, Tinker Coffee Co. (9) is emerging as a barista favorite. A sampling session called a “cupping” runs $15 on Sunday mornings and offers a deep dive into specialty coffee with a tasting of three kinds, a peek at the roasting machine, and insight into how beans are graded. Other days, the door is open for $2 samples and bean purchases. Sign up for the newsletter while you’re there—mailing list recipients have been known to receive trials of roasts not yet released. 212 E. 16th St., 770-365-0250, tinkercoffee.com
RELAX
Foundry Provisions
Three years old in March, Foundry Provisions (10) feels like it has been a Herron-Morton Place staple for decades. The bright-orange coffee shop is infused with local vibes: From the coffee beans and pastries to the art hanging on the walls to the wooden cooler holding craft popsicles, nearly everything
inside is made in Indy. 236 E. 16th St., 543-7357, foundryprovisions.com
EAT
Though chef Braedon Kellner at Tinker Street (11) pulls from a palette of local ingredients, dishes look and taste wildly exotic at the intimate foodie destination with a sophisticated wine program. Peek through the kitchen window to watch the staff assemble plates of prawns and grits, fennel-kissed escargot, and wee s’mores pots de creme paired with hickory ash to re-create the essence of campfire. 402 E. 16th St., 925-5000, tinkerstreetindy.com.
