If you’re in downtown’s Western Gateway and aren’t a habitual Starbucks sipper, Ritual Cafe is a wonderful, local alternative. Located just east of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, the cozy coffee shop focuses on all things vegan, vegetarian, and organic in a bright, inviting atmosphere. 

If you’re looking to grab coffee at a non-chain shop on Ingersoll, there’s no better place than Zanzibar’s Coffee Adventure. Located just far enough from downtown to offer free and plentiful parking, but close enough that you could easily walk or bike, Zanzibar’s is a homey haven from whatever craziness the week may have thrown at you.

Located in one of the neighborhood’s newer buildings, Scenic Route shares the block with two clothing stores (Locally Grown Clothing and Matilda Muse), and a stationary shop (Pink Print Company) with residential space upstairs. With dozens of shops and other restaurants mere blocks away, the coffee shop is almost always bustling with Capitol staffers on their lunch break, friends grabbing a coffee between errands, or students typing away on their laptops. When it comes to East Village essentials, you won’t find a better place than Scenic Route to host a meeting or put the finishing touches on a presentation.

Mars Cafe — Located in the heart of the Drake neighborhood, Mars Cafe has long been a mainstay of students and the city’s creative community alike. A gathering place for student groups, host of art show openings, and even venue for musical performances, Mars Cafe is a hub for all sorts of community activities, which means you’ll be hard pressed to visit during a time when the coffee shop isn’t a bustling flurry of activity, or when you don’t run into someone who you know.