ionic - How to create small icon inside sidemenu?

All you have to do is add the icon that you want in the same as the text. Here is an example: http://plnkr.co/edit/KIErTU?p=preview

<ion-item>
    <i class='ion-checkmark-circled'></i>home
</ion-item>

Nothing pretty, but it shows the point.

I already got the answer

<ion-side-menus>

  <ion-pane ion-side-menu-content>
    <ion-nav-bar class="bar-stable nav-title-slide-ios7">
      <ion-nav-back-button class="button-clear"><i class="icon ion-ios7-arrow-back"></i> Back</ion-nav-back-button>
    </ion-nav-bar>
    <ion-nav-view name="menuContent" animation="slide-left-right"></ion-nav-view>
  </ion-pane>

  <ion-side-menu side="left">
    <header class="bar bar-header bar-stable">
    </header>
    <ion-content class="has-header mymenu">
      <ion-list>
        <ion-item nav-clear menu-close href="#/app/home">
            <img src="img/home.png" width="30" />Home </ion-item>
        <ion-item nav-clear menu-close href="#/app/profile">
            <img src="img/profile.png" width="30" />Profile </ion-item>
        <ion-item nav-clear menu-close href="#/app/friend">
          <img src="img/friend.png" width="30" ng-click="friend()"/>Friends
        </ion-item>
        <ion-item nav-clear menu-close href="#/app/setting">
          <img src="img/setting.png" width="30" />Setting
        </ion-item>
        <ion-item nav-clear menu-close href="#/app/shop">
          <img src="img/shop.png" width="30" ng-click="shop()"/>Shop
        </ion-item>
      </ion-list>
    </ion-content>
  </ion-side-menu>
</ion-side-menus>

You could use what Afflicted suggested but the following solution I used has a correct outlining:

<div class="list">

<a class="item item-icon-left" href="#">
  <i class="icon ion-email"></i>
  Check mail
</a>

...

List icons in ionic