Visitor (and Local) Guide to Indianapolis Restaurants

Recently, I was asked to update my Super Bowl list of favorite restaurants for some large conventions and events coming to town...since we have some great new places, I figured it was a good time to do it. If you're local, you'll notice a lot of it is the same as my Super Bowl post--I just changed/added a few things. If you're visiting, I hope this is a helpful list! Also, if you want to see some of my favorite specific items to eat around Indy, check out my recent "Favorite Things" post.

Downtown Restaurants 

Chiliquiles at Bluebeard

Bluebeard: This is one of my favorite places in town. The menu changes all the time and they do a great job mixing up all kinds of cuisines in a friendly, casual environment. You might find foie gras with blood orange marmalade and chiliquiles with a crispy chicken leg on the same menu the same night. They don't take reservations so your best bet is to get there early if you don't want to wait. Find my reviews here.

Cerulean: This is modern fine dining. It's a great space in the Alexander hotel serving refined and creative food--small shared plates, medium plates and large, main course-sized entrees. You might find buffalo chicken skins and fried bread with housemade spreads. They are one of the few restaurants in town offering housemade pastas with many of the entrees. They also have a wonderful pastry chef who creates desserts that are not only delicious, but look like works of art. Here are my posts about my meals there.

Quail at R Bistro

R Bistro: This is fine, local dining at its best. Local chef, local ingredients, ever changing menu, cool spot on Massachusetts Avenue.  You want a nice place for dinner, this is your place (not overly formal though). One of my reviews is here. (There are more if you look).

Goose the Market: Where to begin? Goose is an amazing place to grab a sandwich for lunch or groceries or have a drink and a snack in the evening downstairs in the enoteca.  Their “Batali” was mentioned by Bon Appetit in an article featuring the best sandwich shops in the country.  And trust me, you will be a happy camper with that sandwich (or any of their other daily specials). Check out my latest review here.

Avocado bun at Rook

Rook: This is an inventive, casual Asian restaurant featuring Banh Mi sandwiches for lunch and a more expansive changing menu for dinner. They often offer noodle dishes like pho and ramen, dumplings, buns, and dishes like "pork face hash" that just beg to be tried. Beer only. Here's a recent post I wrote about dinner at Rook.

St. Elmo: Want a steak?  This is our local Indy legend. And according to locals, you have to try the shrimp cocktail (although, I have to say honestly I am not a huge fan of the insanity-horseradish thing, but that’s just me, apparently.) And here’s my review. If you can’t get in, give Harry & Izzy’s a try—it’s St. Elmo’s more modern little sister (or brother) and you can check them out here.

Ceviche- Black Market

B's Po Boy: My favorite casual restaurant in Fountain Square to grab a great authentic New Orleans style po boy. I recommend the fried shrimp and/or oyster po boys and the onion rings. The beignets are great as well. They are open for lunch and dinner. Here's my last review.

Black Market:  Indy’s gastropub.  Also located in the Mass Ave area, Black Market is one of Indy’s newer restaurants and serves hearty comfort food but with a gourmet twist. Also a bar though, so don’t bring the kids.

Downtown Lunch

Several of the above restaurants are open for lunch so you can check them out as an option. But if you are looking for a more causal place for lunch (and in some cases dinner as well), here are some of my favorite downtown lunch spots.

City Market: Indy’s City Market has undergone a great transformation over the last few years and now features mainly local foodservice vendors.  This is an amazing place to grab lunch, conveniently located right downtown.  You can get local pizza, Greek food, homemade soups and pastries, Mexican food, French crepes, soft pretzels, ice cream, Indian food, and food from one of my favorite local chefs, Brad Gates.  I have done a few reviews of a couple of the places and you can check them out here.

Hoaglin to Go: Back on Mass Ave, if you are looking for a great breakfast or lunch, check out Hoaglin to Go.  It’s a little place with amazing fresh made items like quiche, pancakes, egg dishes and my personal favorite, their egg salad.  I also hear they have a killer grilled cheese. Here’s my review.

Tacos at La Parada

La Parada: In the mood for some cheap Mexican food that is really, really good?  This is a gem of a place where you can get a ton of food for just a few bucks. Try the ceviche too. Warning, it’s a bit of a dive, but a charming dive. See what I ordered in my recent post. (Since they don’t have a website, their address is 1638 East New York Street, Indianapolis 46210 and their phone is 317/917-0095).

Workingman’s Friend: A great dive in which to grab a burger.  It is an old bar, but on any given day you will see every type of person from blue collar workers to businesspeople in here (oh, and get the onion rings, skip the fries).  Here’s my review. (Again, no website, but they are located at 234 N. Belmont Avenue in Indy and their phone number is 317/636-2067).

City Café: This place is a little gem hidden away downtown.  Everything is homemade and the ingredients are top notch. Best steak sandwich I have ever had. Here’s my review.

Downtown Cocktails

Indy has some great options to grab a cocktail and a snack as well. Check these places out before or after dinner--all have great ambiance.

Platt 99: The upstairs bar at the Alexander Hotel--a great, open modern space to grab small plates and a drink. You can make a meal here or just have a drink before heading downstairs to Cerulean.

Bone Marrow at Libertine

The Libertine:  The Libertine is a swank cocktail joint with some nice tidbits of food as well.

Ball & Biscuit: B&B is another really cool place that while it is mainly a bar, but with little snacks as well. 

Thunderbird: It's new and you get your cocktails fast with a side of southern small plates.

Outside of Downtown

If you are willing to venture a little outside of downtown, we have some amazing restaurants in various locations.

Broad Ripple

Just north of downtown is the Broad Ripple area (probably a 10-15minute drive from downtown).  Hit any of these places and you will have a happy belly.

H2O Sushi

H2O Sushi:  This is one of my all around favorite restaurants. And don’t let the name fool you. While they do serve spectacular sushi, my favorite things are the daily specials listed down the middle of their menu. Wonderful noodle dishes and great tacos.  The chef likes to mix it up here, with various Asian influences as well as fun twists on food from other cultures too.  I love this place (read more here).  

Goat Cheese Quesadilla-Room 4

Recess/Room 4: One of Indy’s most prized restaurants is run by local chef Greg Hardesty.  With a new daily menu that is set, you may try some things you wouldn’t normally try, and you will enjoy them all. The focus is on fresh, local ingredients.  If you want to dine at Recess, you need a reservation for sure.  But if you just want to stop in, give Room 4 a try.  Room 4 is the sister restaurant of Recess which is located in the same space, but is more casual, fun, and very approachable a la carte menu. Check out posts on both here. 

Taste Café & Marketplace: My favorite lunch spot in the City.  Great for breakfast too (and a tip, they serve dinner a couple of nights a week too).  Favorite item here by far: the BALT sandwich (bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato).  They add dressing to the lettuce and an herby aioli to the bread. Best sandwich ever.  And don’t forget a side of their fabulous frites with basil aioli dip.  A perfect lunch. Read more about it here.

Mussels & Frites- Brugge

Brugge:  A local favorite for mussels and frites and house brewed beer.  Their fries may just be the best in town and with a choice of about a dozen dipping sauces, it’s hard to decide (I like blue cheese, regular garlic aioli and the Sherry vinegar and salt). Check out my review. Open for lunch too!


Barking Dog Cafe: One of my family's favorite lunch spots. They have my favorite thin-style burgers with nice crispy edges and the city's best clam chowder. Great fried oyster and clam rolls. Check out my last post.

Fat Dan's

Fat Dan's: Like a fatter burger? One of my favorites can be found at Fat Dan's. But they do a lot more than burgers--and just about everything is good. There's barbecue, Italian beef, Chicago dogs and great house made fries. Read more here.

Thr3e Wise Men: Currently, Thr3e Wisemen is making one of my favorite pizzas in the City—fresh dough, crispy crust and a great savory tomato sauce.  It’s a straightforward menu with pizzas, sandwiches and salads and they brew their own beer.  Lots of TVs to watch all the coverage. Here's what I said about it on my last visit. (Open for lunch and dinner.

Patachou/Napolese:  This is a local group of restaurants where you can enjoy a great breakfast or lunch.  Basic food, but extremeley fresh and high quality ingredients. Good egg dishes, really nice salads. Napolese is their own Neopolitan pizza restaurant that is quite charming as well.  Petite Chou is their French bistro version. I have done reviews of nearly all their concepts in my blog as well if you want further information. And they do have downtown locations as well.

North

Pizzology: Up in Carmel (about 30 minutes from downtown), there’s a great local pizza place owned by the same people who own The Libertine downtown (with a location soon to open on Mass Ave as well).  It is Neopolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood fired oven.  Great salads and pastas too. They don’t take reservations so if you don’t mind a potential wait, you should be able to get a table here. Here’s my latest post.

Creole gnocchi at Oakley's

West

Squealers: my current top choice for barbeque in Indy (although the quest is ongoing).  Great ribs and those fried biscuits…well, they are things dreams are made of…Here’s my post on them.

Oakley’s Bistro:  About 25 minutes drive from downtown, Oakley’s is a great slightly higher end dining option using seasonal ingredients and a seasonally changing menu.  There’s a little something for everyone here. Here's my latest review. 

East

Papa Roux: A little bit of New Orleans in Indy.  I personally love the shrimp po boy, but Indy people may tell you to get the pork po boy. And here's my review.

South

Brozinni’s: Ok, really this is my favorite pizza, but sadly, I don’t live close enough to have gotten to go more than a few times.  Huge, delicious New York style slices and amazing garlic knuckles.  If you are on the Southside, this is a must. Check out my post here.

Indiana Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Ok, you may or may not be aware that the sort of "unofficial sandwich of Indiana" is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.  We’re talking a piece of pork tenderloin that is pounded, sometimes very thin and sometimes not, breaded or battered and deep fried.  You will see them everywhere, seriously, but clearly some are better than others.  Here’s a few I can recommend:


Muldoon's Tenderloin

Muldoon’s:  In an Irish themed bar in Carmel (about 35 minutes north of downtown).

 111 West Main Street, Suite 100

Carmel, IN 46032

317/571-1116

Pawn Shop Tenderloin

Pawn Shop: in a somewhat smoky bar about 15-20 minutes from downtown.

2222 East 54^th Street

Indianapolis, IN  46262

317/255-5490

Chatham Tap: good version I picked mainly because they have a downtown location (no kids downtown though). Also a location in Fishers, about 35 minutes northeast of downtown.

719 Massachusetts Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

317/917-8425

8211 East 116^th Street

Fishers, IN  46038

317/845-1090

Steer-In: This place was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, and I have been told has a great tenderloin.

5130 East 10^th Street

Indianapolis, IN

317/356-0996

Sahm’s:  Sahm’s has a great tenderloin, and other great fried tidbits (mushrooms are great as well) and they have several locations including one downtown.

433 North Capitol (check out their website for all their locations around Indy)

Indianapolis, IN

317/822-9903

Beer!

Finally, Indy has quite a thriving craft beer loving population and there are some great places to drink quality beer (much of it brewed locally) downtown and in Broad Ripple (as well as other places).  This is not my area of expertise for sure, but I know a lot of people love their beer, so I wanted to give you a good place to look to find out the best places to drink.  Check out the Hoosier Beer Geek blog, particularly this page which gives you the run down on different areas and places to check out.  Cheers!

I would love to hear feedback from out-of-towners about places they visit and their overall Indy experience! And don’t hesitate to email me personally for any other specific recommendations at erininindy@gmail.com or reach out to me on twitter @indyrestscene.  

And hey locals, don't forget to tell me what I have forgotten!

A Few of My Favorite Things...

I’ve been noticing a lot of year-end wrap up articles lately, and figured, I want to do that too! These are some of my personal “favorite things” from local Indianapolis restaurants (I tried to pick things you can always get at these places so you guys can check them out too). These are things that I find myself going back to over and over again.  (Note: I am sure I have left things out, and there are many restaurants that are hard to include because they change the menu frequently, which in and of itself is one of my favorite things as well).

So in no particular order other than as they pop into my head, here goes:

Tuna tartare from H2O Sushi: (CLOSED) I am pretty sure I could eat this every day if hubby would let me. He has finally given up trying to make me not order it every time we go. They have the seasoning nailed with soy, ginger, lemon, cilantro, radish, chives and masago. I love this stuff. And those cookies too.

H2O

Frites from Brugge: These are easily the best fries in Indy. Freshly made and always crisp-- and I love all the choices of dipping sauces. My current favorites are the straight up aioli, the blue cheese, and the sherry vinegar and salt. Best mussels in town too, but it’s the frites that dreams are made of.

Brugge

Burger from Barking Dog Café (CLOSED): I love this burger—it is currently my favorite in town. And I like it just how they make it—with their special sauce, super thin sliced onions (one of my favorite parts), lettuce, pickles, ketchup, Dijon, and cheese of course. It’s a thin burger with crisp edges and all the flavors meld together perfectly. Best clam chowder in town too.

Barking Dog

BALT and frites from Taste: I can’t go to Taste without ordering both these things. The BALT is one of my favorite sandwiches because of the tangy dressing they use on the lettuce. It also has lots of a guacamole-type spread, which I like because it is evenly spread on the whole sandwich (and of course there’s bacon). The basil aioli is what makes the frites so amazing.

Taste

Taste

Egg salad from Patachou or Petite Chou: Egg salad on toasted sourdough with an extra pickle. That’s my regular order (although Petite Chou does it as an open-faced tartine on toast—and actually I usually eat the Patachou version open-faced as well because you really don’t need all the bread). The egg salad is simple and perfect. Just eggs, mayo and salt and pepper. I easily eat this once a week.

Patachou

Slice of mushroom and red onion pizza from Brozinni: Best pizza in town, hands down. Big New York style slices. The onion is evenly distributed and the crust is exactly the right amount of bendy and chewy. Dip the crust in the garlic butter from the knuckles, and it’s perfect.

Brozinni

Bacon flight from Libertine: Ok, I haven’t had this one as much as some of these other dishes I've mentioned, but I love Goose bacon, and sometimes, just getting the various varieties served straight up (well, with dipping sauces) is just what you need.

Ramen noodles from Ichiban: stir fried ramen noodles with perfectly sized slices of veggies mixed in and topped with a breaded pork tenderloin.  Cheap and something good in Castleton!

Ichiban

Steak tartare from Meridian: I have a thing for steak tartare. Well, any tartare really. But they are often too bland and one-dimensional. This one is great, one of the best (and one of the few) I have had in Indy. The beef is tender and seasoned with capers and garlic mayo, onions and nice crispy fried chickpeas on the side, which add a touch of salt. Oh, and don’t forget the quail egg on top. 

Meridian

Brad Gates’ breaded lamb chops: This is something I have had several times at catered events by Brad Gates, and these things are ideal finger food. He takes individual lamb chops, trims them perfectly, coats them in breadcrumbs and fries them in butter.  A grown up lollipop. You can’t really go wrong here. I wonder if he ever does them at the Pantry at the City Market? He should.

Fried Chicken from Mississippi Belle: If you’re thinking about going to KFC, don’t do it. Skip over to Mississippi Belle instead. Dinner is all you can eat and this is some of the best fried chicken I have found in town. Pan-fried, so it doesn’t have a ton of crispy coating, but the seasoning is spot on. And the mac and cheese is a must order as well.

Mississippi Belle

Spaghetti from Bluebeard: Truth be told, there are several other more mind-blowing items to be had at Bluebeard, but the side order of spaghetti with lemon, crème fraiche and parmesan has been a regular item on the menu since they opened, and a regular side item on our table on nearly every visit. It is simple, but the tangy flavor of the lemon and the crème fraiche make it special.

Bluebeard

Rare beef salad from Long Thanh: This was a dish that I ate repeatedly for a long time and still, now, as soon as I start talking about it, I want it again. It is basically a salad with lots of cilantro and basil, topped with thin slices of tender rare beef and chopped peanuts. It has a distinct lime flavor and when mixed with the fish sauce that comes along with, and the crispy fried shrimp chips that are light as air, it makes for lovely little tangy bites.

Chicken soup at La Hacienda: This soup is so good. Especially in the winter. Or if you have a cold. Or hell, even in the summer if you’re me and you just can’t hardly not order it. It’s basically a kitchen sink of Mexican food items. Chicken broth, rice, tortilla chips, chicken, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado. Everything good. All in one huge bowl for under $6. And be sure and get a Texas margarita too. 

Roti Rolls at Siam Square: This is a must order dessert for us at Siam Square. It’s a simple concept—puff pastry, butter and sugar, but it the kind of dessert that hubby and I really like.

Fried shrimp po boy from B’s Po Boy: Extra shrimp is required so they’re pouring out of the flown in from Louisiana bread. I like mine dressed with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and mayo and with a side of the spicy remoulade sauce that I drizzle on top. Even hubby agrees it is as good as the ones you get in New Orleans (and in some cases better).

Chicken Salad from Movable Feast: No fruit. No nuts. Just chicken, celery, green onions and a great tangy yogurt-based sauce with lots of dill. A great, tasty, straightforward chicken salad.

Sautéed eggplant with basil sauce add chicken from Jasmine Thai: There was one guy who worked there who just referred to me as “eggplant” for awhile when I walked in to pick up my carry out order of this stuff. But apparently, there is another patron who eats it 2-3 times a week so there must be something addictive about it. Soften golden eggplant in a soy/basil sauce. I like to add the chicken for a bit of texture variation. All over rice. Another staple in my diet.

Jasmine Thai

Fried chicken from Sahm’s: Huge, super crunchy pieces of chicken that have good flavor and taste even better the next day (according to hubby).  I only wish I could get on track as to when they have it at my local Sahm’s. But the Fishers’ location serves it daily apparently.

Sticky Toffee Pudding from Late Harvest: Ok, so I have had issues sometimes here, but the one thing I will always order on any visit is the sticky toffee pudding. I fell in love with the dish while living in England, and they do a spot on version with a tender, warm spice cake and topped with toffee sauce and whipped cream. 

Late Harvest

Hot and Sour Soup from House of Cheung: This is one of my latest cravings and has been intense. There can be a little variation from visit to visit, but overall it’s a great version of the vinegary and spicy soup. And they have the only fried wontons in town that I have found that are never stale. A bowl of this with the wontons on top makes me very happy.

House of Cheung

So there you have it---a list of a (not so) few of my favorite things. But once I get going, it’s hard to not keep having things pop into your head. So tell me, what thing(s) popped into your head as you read? I want to know what your go-to items are in Indy restaurants. 

And now I am really, really hungry.

Happy Holidays and Cheers! I’ll be back with new posts next week.

Super Bowl Restaurant Guide for Indianapolis

Hey Super Bowl fans! If you found me, you probably want to know where to eat in Indianapolis, so here’s the skinny on our local food scene (at least my version anyway).  I would personally be devastated if you come all the way to Indy only to eat at mediocre chains (and trust me, it wouldn’t be hard). Local friends, help me (and our visitors) out and add your additional suggestions in the comments.  Obviously, there are other good places, these are just a few of my favorites.  For the restaurants’ websites with information about location, etc., click on their names below.

Downtown Restaurants 

One Eyed Jack-The Libertine

The Libertine:  This place is a bar with amazing food.  It is small, so if you want to go, you better book it right this very second. (Since it’s a bar, no kids). They are going to be open for lunch throughout the Super weekend as well. Do it, you won’t be sad. My review is here.

R Bistro: This is fine, local dining at its best. Local chef, local ingredients, ever changing menu, cool spot on Massachusetts Avenue.  You want a nice place for dinner, this is your place (not overly formal though). One of my reviews here. (There are more if you look).

Goose the Market: Where to begin? Goose is an amazing place to grab a sandwich for lunch or groceries or have a drink and a snack in the evening downstairs in the enoteca.  Their “Batali” was mentioned by Bon Appetit in an article featuring the best sandwich shops in the country.  And trust me, you will be a happy camper with that sandwich (or any of their other daily specials). Check out my latest review here.

Siam Square: Want something a little different?  Really great Thai food located in one of my favorite downtown neighborhoods, Fountain Square.  It’s hip, and not overly expensive. Love their noodles.  Here’s my reviews. Speaking of which, other charmers in Fountain Square include Mama Irma (Peruvian) and Naisa (Chinese).

Shrimp Po Boy at Mesh

Mesh:  Technically, it is part of a local restaurant group, but Mesh offers up some quality, familiar food at reasonable prices right on Mass Ave, which is a great place to shop, eat and drink.  You can get steaks, sandwiches and pasta dishes along with good drinks in a relaxed, but polished atmosphere. You can check out my posts about Mesh here.

Ball & Biscuit: B&B is another really cool place that while it is mainly a bar, offers great small plates from Indy chef Brad Gates.  If you want a great (non-smoking) bar to enjoy some retro cocktails and some medium sized nosh, check them out.  Or go have a drink after dinner. You will love this place.

St. Elmo: Want a steak?  This is our local Indy legend.  Again, good luck getting in if you don’t already have a reservation, but give it a try if red meat is what you want.  You might get lucky.  And according to locals, you have to try the shrimp cocktail (although, I have to say honestly I am not a huge fan of the insanity-horseradish thing, but that’s just me, apparently.) And here’s my review. If you can’t get in, give Harry & Izzy’s a try—it’s St. Elmo’s more modern little sister (or brother) and you can check them out here.

Sensu: If you want a hip, night clubby feel (this place turns into a night club later in the evening) and good Asian fusion food, Sensu is a good option.  This is also a good place to go if you are looking for a little privacy, as it is dark and has several private-ish booths. We had a very nice meal there and it has been on our list to return to ever since.  Read my full review here.

Ceviche- Black Market

Black Market:  Indy’s gastropub.  Also located in the Mass Ave area, Black Market is one of Indy’s newer restaurants and serves hearty comfort food but with a gourmet twist.   Also a bar though, so don’t bring the kids.

Downtown Lunch

Several of the above restaurants are open for lunch and several are going to be specially open for the Super Bowl weekend, so you can check them out as an option. But if you are looking for a more causal place for lunch (and in some cases dinner as well), here are some of my favorite downtown lunch spots.

City Market: Indy’s City Market has undergone a great transformation over the last few years and now features mainly local foodservice vendors.  This is an amazing place to grab lunch, conveniently located right downtown.  You can get local pizza, Greek food, homemade soups and pastries, Mexican food, French crepes, soft pretzels, ice cream, po boys, and food from one of my favorite local chefs, Brad Gates.  I have done a few reviews of a couple of the places and you can check them out here.

Hoaglin to Go: Back on Mass Ave, if you are looking for a great breakfast or lunch, check out Hoaglin to Go.  It’s a little place with amazing fresh made items like quiche, pancakes, egg dishes and my personal favorite, their egg salad.  I also hear they have a killer grilled cheese. Here’s my review.

Tacos at La Parada

La Parada: In the mood for some cheap Mexican food that is really, really good?  This is a gem of a place where you can get a ton of food for just a few bucks and think, “wow, that was an awesome taco.”  Try the ceviche too. Delicious.  Warning, it’s a bit of a dive, but a charming dive. See what I ordered in my recent post. (Since they don’t have a website, their address is 1638 East New York Street, Indianapolis 46210 and their phone is 317/917-0095).

Workingman’s Friend: This may possibly be the best burger in Indianapolis.  It is an old bar, but on any given day you will see every type of person from blue collar workers to businesspeople in here enjoying a fantastic burger (oh, and get the onion rings, skip the fries).  Here’s my review. (Again, no website, but they are located at 234 N. Belmont Avenue in Indy and their phone number is 317/636-2067).

City Café: This place is a little gem hidden away downtown.  Everything is homemade and the ingredients are top notch. Best steak sandwich I have ever had. Tip: Normally, they are not open on Sundays and are only open for breakfast and lunch, but a little birdie (ha, twitter, get it?) told me they will be serving dinner over Super Bowl weekend as well.  Here’s my review.

Outside of Downtown

If you are willing to venture a little outside of downtown, we have some amazing restaurants in various locations.

Broad Ripple

Just north of downtown is the Broad Ripple area (probably a 10-15minute drive from downtown).  Hit any of these places and you will have a happy belly.


H2O-Tuna Tartare

H2O Sushi:  This is one of my all around favorite restaurants. And don’t let the name fool you. While they do serve spectacular sushi, my favorite things are the daily specials listed down the middle of their menu.  Wonderful noodle dishes and great tacos.  The chefs like to mix it up here, with various Asian influences as well as fun twists on food from other cultures too.  I love this place (read more here).  If you want to check it out, my advice is make a reservation.

Goat Cheese Quesadilla-Room 4

Recess/Room 4: One of Indy’s most prized restaurants is run by local chef Greg Hardesty.  With a new daily menu that is set, you may try some things you wouldn’t normally try, and you will enjoy them all. The focus is on fresh, local ingredients.  If you want to dine at Recess, you need a reservation for sure.  But if you just want to stop in, give Room 4 a try.  Room 4 is the sister restaurant of Recess which is located in the same space, but is more casual, fun, and very approachable a la carte menu. Check out posts on both here. Tip: Both will be open for lunch during Super Bowl week, which is not normally the case.

Taste Café & Marketplace: My favorite lunch spot in the City.  Great for breakfast too (and a tip, they serve dinner a couple of nights a week too).  Favorite item here by far: the BALT sandwich (bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato).  They add dressing to the lettuce and an herby aioli to the bread. Best sandwich ever.  And don’t forget a side of their fabulous frites with basil aioli dip.  A perfect lunch. Read more about it here.

Mussels & Frites- Brugge

Brugge:  A local favorite for mussels and frites and house brewed beer.  Their fries may just be the best in town and with a choice of about a dozen dipping sauces, it’s hard to decide (I like blue cheese, regular garlic aioli and the Sherry vinegar and salt). Check out my review. Open for lunch too!



Pizza- Thr3e Wisemen

Thr3e Wise Men: Currently, Thr3e Wisemen is making one of my favorite pizzas in the City—fresh dough, crispy crust and a great savory tomato sauce.  It’s a straightforward menu with pizzas, sandwiches and salads and they brew their own beer.  Lots of TVs to watch all the coverage. Here’s what I said about it on my last visit. (Also, the same owner has several restaurants throughout the state, including one downtown called Scotty’s Brewhouse.  If you are looking for bar grub, it is a decent local option). Open for lunch and dinner.

Patachou/Napolese:  This is a local group of restaurants where you can enjoy a great breakfast or lunch.  Basic food, but extremeley fresh and high quality ingredients. Good egg dishes, really nice salads. Napolese is their own Neopolitan pizza restaurant that is quite charming as well.  Petite Chou is their French bistro version. I have done reviews of nearly all their concepts in my blog as well if you want further information. And they do have downtown locations.

North

Pizzology: Up in Carmel (about 30 minutes from downtown), there’s a great local pizza place owned by the same people who own The Libertine downtown.  It is Neopolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood fired oven.  Great salads and pastas too. Tip:  try the fritters. Delicious.  They don’t take reservations so if you don’t mind a potential wait, you should be able to get a table here. Here’s my latest post.

West

Squealers: my current top choice for barbeque in Indy (although the quest is ongoing).  Great ribs and those fried biscuits…well, they are things dreams are made of…Here’s my post on them.

Oakley’s Bistro:  About 25 minutes drive from downtown, Oakley’s is a great slightly higher end dining option using seasonal ingredients and a seasonally changing menu.  There’s a little something for everyone here. Here’s my latest review.

East

Papa Roux: A little bit of New Orleans in Indy.  I personally love the shrimp po boy, but Indy people may tell you to get the pork po boy (also available in the City Market downtown). And here's my review.

South

Brozinni’s: Ok, really this is my favorite pizza, but sadly, I don’t live close enough to have gotten to go more than a few times.  Huge, delicious New York style slices and amazing garlic knuckles.  If you are on the Southside, this is a must. Check out my post here.

Indiana Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Ok, you may or may not be aware that the sort of "unofficial sandwich of Indiana" is the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.  We’re talking a piece of pork tenderloin that is pounded, sometimes very thin and sometimes not, breaded or battered and deep fried.  You will see them everywhere, seriously, but clearly some are better than others.  Here’s a few I can recommend (I have to admit I am relying on friends for a little bit of help on this one, as I haven’t yet sampled every pork tenderloin in town).  The top three are my personal choices and are reviewed in my blog.  The others are from trusted friends.  Also, there is another local person who does an entire blog called “All Tenderloins, All The time” just about tenderloins if you really want to hear about A LOT of different places.


Muldoon's Tenderloin

Muldoon’s:  In an Irish themed bar in Carmel (about 35 minutes north of downtown).

 111 West Main Street, Suite 100

Carmel, IN 46032

317/571-1116






Pawn Shop Tenderloin

Pawn Shop: in a somewhat smoky bar about 15-20 minutes from downtown.

2222 East 54^th Street

Indianapolis, IN  46262

317/255-5490

Chatham Tap: good version I picked mainly because they have a downtown location (no kids downtown though). Also a location in Fishers, about 35 minutes northeast of downtown.

719 Massachusetts Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46204

317/917-8425

8211 East 116^th Street

Fishers, IN  46038

317/845-1090

Steer-In: This place was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, and I have been told has a great tenderloin.

5130 East 10^th Street

Indianapolis, IN

317/356-0996

Sahm’s: Several people have mentioned Sahm’s has a great tenderloin, and they have several locations including one downtown.

433 North Capitol (check out their website for all their locations around Indy)

Indianapolis, IN

317/822-9903

Jimmy B’s : in a little strip mall north about 25-30 minutes from downtown

10598 North College Ave

Indianapolis, IN  46280

317/848-7364

Beer!

Finally, Indy has quite a thriving craft beer loving population and there are some great places to drink quality beer (much of it brewed locally) downtown and in Broad Ripple (as well as other places).  This is not my area of expertise for sure, but I know a lot of people love their beer, so I wanted to give you a good place to look to find out the best places to drink.  Check out the Hoosier Beer Geek blog, particularly this page which gives you the run down on different areas and places to check out.  Cheers!

I would love to hear feedback from out of towners about places they visit and their overall Indy experience! And don’t hesitate to email me personally for any other specific recommendations at erininindy@gmail.com.