The arts-and-dining corridor running northeast from downtown, lined with breweries, theaters and the city's most-watched new kitchens.
The Rathskeller in Indianapolis has poured pilsner and served schnitzel in the Athenaeum since 1894. The biergarten is one of the best in the city.
Signature: Schnitzel, Bratwurst, Pretzel and beer cheese
Order: Wiener schnitzel, a Sun King or Hofbrau on draft, and the soft pretzel with beer cheese.
Tip: The biergarten opens late spring through fall. Weekend live music in the Kellerbar; the dining room is quieter.
Cincinnati import that nails the Mass Avenue fried-chicken brief. Brined and dredged in-house, served with spoonbread and a half-dozen Southern sides.
Signature: Fried chicken, Spoonbread, Kale salad
Order: Half a chicken, the spoonbread, the kale salad. Sit at the picnic tables outside in summer.
Tip: No reservations. Get on the standby list at 5:30 for a 6:30 weekend table, or go for an early lunch.
Salt on Mass is an upscale seafood-and-steak room on Mass Avenue in Indianapolis. No freezers, scratch kitchen, handcrafted cocktails, coastal wine list.
Signature: Wild seafood platters, Dry-aged steaks
Order: The daily-changing wild fish, a dry-aged ribeye to share, the chef's cocktail off the list.
Tip: Reservations on Opentable for the main dining room; the bar takes walk-ins and serves the full menu.
Bakersfield Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs Mexican street fare with over 100 tequilas, an American whiskey list and one of the better Mass Ave patios.
Signature: Street tacos, Queso, Mezcal flights
Order: Three street tacos, the queso, a flight off the mezcal list.
Tip: Late-night kitchen Friday and Saturday until midnight. Walk-ins only; lines build for Taco Tuesday.
Livery in Indianapolis is a pan-Latin room in a restored 1890s horse livery off Mass Avenue, with a long mezcal list, ceviches and a summer rooftop.
Signature: Ceviche, Empanadas, Mezcal cocktails
Order: Whatever ceviche is on the day's board, the beef empanadas, a mezcal cocktail.
Tip: Two floors plus the rooftop. Reserve downstairs for dinner; the rooftop is walk-in and weather-dependent.
The Eagle Mass Ave in Indianapolis fries half-chickens brined in-house and runs Southern sides on Mass Avenue's busiest corner. The line moves fast.
Signature: Fried chicken, Spoonbread
Order: Half a chicken with spoonbread and the kale salad.
Tip: No reservations. Get on the standby list at 5:30 for a 6:30 weekend table.
The Rathskeller in the Athenaeum, Indianapolis has poured pilsner and served schnitzel in the cellar since 1894. The biergarten is one of the best.
Signature: Schnitzel, Bratwurst, Pretzel
Order: Wiener schnitzel, a Sun King on draft, the soft pretzel with beer cheese.
Tip: The biergarten opens late spring through fall. Weekend live music in the Kellerbar.
Bakersfield Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs Mexican street tacos with over 100 tequilas and an American whiskey list on Mass Avenue. A trusted stop in the city.
Signature: Street tacos, Queso, Mezcal
Order: Three street tacos, the queso, a mezcal flight.
Tip: Late-night kitchen Friday and Saturday until midnight. Walk-ins only.
Bru Burger Bar opened on Mass Avenue in 2011 and remains the avenue's standard burger room. Hand-pattied house grinds, scratch brioche, craft-beer list.
Signature: Bru burger, Truffle fries
Order: The Bru burger with sharp cheddar, truffle fries, an Indiana draft.
Tip: Walk in for the bar, reservations on OpenTable for the dining room.
Bazbeaux on Mass Ave in Indianapolis has built specialty pies for over 30 years. Thin crust, creative combinations, the Mass Ave dinner-walk standard.
Signature: Specialty pies, Bazbeaux salad
Order: The Quattro Stagioni pie, a Bazbeaux salad, a craft draft.
Tip: Slices 11:00 to 1:00. The patio runs spring through fall.
Forty Five Degrees on Mass Ave is the avenue's sushi anchor. Cocktails, hot-rock cooking and a strong roll list, with a late-kitchen most nights.
Signature: Sushi rolls, Hot-rock dishes
Order: Two creative rolls off the menu, a hot-rock entree, a craft cocktail.
Tip: Late kitchen Friday and Saturday until midnight. Walk-ins seat at the bar.
Tavern at the Point on the historic Old Point Tavern corner is the new operator at one of Indy's oldest bar addresses. Gastro-pub plates, Indiana drafts.
Signature: Smash burger, Reuben
Order: The smash burger with cheddar and the day's draft list.
Tip: Bar walk-ins all day. The corner patio runs spring through fall.
Bodhi on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a 21-plus women-owned Thai cocktail bar and bistro. Family recipes, creative drinks, late kitchen on weekends.
Signature: Pad see ew, Green curry, Thai cocktails
Order: Green curry, the pad see ew, a Bodhi cocktail.
Tip: Closed Tuesday. The cocktail program is the angle here.
Livery in Indianapolis is a pan-Latin room in a restored 1890s horse livery off Mass Avenue, with a long mezcal list, ceviches and a summer rooftop.
Signature: Ceviche, Empanadas, Mezcal cocktails
Order: Whatever ceviche is on the day's board, the beef empanadas, a mezcal cocktail.
Tip: Two floors plus the rooftop. Reserve downstairs; rooftop seats are walk-in only.
Please & Thank You on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a record-shop coffee bar imported from Louisville. The chocolate chip cookie is the city's reference cookie.
Signature: Chocolate chip cookie, Proprietary blend coffee
Order: A chocolate chip cookie and a cortado off the house espresso.
Tip: The vinyl wall is the shop's other reason. Order at the counter.
Vicino on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a modern Italian room with hand-rolled pasta, regional Italian braises and a focused Italian wine list.
Signature: Hand-rolled pasta, Brodetto
Order: The day's pasta tasting, a braised meat main, a glass of Sangiovese.
Tip: Reservations Tuesday through Saturday; the bar takes walk-ins.
The Flying Cupcake's Mass Ave shop in Indianapolis bakes scratch cupcakes from local single-origin chocolate. Daily flavors plus seasonal rotations.
Order: A Death by Chocolate and a Hoosier Mama.
Tip: Pre-order for parties; same-day delivery available across the city.
Worth the queue: Death by Chocolate cupcake
Cookie Plug on Mass Ave in Indianapolis serves oversized stuffed cookies that are part cake, part brownie, part cookie. Late hours, hip-hop themed shop.
Order: A stuffed chocolate chip and a milk for dunking.
Tip: Late-night dessert run for after Mass Ave dinners.
Worth the queue: Stuffed cookie
Please & Thank You on Mass Ave in Indianapolis bakes the city's reference chocolate-chip cookie and pours espresso under a vinyl-wall counter.
Order: A chocolate chip cookie warm and a cortado.
Tip: Vinyl wall is the other reason to visit. Pickup peaks at lunch.
Worth the queue: Chocolate chip cookie
Macaron Bar on Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs scratch French macarons in 20-plus flavors. A downtown branch of the Cincinnati pastry shop, fresh daily.
Order: A box of six: salted caramel, pistachio, raspberry, lemon, coffee, chocolate.
Tip: Daily flavor list rotates. Pre-order boxes ahead for parties.
Worth the queue: Salted caramel macaron
Coat Check Coffee in the Athenaeum off Mass Ave, Indianapolis is a daytime cafe in a historic German social club. Signature lattes plus a food menu.
Order: A signature latte and the daily quiche.
Tip: Athenaeum events can fill the room; the upstairs balcony is the quiet seat.
Sources from: Rotating local roasters
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Cold brew
The Rathskeller's Kellerbar in the Athenaeum, Indianapolis has poured pilsner since 1894. The biergarten opens late spring through fall with weekend music.
Signature drink: Hofbrau on draft and German wines
Food: Schnitzel and pretzel
Bakersfield Mass Ave is a tequila-and-whiskey bar on Mass Ave, Indianapolis. Over 100 tequilas, an American whiskey list, a late kitchen Friday and Saturday.
Signature drink: Mezcal flights and 100+ tequilas
Food: Street tacos and queso
The Ball & Biscuit on Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs the city's most-decorated craft cocktail program with a deep American whiskey list and back bar.
Signature drink: Pre-Prohibition classics and original cocktails
Food: Snack plates and shareables
Chatham Tap on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a soccer-mad pub with English drafts and Premier League on every screen. A reliable Indianapolis pick.
Signature drink: English drafts and Sunday Premier League
Food: British pub plates
The Eagle's bar on Mass Ave in Indianapolis pours pitchers and serves the full dining-room menu. Sit at the chef's counter for a half-chicken and a Hi-Lite.
Signature drink: Hi-Lite cocktails and a pitcher
Food: Fried chicken and spoonbread
Sun King Brewery on North College in Indianapolis is the city's biggest local. The downtown taproom runs the full lineup with rotating food trucks outside.
Italian Heritage Society of Indiana runs pasta-making classes at the Nestle Inn near Mass Ave. Hands-on instruction, recipes, communal dinner with wine.
Order: Sunday pasta class with Chef Monica.
Tip: $120 includes materials, recipes, communal dinner and a glass of wine.
The Eagle on Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs weekend Southern brunch. Chicken biscuit, biscuits and gravy, the same fried chicken from the dinner menu.
Order: Chicken biscuit and a Hi-Lite
Garden Table on Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs a juicery brunch program with health-leaning bowls and toasts. The bright corner room serves all day.
Order: Avocado toast and a fresh-pressed juice
Bakersfield Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs a late-night taco kitchen until midnight on Friday and Saturday with over 100 tequila pours on the back bar.
Try: Street tacos and a tequila pour
The Eagle Mass Ave in Indianapolis runs a late kitchen Friday and Saturday until midnight. Fried chicken, spoonbread and pours from a long beer list.
Try: Fried chicken and spoonbread