Bistros, trattorias and the everyday places where Indianapolis actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Indianapolis actually eats.
30 places
Order Half a chicken with spoonbread and the kale salad.
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.
Order Wiener schnitzel, a Sun King on draft, the soft pretzel with beer cheese.
The Rathskeller in the Athenaeum, Indianapolis has poured pilsner and served schnitzel in the cellar since 1894. The biergarten is one of the best.
Order Three street tacos, the queso, a mezcal flight.
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.
Order The Reuben with a side of macaroni salad and a slice of sugar cream pie.
Shapiro's Deli in Indianapolis opened in 1905. The Reuben, the corned beef on rye and the matzo ball soup have run the same counter for a century.
Order The smash double cheeseburger with mustard, onion and pickle.
Workingman's Friend in Haughville, Indianapolis is a 1918 lunch counter. The thin-patty smash double cheeseburger is the West Side standard.
Order The chili cheese etouffee with crawfish, the cornbread.
Yats Broad Ripple in Indianapolis runs Cajun-Creole on North College for over two decades. Bowls of jambalaya, etouffee and drunken chicken.
Order Veal Marsala, chicken Parmesan, eggplant rollatini.
Mama Carolla's in Meridian Kessler, Indianapolis is the canonical Italian-American room of 54th Street. Red sauce and a candlelit cult following.
Order The cheese ravioli, the meatballs and house Chianti.
Iaria's in Indianapolis has been on the same South College Avenue corner since 1933. The canonical old-school red-sauce Italian-American house.
Order The Bru burger with sharp cheddar, truffle fries, an Indiana draft.
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.
Order The Quattro Stagioni pie, a Bazbeaux salad, a craft draft.
Bazbeaux on Mass Ave in Indianapolis has built specialty pies for over 30 years. Thin crust, creative combinations, the Mass Ave dinner-walk standard.
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Order Two creative rolls off the menu, a hot-rock entree, a craft cocktail.
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.
Order The smash burger with cheddar and the day's draft list.
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.
Order Veal scaloppine, the house lasagna, the tiramisu.
Iozzo's Garden of Italy in Indianapolis carries the recipes of the city's first full-service Italian restaurant. A South Meridian dinner-and-wine room.
Order Chicken and waffles, the rib platter, the mac and cheese.
His Place Eatery on East 30th Street in Indianapolis runs gourmet soul food and BBQ. Chicken and waffles, ribs, scratch sides and a Sunday family room.
Order Green curry, the pad see ew, a Bodhi cocktail.
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.
Order Whatever ceviche is on the day's board, the beef empanadas, a mezcal cocktail.
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.
Order A Pizzology slice, a poke bowl from Poke Guys, gelato at the creamery.
The Garage at Bottleworks in Indianapolis is the city's largest food hall, with two dozen stalls covering pizza, ramen, tortas, ice cream and more.
Order The Nashville hot honey pizza and a margherita to share.
King Dough in Indianapolis fires wood-oven pizzas with a sourdough crust, hot honey pies and a serious local-beer list. The Highland Avenue tap room.
Order Three birria tacos with consome, an horchata.
Julieta Taco Shop in The Stutz, Indianapolis is a counter-service taqueria. Braised meats on house-pressed tortillas, aguas frescas, no shortcuts.
Order Picanha steak, the carnitas tacos, the feijoada on weekends.
Fernando's in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis runs two cuisines off one kitchen, Mexican on the order page and Brazilian on the weekend specials.
Order A pressed sandwich on country loaf, a slice of brioche bostock, plus a Tinker pour-over coffee.
Amelia's at Bluebeard on Virginia Avenue in Indianapolis is the bakery side of the James Beard semifinalist room. Sandwiches on naturally-leavened sourdough.
Order The Batali sandwich, a side of charcuterie, an Italian red downstairs.
Goose the Market in Old Northside, Indianapolis is a butcher and charcuterie shop with a sandwich counter and an Italianate wine cellar downstairs.
Order The El Jefe and a Caesar to share.
Sam's Square Pie on East 10th Street in Indianapolis turns out caramelized-crust Detroit-style pies with edge-to-edge cheese. A 2024 Best Restaurants pick.
Order A chocolate chip cookie and a cortado off the house espresso.
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.
Order The day's pasta tasting, a braised meat main, a glass of Sangiovese.
Vicino on Mass Ave in Indianapolis is a modern Italian room with hand-rolled pasta, regional Italian braises and a focused Italian wine list.
Order Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, fish and chips, a real ale.
Cheeky Bastards in Geist, Indianapolis serves traditional British pub plates with a serious Sunday roast on the north side. A reliable pick.
Order The lamb biryani, the dal makhani, garlic naan.
Amara in Carmel runs modern South Asian out of an open kitchen, with tandoor-cooked lamb and chef-driven dal. One of the city's best Indian dining rooms.
Order The wagyu burger and a craft cocktail at the bar.
Spoke & Steele in the Le Méridien Indianapolis is the convention-district New American room. Wagyu burger, roasted chicken, cocktail program on the bar.
Order The milk bread course, two seasonal small plates, a glass off the natural list.
Borage in Speedway, Indianapolis is a cafe-bakery-market with weekend dinner service and a Progressive American menu. A reliable Indianapolis pick.
Order A bowl of shoyu ramen and a Tantanmen to share, plus a tiki classic.
Shoyu Shop at Strange Bird in Irvington, Indianapolis pours deep shoyu broths and runs tantanmen, with a tiki cocktail program from the host bar.
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