Amara Indian Cuisine & Bar is a south asian restaurant in North Side, Indianapolis.
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.
Signature dishes: Lamb biryani, Dal makhani
Must order: The lamb biryani, the dal makhani, garlic naan.
Tip: Closed Monday. Reservations for dinner; lunch is walk-in friendly.
Address: 1454 W 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46260
Spoke & Steele in the Le Méridien Indianapolis is the convention-district New American room. Wagyu burger, roasted chicken, cocktail program on the bar.
Signature: Wagyu burger, Roasted half chicken
Order: The wagyu burger and a craft cocktail at the bar.
Tip: Bar walk-ins all evening. Pre-Pacers crowds fill the dining room.
Borage in Speedway, Indianapolis is a cafe-bakery-market with weekend dinner service and a Progressive American menu. A reliable Indianapolis pick.
Signature: Milk bread, Daily small plates
Order: The milk bread course, two seasonal small plates, a glass off the natural list.
Tip: Dinner Thursday through Saturday only. Reservations on the website.
Shoyu Shop at Strange Bird in Irvington, Indianapolis pours deep shoyu broths and runs tantanmen, with a tiki cocktail program from the host bar.
Signature: Tantanmen, Shoyu ramen
Order: A bowl of shoyu ramen and a Tantanmen to share, plus a tiki classic.
Tip: Closed Monday. Strange Bird's bar runs late on weekend nights.
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.
