Day-by-day eating plans for Indianapolis. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Indianapolis weekend: the Hoosier classics ★ 4.6

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend of Indianapolis classics: Cafe Patachou brunch, Shapiro's Reuben, St. Elmo shrimp cocktail and a Mass Ave nightcap on day one. Broad Ripple brunch and a Bluebeard dinner in Fletcher Place on day two.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: brunch in Meridian Kessler, deli lunch, steakhouse dinner

    Morning
    Cafe Patachou at 49th and Penn, 09:00. Cinnamon toast and a farm-egg omelet.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Shapiro's Delicatessen on South Meridian. Reuben, macaroni salad, sugar cream pie.
    Evening
    Dinner at St. Elmo Steak House on South Illinois. Shrimp cocktail then filet, then a Sun King at the Rathskeller biergarten.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Broad Ripple brunch and a Fletcher Place dinner

    Morning
    Petite Chou Sunday brunch in Broad Ripple. Crepes and a glass of Champagne.
    Afternoon
    Stroll Mass Avenue, lunch at The Eagle for fried chicken and spoonbread, drink at The Rathskeller biergarten.
    Evening
    Dinner at Bluebeard on Virginia Avenue in Fletcher Place. Wood-grilled mains, Amelia's sourdough, a glass of wine. Late drink at Slippery Noodle Inn for the blues stage.

Mass Avenue food and drink crawl ★ 4.4

Solo or two-friend evening1 evening

A four-stop Mass Avenue walk that hits the city's biggest food-and-drink personalities, end on a blues stage. Walk it; the avenue is six blocks total.

  1. Day 1: Mass Ave: tacos, fried chicken, German biergarten, blues bar

    Morning
    Skip the morning. Start at 17:00.
    Afternoon
    Drink at Bakersfield Mass Ave, a mezcal flight and two street tacos.
    Evening
    Walk three blocks south to The Eagle for half a fried chicken. End the evening at The Rathskeller's Kellerbar for a pretzel and a Hofbrau, then taxi to Slippery Noodle Inn for a blues set.

Brown County autumn day trip ★ 4.3

Couple or family, fall weekend1 day

One Saturday in October driving south to Brown County for the autumn color and the persimmon pudding, with stops at the country diners and a Sun King on the way home in Carmel.

  1. Day 1: Brown County, persimmon, fried biscuits, Carmel

    Morning
    Drive south on State Road 135. Coffee at Calvin Fletcher's in Fountain Square before leaving the city.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at the Story Inn for fried biscuits and apple butter. Walk Brown County State Park for the autumn color.
    Evening
    Drive back through Carmel; dinner at Convivio for live-pasta Italian, end with a Sun King back in town.

Indianapolis coffee and bakery crawl ★ 4.3

Coffee lover, one day1 day

A single-day Indianapolis crawl threading Calvin Fletcher's, Tinker Coffee Roastery, Long's Bakery and Taylor's Bakery for the Hoosier coffee and sugar cream pie circuit.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: morning coffee, donut shop, downtown lunch and Taylor's pie

    Morning
    Open at Calvin Fletcher's Coffee Company in Fountain Square at 08:00 for a pour-over and breakfast pastry. Walk to Long's Bakery on West 16th Street for a hot glazed donut.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Cafe Patachou Downtown for a farm-egg omelet and broken yolk sandwich. Coffee break at Tinker Coffee Cafe in the 16 Tech District.
    Evening
    Aperitif at Petite Chou's Champagne Bar in Broad Ripple. Finish at Taylor's Bakery for a slice of sugar cream pie and a coffee.

Indianapolis on a budget: Hoosier classics under 30 dollars a day ★ 4.2

Budget traveller, two days2 days

A weekend of Indianapolis classics kept under 30 dollars a day across Workingman's Friend, Shapiro's Delicatessen, Yats Broad Ripple and Long's Bakery.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: donut breakfast, classic lunch, brewery dinner

    Morning
    Breakfast at Long's Bakery on West 16th for a hot glazed donut and coffee under 4 dollars. Walk to Workingman's Friend for an early opening.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Workingman's Friend in Haughville for the double cheeseburger under 10 dollars. Coffee at Hubbard and Cravens on 49th Street.
    Evening
    Dinner at Yats Broad Ripple for Cajun rice plates under 12 dollars and a beer. Nightcap at Slippery Noodle Inn on South Meridian.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: deli breakfast, casual lunch, beer hall dinner

    Morning
    Breakfast at Shapiro's Delicatessen on South Meridian, the bagel and lox under 12 dollars. Coffee at Calvin Fletcher's in Fountain Square.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at The Garage Food Hall at Bottleworks for under 15 dollars and the multi-vendor format. Browse the Stutz building afterwards.
    Evening
    Dinner at The Rathskeller German biergarten on Athenaeum, the bratwurst plate under 18 dollars and a Hofbrau lager.
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