The restaurants worth a reservation in Indianapolis, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Indianapolis: bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
15 places
Order Five jumbo shrimp around the eye-watering horseradish cocktail sauce, then the filet mignon.
St. Elmo Steak House on South Illinois Street has anchored Indianapolis steakhouse dining since 1902. The eye-watering shrimp cocktail is the city's icon.
Order Whatever the kitchen is doing with crudo, plus the special pasta or grilled vegetable course.
Beholder is Jonathan Brooks' near-eastside room on East 10th Street in Indianapolis. The constantly-changing menu is the city's most-watched table.
Order The six-course tasting at 150 dollars per person, or the chef's tasting at 235 with the standard pairings.
Vida is Thomas Melvin's tasting-menu room in Indianapolis since 2016. The six-course menu changes weekly and is the city's most ambitious kitchen.
Order The bread basket from Amelia's, the wood-grilled main of the day, the seasonal pasta.
Bluebeard on Virginia Avenue in Indianapolis runs a scratch kitchen and the in-house Amelia's bakery. A James Beard semifinalist Fletcher Place anchor.
Order Whatever the chef's running on the small plates board plus a glass off the European wine list.
Tinker Street on East 16th turns out seasonal New American small plates and pairs them off a serious wine list. Tom Main runs the kitchen and the room.
Order Whatever Nelson's running on the daily change, plus a flight off the bourbon list.
Ryan Nelson's farm-to-table room near Keystone at the Crossing. The menu changes daily and leans into Hoosier ingredients with a chef-driven point of view.
Order Veal Marsala, the chicken Parmesan, the eggplant rollatini and the house garlic bread.
Mama Carolla's in Meridian Kessler, Indianapolis runs the canonical Italian-American room from a brick house on 54th. A reliable Indianapolis pick.
Order The cheese ravioli, the meatballs and the 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 Reuben, 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 Wiener schnitzel, a Sun King or Hofbrau on draft, and the soft pretzel with beer cheese.
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.
A sample of Indianapolis hotels from our booking partner, who list 283 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.
Super 8 by Wyndham Indianapolis South
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Days Inn by Wyndham Indianapolis Northeast
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Super 8 by Wyndham Indianapolis
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Red Roof Inn Indianapolis - Castleton
Located in Indianapolis (Castleton), Red Roof Inn Indianapolis - Castleton is within a 5-minute drive of Co...
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Order Half a chicken, the spoonbread, the kale salad. Sit at the picnic tables outside in summer.
Cincinnati import that nails the Mass Avenue fried-chicken brief. Brined and dredged in-house, served with spoonbread and a half-dozen Southern sides.
Order The daily-changing wild fish, a dry-aged ribeye to share, the chef's cocktail off the list.
Salt on Mass is an upscale seafood-and-steak room on Mass Avenue in Indianapolis. No freezers, scratch kitchen, handcrafted cocktails, coastal wine list.
Order Three street tacos, the queso, a flight off the mezcal list.
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.
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 The chili cheese etouffee with crawfish, the drunken chicken, the cornbread.
Yats Broad Ripple in Indianapolis runs Cajun-Creole on North College for over two decades. Bowls of jambalaya, etouffee and drunken chicken over rice.
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