38 upscale places in Indianapolis, editor-picked. Occasion restaurants in Indianapolis: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All Indianapolis food.
38 places
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 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 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.
Drink Tiki cocktails and rum flights
The Inferno Room on Virginia Avenue in Fountain Square, Indianapolis is the city's home for tiki and exotic cocktails. Six nights a week, 21-plus only.
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 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.
Drink Beer and a smash burger
Workingman's Friend on North Belmont in Haughville, Indianapolis is a 1918 lunch counter dive bar. Macedonian-origin, cash only, the West Side standard.
Drink Pre-Prohibition classics and original cocktails
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.
Drink Cold beer and a cheeseburger
The Red Key Tavern on North College in SoBro, Indianapolis is a 1933 tavern, a Dan Wakefield haunt with a jukebox of 45s, cash only and still a classic dive.
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Drink Bourbon flights and a shrimp cocktail
1933 Lounge above St. Elmo Steak House on South Illinois in Indianapolis pours bourbon and serves the steakhouse small-plate menu. Walk-ins only.
Tinker Street on East 16th in Indianapolis runs a serious by-the-glass program alongside the seasonal kitchen. A James Beard recognized wine list.
Petite Chou in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis runs a Champagne bar inside a French bistro. By-the-glass Champagne and grower bubbles in a Patachou-group room.
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 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 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 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.
Drink Bourbon and a Sun King draft
Slippery Noodle Inn on South Meridian in Indianapolis dates to 1850 as the Tremont House. Indiana's oldest bar in continuous operation, a blues room.
Drink Hofbrau on draft and German wines
The Rathskeller's Kellerbar in the Athenaeum, Indianapolis has poured pilsner since 1894. The biergarten opens late spring through fall with weekend music.
Drink Mezcal cocktails and amaro flights
Thieves on East 65th in Broad Ripple, Indianapolis runs a tight cocktail program with a long mezcal-and-amaro list. Bartender's choice off the chalkboard.
Drink Beer and a music ticket
HI-FI on Virginia Avenue in Fountain Square is a 400-capacity live music venue. Six nights a week of touring acts and the city's strongest indie programming.
Drink Old fashioned and a jazz set
The Jazz Kitchen on North College in SoBro, Indianapolis books live jazz seven nights a week. Pan-Latin small plates, cocktails, two sets nightly.
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.
Drink Indiana craft drafts and a pub burger
The Aristocrat Pub in South Broad Ripple, Indianapolis since 1933. A cherished neighborhood pub with a wide draft list and the city's longest patio.
Drink Bartender-choice cocktails and art-program pairings
Plat 99 at The Alexander Hotel in Indianapolis is a cocktail lounge built around the hotel's contemporary-art collection. Chosen drinks, late hours.
Drink Beer and Skee-Ball
Tappers Arcade Bar on Virginia Avenue in Fletcher Place is Indianapolis's first barcade, pairing classic arcade cabinets with a deep tap list.
Drink Hotel Tango cocktails and spirit flights
Hotel Tango on Virginia Avenue in Fletcher Place, Indianapolis is the country's first combat-disabled, veteran-owned distillery. Tasting room and patio.
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.
Drink Metazoa drafts and a guest list
Metazoa Brewing's South College Avenue taproom donates 5% of profits to animal conservation. Dog-friendly, family-friendly, with a long Indiana draft list.
Drink Mezcal flights and 100+ tequilas
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.
Drink English drafts and Sunday Premier League
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.
Drink Hi-Lite cocktails and a pitcher
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.
Drink Easley wines by the glass
Easley Winery on North College in Indianapolis is an urban winery and tasting room. Indiana fruit wines, cheese plates, the city's longest-running wine bar.
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 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.
Drink Whiskey and a draft
Tin Roof on South Pennsylvania in Indianapolis runs live music seven nights a week. A downtown live-music room with a deep draft list and pub kitchen.
Drink Moontown drafts and seasonal pours
Moontown Brewing in Carmel is the suburb's craft beer anchor. Long Indiana list, full kitchen, a yard for warm-weather drinking, 21-plus only.
Drink Craft cocktails and a long beer list
High Velocity at the JW Marriott Indianapolis is the downtown convention-district sports bar. Eighty-plus screens, an extensive beer list, full kitchen.
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