Over the last several years, Indianapolis’s food scene has exploded, coming to rival nearby Midwest neighbors Louisville, Cincinnati, and Chicago. Many of the heartland city’s celebrated restaurants, such as Tinker Street (New American cuisine), the 70-year-old Bar-B-Q Heaven (a place of pilgrimage for pork ribs), and Kountry Kitchen (a soul food classic resurrected from a fire), continue to serve the city. At the same time, new independent spots have bloomed, including Julieta (a taco spot drawing long lines), Sam’s Square Pie (award-contending Detroit-style pizza), and the all-vegan burger house Burgeezy.
There are also the restaurants serving global cuisines — like the Burmese hub Chin Brothers and the Honduran strip mall gem El Sabor Catracho — that help the city live up to its nickname, the Crossroads of America. Finally, Indy’s buzzing sports and technology industries have attracted a crowd of sophisticates who flock to trendy, design-focused restaurants like Casa Santa (Mexican), Commission Row (caviar, steaks, and cocktails), and Vicino (Northern Italian).
Especially don’t miss Indy’s baking wave, which is clearest at spots like Borage, opened last year by celebrity baker Zoë Taylor and her husband, Josh Kline; the market-bakery hybrid showcases Taylor’s signature creations — flaky Danish cranberry croissants, vegetarian squash and Brussels sprout brioches, dark chocolate fudge brownies so rich you’d never guess they’re gluten-free — alongside Kline’s elevated Midwestern comfort dishes. Across town, Cuylor Reeves channels New Orleans with artisanal sourdough loaves and Big Easy-inspired bakes. After eating in 200 cities across six continents before landing in Indy, it’s clear to me Indy’s dining and baking scene isn’t just rising — it’s proofing into something special.
In this latest refresh, we’ve revamped our write-ups to include even more relevant info for diners, including a rough range of pricing for each destination — ranging from $ for quick, inexpensive meals with dishes largely under $10, to $$$$ for places where entrees exceed $30.
New to the map in March 2025: Upscale Midwestern haven Borage, a few blocks from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; new Carmel steakhouse Lone Pine from James Beard semifinalist sommelier Josh Mazanowski; flavors of the Mediterranean diaspora at Corridor; New Orleans-inspired pastries at an unassuming Devonshire strip mall at Bake Sale Indy; a second location of His Place Eatery from chef James Jones and wife, Shawn; and Taxman Brewing, downtown Indy’s acclaimed gastropub for Hoosier-brewed Belgian ales.
Brian Garrido is a freelance food and design writer living in Indianapolis, with work in Eater, LA Weekly, Daily Meal, Indianapolis Monthly, and more.
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