The 38 Best Restaurants in Indianapolis, Indiana

Open for: Happy hour, dinner, weekend brunch

Price range: $$

A former international tax director for Indy-based Cummins, Nathan Huelsebusch relocated to Belgium for work with his wife Leah in 2008. Over the next three years, the couple grew to love Belgian beer. They brought the passion home, where they opened the first Taxman Brewing Gastropub in Bargersville in 2014, expanded to a second in Fortville in 2016, and opened a third in 2019 a few blocks from Lucas Oil Stadium. Executive chef Cole Padgett, who works out of the downtown location, uses Indiana-grown agriculture and meats for the menus at all three locations. Diners might find a gluten-free, vegetarian lasagne with butternut squash and spinach, savory brisket croquettes, and beer-battered Hoosier pork tenderloin, served with Belgian fries, naturally. The restaurant names its ales after tax terms (Deduction, Exemption), and the full bar provides cocktails like the Barrel-Aged Auditor (a citrusy, herbaceous take on an old fashioned with an aromatic finish) and the Lock & Key (a blend of warm, woodsy notes from vanilla vodka, simple syrup, and rosemary).

Must-try dish: Pair any of the Belgian ales with the pork-fat-fried frites, and you’ll never need to visit Brussels.

Taxman Brewing