Indianapolis Travel Guide: 8 Must Eat & Drink Restaurants + More

Traveling is a true privilege in life, especially when travel becomes part of your job! One of my favorite things about it is discovering places I never expected to visit. That was definitely the case when I traveled to Indianapolis for the first time to attend the world premiere of my short film, “The Sandwich Line.” It was such an honor to be part of the Indy Shorts Film Fest, and of course, I couldn’t resist exploring the city’s food scene. Let’s just say I found some absolute hidden gems along the way.

Below, you’ll find my curated list of 8 spots where I ate and drank, plus travel tips, and more, each one pinpointed on a Google Map for easy planning.

Everything is Mapped out here https://maps.app.goo.gl/mxH5E1rDTK2ApPfJ6

What to Eat

BREAKFAST

Cafe Babette- This is bar non, one of the best bakeries I've ever been to! Like OMG CANT BELIEVE IT GOOD! Limited hours, so definitely double check before you take the short drive, but if you get there, here's a taste of what you can expect! I started with the banana matcha which is made with oat milk, and a homemade overnight macerated banana syrup using banana flesh and the skins. Then the Triple chocolate chip brown butter cookie which had homemade toffee pieces on the bottom, and tons of salt! The twice baked croissant is part pecan sticky bun, and part croissant soaked in simple syrup, and has a sticky toffee sauce poured on top, and baked upside down. And finally the the cheesy gochujang croissant which is filled with gochujang paste, garlic, cheddar, mozz, and spring onion, and when it comes out of the oven, its brushed with a soy honey garlic butter, and topped with toasted sesame seeds, parm, and spring onions.

BRUNCH/LUNCH

Bluebeard- Bluebeard is a celebrated, James Beard semi finalist, located in the historic Holy Rosary neighborhood in a renovated 1924 factory warehouse. It’s known for its bread, its creative food, commitment to local sourcing, and vibrant neighborhood spirit. I got the grilled bread board which comes with a selection of seasonal butters, the grinder salad that was more mean and cheese than veggies, the hamachi crudo, a side of sweet potato waffle fries, and a pork sando that has this slow braised pork shoulder on a toasted city loaf with basil kewpie,  sweet and spicy carrots, aged cheddar, shallots, and arugula! 

Milktooth- This a real gem of Indy, and definitely had a “Jeremy Coded” menu! Inside of a converted auto body shop is this multiple time James Beard award nominated, best lunch/brunch menus in the city! I got the farmers salad, an INCREDIBLE Smashburger with grilled onions, jalapenos, american cheese, and a chipotle ramp mayo, a latke with gochujang on top is my perfect fusion, and finally their peaches n cream dutch baby pancake which had peach preserves, a chantilly cream, and toasted almonds. 

Shapiro’s Deli- Since 1905 Shapiro's Deli has been serving Indianapolis all the Jewish delicacies! Opened as a small kosher grocery, they have expanded over the years with everything you could expect from a good Jewish deli, alongside cakes, and more! And I loved how packed it still was, all these years later on a random Thursday.

I had to go classic and got pastrami on rye with mustard, latkes, and the only drink acceptable for this kind of meal, a Dr. Brown's Black Cherry Cola! Pastrami was great, not too fatty, and the bread was fantastic!

DINNER

The Garage Food Hall- The Garage Food Hall is a vibrant culinary and social hub located in the historic Bottleworks District on Carrollton Avenue. Housed in two restored Art Deco garage buildings that once belonged to a Coca-Cola bottling plant, it spans roughly 30,000 to 38,000 square feet, with more than 20 local and regional vendors, spanning different cuisines! You will def be able to find what you want here! From Venezuelan arepas at Azucar Morena, Asian-fusion tacos at La Chinita Poblana, lobster rolls at J’s Lobster & Fish Market. and ice cream from Lick. 

St. Elmo’s Steakhouse- To celebrate the premiere of our film, we went to the most classic restaurant in the city, St. Elmo’s Steakhouse, which has been open since 1902! This is everything you want from a classic steakhouse, great service, great vibes, and the quintessential steakhouse menu. Was this the greatest steak ever? Maybe not. But I truly loved it here, and you HAVE TO ORDER the shrimp cocktail, this is truly a life changing dish. It comes out molten red, and the amount of horseradish in it, will literally blow your brains, and your sinus. I will never forget that bite.

DRINKS

Pins Mechanical Co- Pins is a giant drinking establishment across the street from the Garage Food Hall, with multiple floors, and a big rooftop with of course all the drinks, pins, and a ton of other games! Just had a blast here!

Sundry and Vice- Sundry and Vice is a stylish cocktail bar located in the Bottleworks District of Indianapolis inside of the Bottleworks Hotel It’s celebrated for its inventive drinks and vintage-inspired decor, with handcrafted cocktails that use house-made syrups, fresh ingredients, and creative flavor combinations, with options ranging from classics to originals!

TIPS AND TRICKS

Hotel- I stayed at the Hotel Indy which I found to be reasonably priced, in a convenient enough area to walk to almost everywhere I needed to go, and a really nice room! 

Getting Around- If it wasn't so hot, I probably could have spent more time walking, as the city isn't that big, but I was forced to take more ubers instead. Still I found its very easy! The airport was also super nice, and really close to downtown.