Indy food and drinks!

January 25, 2010 10:33 AM

Where to eat and drink in Indianapolis this weekend?

Previous questions and answers suggested checking Nuvo for entertainment, but restaurant-specific questions date back a couple years.

My friend lives in Columbus. I live in Chicago. We've decided to rendezvous in Indianapolis for the weekend. We're both ladies in our mid-20's. We'll be staying downtown at whatever hotel Priceline gives us. Saturday night we'd like to go to dinner- somewhere for foodies or somewhere with steak, preferably somewhere with both. What restaurants are popular now? Any price range, it's negotiable. As for nightlife, we like old-money hotel bars and hipster bars. Does Indy have anything of the top-notch cocktail/ Speakeasy variety?

posted by IWoudDie4U to food & drink (9 answers total)

For steak, I'd do St. Elmo Steak House. Lots of history, interesting old bar area, very long wine list. Not the most "foodie" place (although you should definitely get the shrimp cocktail) but the best cocktail sauce and among the best steak I've had.

There are tons of places to eat downtown, and your hotel should be able to point you in the right direction.
posted by BlooPen at 12:31 PM on January 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

My experience with steak in Indy was very limited when I lived up there, but as I was a transplant from Texas, most of the offerings weren't up to snuff anyway. The Reuben at Shapiro's Deli (downtown) is absolutely to die for.
I wouldn't really call it top-notch, but The Chatterbox is downtown in the "Theatre District" and had a distinctively speakeasy vibe. If I recall correctly, most of the Hipster bars are in Broad Ripple.
posted by ktrey at 2:57 PM on January 25, 2010

For a "foodie" restaurant I'd suggest R Bistro. The place is kind of small, so reservations might be in order.

As far as top-notch cocktails, I haven't been there myself, but I've heard Nicky Blaine's spoken of highly.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:19 PM on January 25, 2010

Forgot, the Scholar's Inn is another good foodie restaurant too. Reservations definitely needed there on the weekend.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:23 PM on January 25, 2010 [1 favorite]

The Rathskeller does a decent steak, and perhaps qualifies as "foodie."
posted by buxtonbluecat at 3:31 PM on January 25, 2010

I'd recommend the Broad Ripple area. For dinner, either Ambrosia (expensive) or Brugge (midrange and awesome). For drinks, Red Room or Corner Wine Bar.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 4:39 PM on January 25, 2010

I was there last winter. My impression was that it's not really a foodie town: the best places I ate were the ethnic ones...nthing St. Elmo's for steak, Rathskeller( German) and Brugge (Belgian). I had good Ethiopian at Abyssinia , liked red-sauce Italian at Iaria's and fried chicken at Hollyhock Hill. It looks like St. Elmo's fits best your needs.
posted by brujita at 11:53 PM on January 25, 2010

If you're still reading, Devour Downtown Indianapolis is currently ongoing, where a number of downtown restaurants (including some of the city's top restaurants) are offering prix fixe menus.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:35 AM on January 29, 2010

Woot. We ended up taking full advantage of Devour Downtown, having two lunches and one dinner at participating restaurants. We had a lovely meal on Saturday night at Scholar's Inn, which was exactly the kind of place we were looking for. Thanks!
posted by IWoudDie4U at 1:25 PM on February 24, 2010 [1 favorite]