Indy Guide: The FAVORITES List

Hi, friends,

Pretty much EVERY SINGLE time that someone learns that I write a food blog, they ask, “What’s your favorite restaurant in Indianapolis?” And then all of a sudden, I draw a complete blank and I’m like, “Ummmm….there’s a taco place by me that’s pretty good” and forget ALL my Indianapolis go-to restaurants. So, this list is for you, my readers. I’ve eaten just about everywhere in Indianapolis by now. I’ve lived here for 9 years, I’ve been blogging for 4 years, and I’ve been Yelp Elite for 3 years, which means I’ve decided that you can probably trust me to give you some decent restaurant recommendations. I’ve made a few round-up lists in the past that you can still access here, here, here, here, here, and here, but this is the ultimate list that I plan to refer people back to over and over again. Ready for it? Here we go!

Favorite BBQ: The North End BBQ & Moonshine, Northside
My order: Onion rings, Texas brisket, and baked beans

Favorite Birthday Dinner: Vida, Downtown
My order: Menu revolves regularly, but I always order options from the 4 course tasting menu

Favorite Brewery: Sun King Brewery, Downtown and Carmel
My order: I don’t drink beer, but I love the guided tours and the food from Oca

Favorite Brunch #1: Gallery Pastry Shop, SoBro
My order: Two egg hash, grapefruit juice, almond croissant

Favorite Brunch #2: Rize, Northside
My order: Potato waffle, 1/2 cinnamon roll

Favorite Brunch #3: Cafe Patachou, multiple locations
My order: Cuban breakfast with a side of cinnamon toast

Favorite Cheap Carb Load: Yats, multiple locations
My order: 1/2 drunken chicken, 1/2 B&B, extra bread

Favorite Chinese Food: Indianapolis doesn’t have good Chinese food. Skip it.

Favorite Cider: Ash & Elm Cider Co., Downtown
My order: BBQ Pork Sandwich, Sunset Tart Cherry Cider

Favorite Cocktails #1: Plat 99, Downtown
My order: Ask the bartender to surprise me

Favorite Cocktails #2: Hotel Tango, Fountain Square
My order: One of everything

Favorite Coffee Shop: Provider, Downtown
My order: Iced tea on tap

Favorite Date Night: Tinker Street, Herron-Morton Place
My order: Varies based on mood and specials, but usually has something to do with truffles

Favorite Dessert: The Cake Bake Shop, Broad Ripple
My order: Chocolate peanut butter mousse pie

Favorite Doughnuts: The Dancing Donut, SoBro
My order: John Doe or Brown Butter Crumble

Favorite Farm-to-Table: The Loft Restaurant at Trader’s Point Creamery, Zionsville
My order: Cheese board and whatever grass-fed steak dish is on the menu

Favorite French Food: Petit Chou Bistro & Champaign Bar, Broad Ripple
My order: Mussels Meunière with Frites

Favorite French Fries: Union 50, Mass Ave
My order: Sea salt and parsley fries with beer cheese and garlic-truffle aioli

Favorite Fried Chicken: The Eagle, Mass Ave
My order: 1/2 chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, and mac n’ cheese (all shared with Husband)

Favorite Greek Food: Canal Bistro, Broad Ripple
My order: Chicken kabab, garlic and feta fries

Favorite Hamburger: Twenty Tap, SoBro
My order: Cherry cider, beer-battered cheese curds, veggie buffalo wings, “Wrath” burger with fries (all shared with whoever I brought with me)

Favorite Healthy Choice: The Garden Table, Broad Ripple and Mass Ave
My order: Chopped salad with smoked salmon

Favorite Ice-Cream Shop: BRICS, Broad Ripple
My order: 1 scoop waffle cone of Yellow Cake Batter, Grasshopper, or Monon Tracks

Favorite Italian food: Ambrosia, SoBro
My order: Torta goat cheese appetizer, chicken marsala with a side of potatoes instead of pasta

Favorite Latin American Food: Delicia, SoBro
My order: Margarita, guac, and tamal corn cakes

Favorite Mexican Food: La Margarita, Fountain Square
My order: Margarita, Carne asada

Favorite “Ladies Who Lunch” spot: Oakleys Bistro, Northside
My order: Revolves based on mood and specials

Favorite Pakistani Food: Chapati, West Side
My order: Chicken Tikka, garlic naan

Favorite Pie: Locally Grown Gardens, SoBro
My order: Peach pie, apple pie, blueberry pie…basically, all the pie.

Favorite Pizza: Bazbeaux Pizza, multiple locations
My order: Spinach salad, pesto cheese bread, Pizza Alla Quattro Formaggio

Favorite Poke: Ali’i Poke, Downtown
My order: Customizable bowl of goodness

Favorite Ramen: Ramen Ray, Northside
My order: Shoyu Ramen

Favorite Russian Food: Gregory’s Russian Restaurant, Northside
My order: Draniki, Chicken Kiev

Favorite Tacos: La Mulita, SoBro
My order: Margarita, guac, fish tacos, AND churros (if I’m in a really good mood)

Favorite Sandwich: Goose the Market, Downtown
My order: Varies based on mood and specials

Favorite Seafood: Salt on Mass, Mass Ave
My order: Varies based on mood and specials

Favorite Smoothie Shop: Natural Born Juicers, Broad Ripple and Mass Ave
My order: Sunburn smoothie with added kale

Favorite Specialty Grocery Store: Wildwood Market, Fountain Square
My order: Market sandwich

Favorite Splurge Dinner: Provision, Northside
My order: Whatever my fancy self feels like

Favorite Sushi: Forty Five Degrees, Mass Ave
My order: Ginger salad and then one of every roll, especially on 1/2 price Sunday’s

Favorite “Take everyone who is on a weird diet” Restaurant: NOOK, A Paleo Influenced Diner, Downtown
My order: Curry chicken with cauliflower rice

Favorite Tea Shop: Tea’s Me Cafe, Downtown
My order: Pitcher of apricot tea, club sandwich, gingersnap cookie

Favorite Thai Food: Siam Square, Fountain Square
My order: Crab wantons, chicken pad thai (medium spice), and sticky rice with mango ice-cream

Favorite Tiki Bar: The Inferno Room, Fountain Square
My order: The Painkiller

Favorite Wine Shop: Cork and Cracker, Broad Ripple
My order: EVERYTHING

Hopefully this list will keep you busy for a while. What categories am I missing?? What restaurants do you disagree with?? Let me know your Indy “favorites” list!