Indiana Cuisine: Cultural Wasteland or Hidden Gem?

[Caleb]

4th street bar in columbus got some good food inside

 

[theweakerbrother]

4th street bar in columbus got some good food inside

Go to Columbus Bar, instead. Much better food!

They offer the bacon explosion as part of their winter menu. Also, they have stout floats and delicious onion rings!

 

[steve666]

They have a great tenderloin at The Icehouse.
Good root beer that they make on premises at Mug n Bun.
A good double grease burger and onion rings at Working Mans Friend.
Good basic cooking at Manns.
Great fried chicken at The Iron Skillet, Kopper Kettle, and Hollyhock Hill.

 

[Roadie]

Rock Cola Cafe on Brookville Rd in Indy has awesome Reubens, HUGE BLTs,and the list goes on.. and they are now the exclusive owner of the old Choc-ola recipe!

 

[tyler34]

I don't remember if I said it but " farm bloomington" has world class cuisine.


Welcome to FARMbloomington - Real Food in Bloomington Indiana USA

edit: and they have roasted rabbit on their fall menu!

 

[Scutter01]

Carmel has a new chili dog place that's not half bad. It's on Rangeline Rd just north of 116th.

Zacky's Hot Dogs

 

[rfontes]

ive lived out here for fours years now, and still i haven't really eaten a meal that was spectacular, face it, all the good chefs & cooks are in big time cities.... not in indy.

 

[mrjarrell]

ive lived out here for fours years now, and still i haven't really eaten a meal that was spectacular, face it, all the good chefs & cooks are in big time cities.... not in indy.

Depends on what you're looking for. Noblesville has a nice Asian fusion place on the downtown square. Great soups, good food. There are a few decent Japanese places in the area. Unfortunately, too many people won't patronise a really good place. The Anvil in Cicero closed for that reason. Take a look around, there are some good places in the area. There are also a lot of mediocre and bad places, too.

 

[Scutter01]

Just had a very nice evening out at Ram in Noblesville/Fishers. They've changed their menu completely since the last time I was there and eliminated smoking, so it was very pleasant. I rented a terrific house-brewed hefewiezen that I hadn't tried before, too. I think I could easily be persuaded to go back.

 

[Indy317]

Not sure if I ever posted to this thread or not, but anyways:

My favorite food is pizza, basic cheese is what I primarily eat, but sometimes I get pepperoni. I like the following places:

Non-chain, or very small chain/franchise places:

#1: Some Guy's Pizza--Their pizza is the best in the city in my opinion. Their garlic cheese bread is also very good. They are located on the Indy NE side and in Carmel. Reasonably priced non-chain pizza. Home Some Guy's offers a wood oven cooked pizza (only one size and a little more costly than the regular oven pizza). I have never tried that though, the basic oven cooked pizza has always been great to me.

#2: Well, there isn't really a number two. There are some decent places though with good pizza. Within the last year or so, I have tried a few places around Indy and further out:

-Zwanzigz Pizza, Columbus Indiana--Very good, reasonably priced pizza. Their restaurant gets an A+ (like Some Guy's) for atmosphere. If you are ever down at Brown County/Nashville, it is only about a 12 min or so drive to Zwanzig. I have been twice so far, and had good meals both times. The place has always been packed on the two times I went. No website that I could find.

-Napolese, Indy, just south of Broad Ripple--This is the first of the high temp pizza places I tried this year. The lady that owns/runs the place is the same person who runs Cafe Patachou. They don't have a website, but if you visit Cafe Patachou's website, they have location info and a menu there. Cafe Patachou : a student union for adults since 1989 We went just after grand opening. It was packed. The pizza was pretty good, but I won't go back. It is very pricey for pizza there, and there are two other similar restaurants (Pizzology and Tony Sacco Coal Oven) doing the same thing, one of which I know is cheaper.

-Pizzology, Carmel--Went here just last week. The place is packed, so that's always a good sign. The price wasn't cheap, but wasn't costly either. Pizzology | Indianapolis

-Suzy's Pizza, Knightstown and Wilkinson--I have been to the Knightstown location twice. Suzy's has some really good pizza for what appears to be "hole-in-the-wall" type places. There are no frills if you eat in, but the food is good and the price is reasonable for a non-chain place.

There a few others, but I believe the above are what I consider the best for non-chain places. I can't wait to try Tony Sacco. There is one in Clay Terrace mall (Carmel), and soon they will be opening one in Hamilton Town Center mall (Noblesville). Another place that gets good reviews is Jackamo Upper Crust Pizza located on Indy's east side in Irvington Jockamo Pizza . It has been too long since I have been there, but when I went, I recall it being pretty good.

Wanted to add a few other non-chain places that are decent if you want something different:

Pasquale's Pizza, four or five locations in the Indy area--The Greenwood location has a nice restaurant, and the pizza is pretty good. The east-side location is in a strip mall, but their pizza isn't too bad either. Not a destination place for me, but nice once or twice a year for something different. There was a location in Shelbyville at one time, it was good too, though I don't know if it is still around.

Brozinni New York style Pizza, south side of Indy/Greenwood area--They have huge slices of pizza. I'm not a big fan of the taste of their pizza, it ranks OK to me. The price isn't too bad as well. In the Kroger strip mall north of Gander Mountain. Brozinni Home

Sammy's Pizza, Greenwood, located just south of Brozinni, west of Gander Mountain--We tried this place as an alternative to Brozinni (not as an alternative to NY style pizza, just in general). Prices were OK and the pizza tasted fine. Sammy's Pizza and Salad - Pizza, Pasta, Sandwiches, Salad Bar Greenwood, Indiana - HOME

New Bethal Ordinary (a/k/a The Ordinary), located in Wanamaker (SE side of Indy)--Have had their pizza a few times over the years. It gets good raves, but I don't consider it anything special. It is good, and the cheese is thick. New Bethel Ordinary Restaurant and Lounge - Wanamaker, IN - Pizza is our Specialty

Gusto, located just a mile or so down the road from the Ordinary--Read a review about their pizza. They relocated from the Fountain Square area. Their pizza wasn't too bad, but I didn't see anything special in it. Their bread sticks were different and good as well. Serving Indianapolis Pizza, Pasta and More

Chain pizza:

-Donatos--I think they are the best of the big chain places. I used to avoid them because their prices were too high, but the prices they are advertising now makes me want to try some of their specialty pizzas. Unfortunately, the wife doesn't eat Donatos.

-Dominos--There new recipe is great, and you can't beat their prices. I eat Dominos pizza more than any other place because of taste vs. price.

 

[Caleb]

+1 for Zwanzigz Pizza

 

[Scutter01]

Not sure if I ever posted to this thread or not, but anyways:

My favorite food is pizza, basic cheese is what I primarily eat, but sometimes I get pepperoni. I like the following places:

Lately, my absolute favorite pizza is Greek Tony's at 116th and Rangeline in Carmel. I would climb over a mountain of dead gorillas for a basket of their butter-drenched parmesan and garlic breadsticks. I'm going to have to try Some Guys, though.

 

[Cru]

My favorite PIZZA is from Bella Pizzeria either in Clay Terrace or Hamilton Town Center.


As far as restaurants if you have not tried Mama Carolla's in Broad Ripple, do yourself a favor and try it. Service can be mediocre at times, but food is amazing.

 

[arma73]

Wasteland of franchise restaurants.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Wasteland of franchise restaurants

Ummm, no, we just disproved that. Just because that is where you go or, more commonly, where you drive past on your way to work does not mean that all the great joints that we have pointed out do not exist.

 

[EnochRoot43]

Nobody has mentioned Tie Dye Grill on Shadeland? Lots of tasty eats, but the burgers are killer. I really enjoy the Garcia Bistro Burger myself.

Papa Roux is truly where it is at. I have become quite a Po-Boy junky over the past couple years. Their VouxDoux sauce on it should be a scheduled substance.

Oishi Sushi on 10th and Shadeland is delicious. The exterior has a dubious appearance, but grow a pair and walk inside and prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

For Thai, I really like the tiny place in Castleton in the strip mall by Chucky Cheese and Trader Joes. It is a few doors down from the chinese buffet. Great place. They do a buffet on thursday nights (or used to at least...haven't been in awhile) that is worth noting because they have like only 10-12 choices or so, and the old man is constantly making small batches to refill it. Try the home made ice cream and rum cake also!. Thai Spice in Greenwood is pretty decent as well, and the wife like Sawasdee on 86th St., but I have never been.

The Tamale Place has been mentioned, but it deserves to be mentioned much more often. Generally a carry-out spot....come early if you want tamales because they make a set number and the popular ones sell out quick. Me? I go for the carne asada tacos and chicken nachos. Their tortilla chips are A+++ also, as it the fresh salsa and guacamole. The large mexican grocery store in the 30th and Shadeland area has a taqueria inside that throws down some exceptional tacos as well.

Pizza? I like Jockamo's. I grew up in Anderson where Pizza King restaurants are everywhere, and I have found the Cumberland location on Washington to serve it up just like the Anderson locations do. Royal Feast and an order of sticks, please.

Also will mention Steer-In as a favorite in the Diner style, City Cafe on Pennsylvania serves an awesome breakfast, and GT South's serves up a tasty plate of BBQ.

 

[Roadie]

ive lived out here for fours years now, and still i haven't really eaten a meal that was spectacular, face it, all the good chefs & cooks are in big time cities.... not in indy.

Yeah, a big time chef would never work in Indy, someone like Wolfgang Puck, oh wait, he did work in Indy, nevermind.

We are the 13th largest city in the country, we have many 5 star restaurants down town, as well as in the surrounding cities. If you haven't had a "spectacular" meal here, you either are WAY too picky, or haven't tried.

 

[Goosepond Monster]

Goosepond Pizza in Linton is a favorite of mine.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

BBC Travel recently dubbed Indianapolis the "culinary hear of America's Heartland" because of Indianapolis's diverse restaurant scene.

I guess the BBC went beyond the Subway and Arby's in the neighborhood.

 

[MordecuS]

Honest to God, the best food I have had has been at King Wok on Lafayette Road. It's about a mile north of Don's Guns, on the west side of the road. It's a Vietnamese place but they have quite a few popular Chinese and Japanese dishes as well.

I know that's not really Indiana food, but it's what suits me well and I love it. If you are looking for good home cooking type food, Clayton Cafe in Clayton, Indiana gets my vote.