Ralston’s Drafthouse
Ralston’s Drafthouse is the definition of well-rounded, with tap beers, white wine, red wine, sparkling wine, and an incredibly thorough and well-developed menu, it is sure to become the place for your Friday night relaxation with friends in this area. Appetizers include fast but tasty dishes like flash-fried calamari served with cocktail sauce. Entrées include a range of unique sandwiches, salads, and pizzas, like ratatouille flatbread with thin-sliced eggplant, onions, peppers, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, mozzarella, and house-made marinara.
635 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 493 1143
Mimi Blue Meatballs
This restaurant is a timeless concept along with great food. Guests have the opportunity to create their own meatball through mixing and matching meats, sauces, and sides at this restaurant. The delicious fresh exterior of signature Mimi Blue Meatballs entreés have stolen the hearts of all of the guests, as have the fun names of their dishes, like the blue ball special or just the subtitle of their menu, ‘Balls’. What is best about this comfort food with double entendres and playfulness is that it does not take away from the integrity of their food.
874 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 737 2625
Cropichon et Bidibule
Dedicated to serving authentic Parisian cuisine, Cropichon et Bidibule has a range of dishes and wine that can be served at restaurants all over France. Chicken boursin is among the many classic dishes from their dinner menu, which includes includes boeuf bourguigno: red wine braised beef served with mushrooms, onions and potatoes. Their wines are from all around the world – Portugal, Chile, Australia, Washington -and from the best vineyards of those respective areas. If desserts and crêpes are what you want, then take the time to enjoy freshly made sweets to start the day right, or end the day perfectly.
735 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN +1 317 737 2772
Forty Five Degrees
As cliché as this may be, it truly is hard to find genuinely good sushi. Freshness, crispness, tenderness, and even its firmness are basic deciding factors in choosing sushi that not only fills your appetite, but leaves you feeling good and not questioning the quality of the food you just ate. Two-piece nigiri, three-piece sashimi, edamame, miso soup, and six-piece shogun shooters are all options as sides or they can be used to build an incredible sampler platter at Forty Five Degrees. There is an abundance of specialty sushi rolls including mount fuji, and a ten-piece shrimp tempura roll topped with volcano sauce and tobiko. Their Forty Five specialty roll has ten pieces made with crab meat, cream cheese, cucumber, avocado, and spicy sauces to add an extra kick.
765 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 634 4545
Union 50
Live music, a six-page drinks menu, and a menu filled corner-to-corner with delights like hand-cut fries seasoned with truffle oil and yellowfin tuna served with kimchi-edamame rice. These savory foods and a large drinks selection was a result of the corporate chef of Union 50, Cal Chambers, and executive chef, Thomas Melvin’s innovative way of serving seasonal and ever-changing entrées that are made with local fresh ingredients. Their bar menu is also a product of handcrafted cocktails and local beer as well a wide range of wines and whiskies that are sure to have the perfect drink for every guest.
620 N. East St., Indianapolis, IN +1 317 610 0234
Chatham Tap Restaurant & Pub
Chatham Tap is a self-proclaimed neighborhood pub that channels the traditions of English pubs with a wide selection of imports, local craft beer, and sarnies (sandwiches). Among the items of their seemingly endless menu are hearty meals, like the spicy steak salad served with organic leaf lettuce, shredded cheddar, pico de gallo, sour cream, ranch dressing, and a four-ounce ribeye. There is even the world-famous fish and chips house specialty, with fresh hand-cut and battered cod fish served with fries seasoned to perfection and tartar sauce. Since tap is in its name, this pub definitely leaves no stone unturned when searching for the best draught, domestic, microbrew, and import beers to complete their award-winning menu and excellent service.
719 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 917 8425
Saffron Café
Downtown Indianapolis’ first ever Moroccan restaurant, Saffron Café, is owned by a renowned self-made success, chef Anas Sentissi. He is very passionate about understanding people and appreciating each facet of Moroccan cooking, culture, and history. To do this, he teaches a Sunday cooking class to help curious guests create one appetizer and one entrée in an authentic Moroccan manner. Among the signature entrées on the menu is chef Sentissi’s traditional lam m’rosia, a 16-ounce bone-in New Zealand lamb shank as the main protein, which is slow-roasted for five hours with a pureed mixture of fresh vegetables and hints of sweet and spicy flavors.
621 Fort Wayne Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 917 0131
MacNiven’s Restaurant & Bar
Scottish-American cuisine lies behind the doors of MacNiven’s Restaurant, as does a draught beer selection that includes beers from Scotland, Germany, and Indianapolis. This selection changes according to the season and their online bar menu is updated as these changes are made. Though fish and chips are an option under the ‘From the Chippy’ category, one variation of fish and chips is the MacNiven’s shrimp and chips, which consists of six belhaven Scottish ale-battered shrimp served with steak fries and cocktail sauce.
339 Massachusetts, Ave., Indianapolis, IN +1 317 632 7268
City Café
City Café is primarily a breakfast, brunch, and lunch restaurant, with its hours and menu tailored to fit work schedules, brunch lovers, and early birds alike. Saturday breakfast specials are available upon request and if a small breakfast is more appealing to you, then enjoy an egg dish that is served with multi-grain toast and grits, tater tots, or fruit as a side. If you are in search of the opposite and want a hearty delicious meal that you created, try the ‘omelettes, your way’ option to build your own, with several choices of cheese to choose from, if you wish to do so. Lunch dishes include their veggie club, black bean wrap, and the Vietnamese grilled chicken salad for light midday meal options that give you energy, keeps you feeling light, as well as fills your appetite.
443 N Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN +1 317 833 2233
Mesh
A perfect combination of elegance, liveliness, and comfort make for a welcoming experience at Mesh. ‘From the Land’ and ‘From the sea’ are really important portions of the menu because they include dishes that only consist of fresh high-quality foods. Menu selections include braised shoulder lamb and cast iron yellowfin tuna. If they’re not fresh, they cannot be prepared and served at this restaurant. The rustic dining room, as well as the brick walls and brick accented fireplace, create a truly comfortable and relaxing atmosphere that is great for more than just a special event, but also for a romantic night on the town, business meeting, a night out by yourself, or for a night out with the most important people in your life.
725 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, +1 317 955 9600
