Yes, it sits pretty just off the entrance into Le Méridien, but don’t call Spoke & Steele a “hotel restaurant.” The downtown eatery easily stands on its own merits, geared toward a food-savvy crowd that appreciates elevated yet approachable cuisine and barrel-aged cocktails. Muscle car and vintage motorcycle nods—hanging headlight fixtures over the bar, bucket-style seating, and subtle Indianapolis Motor Speedway themes running through the decor—quickly establish a sense of terroir, never letting guests forget they’re in Indy. Backstage, consultant chef Greg Hardesty looks for ways to rev up the menu, reinventing the eponymous sandwich he made locally famous at Room Four as the “Spoke Burger” and turning out expertly braised Fischer Farms beef with Nicole-Taylor noodles, plus a saffron-laced risotto Milanese recipe sourced from Dallara manager Stefano DePonti.
NEW THIS YEAR
Chef de cuisine Erin Gillum joined the kitchen staff in March.
INSIDER TIP
“We have two secret spots where you can bring your own vinyl or enjoy listening to our collection. Groups of six or more can request the Steve McQueen Room or the downstairs Barrel Room when they arrive. If they’re available, they will have scored one of the coolest dinner spaces in Indy.” — Chris Ratay, general manager
123 S. Illinois St., 317-737-1616
