The Alchemist
NEIGHBORHOOD: Kennedy-King
The same industrial minimalist building that once housed West Fork Whiskey’s Indy tasting room got a glow-up in 2024 when Nicole and Cody Neville (who also run Red Lion Grog House in Fountain Square) introduced their hybrid coffee-and-cocktail shop to the mostly residential neighborhood. To lead the cocktail program, they brought on Julian Acosta, a skilled mixologist who concocts gorgeous spicy margaritas with chili agave, bacon fat–washed old fashioneds, and his own version of the Spanish coffee cocktail carajillo. The drinks come out in elegantly precise glassware, each vessel as pretty as it is well-calibrated for the drink it contains. Customers sunk into comfy furniture sip amaro sours and Hemingways while listening to live performers set up in front of garage doors that open onto the sidewalk, so patrons’ sightlines might also include neighbors out walking dogs or pedaling by on bicycles. In the event someone needs a morning-after boost, The Alchemist offers a cafe menu with espresso drinks and pastries by day.
1660 Bellefontaine St., 317-683-0957
OPEN SINCE: 2024
THE USUAL: Espresso martini
The Bulldog Bar And Lounge
NEIGHBORHOOD: Meridian-Kessler
When it comes to neighborhood sports bars, The Bulldog is one you’ll want to be at from the tip. As one patron describes, the atmosphere is “very relaxed, except on game days when everyone is there dressed in spirit wear.” This South Broad Ripple establishment is the perfect place to grab a slice of Pizza King pizza and watch your favorite team. Its self-pour beer wall houses more than 60 taps, and there are 50-plus TVs positioned throughout the bar and grill, ensuring you’ll never miss a play from your favorite team.
5380 N. College Ave., 317-377-4735
OPEN SINCE: 1974
THE USUAL: A beer flight
Loom
NEIGHBORHOOD: 46th Street
Loom welcomes with a sight you might find stupefying for a bar: a woman in athleisure with a miniature poodle bundling bedsheets into a washer. The snug taproom that shares a business strip with GoldLeaf Savory and Sweet doubles as a laundromat. “It’s a great concept,” says bartender Arin Nevins. “Usually, the first time, it’s just laundry. Then I see them the next week for laundry and a drink.” The game room, a nod to owner Jesse Rice’s old-school soul, holds pinball machines, a two-person Pac-Man table, and a Nintendo 64. A VHS rental rack and Jell-O shots add to the throwback energy. Ocher and fuchsia pendant lights bathe the bar in moody warmth, the vibe shifting with the playlist: alt-rock, metal, country, or pop, depending on who’s pouring. Nevins points to the Cilantro Ginger Gibson, a gin, cilantro-infused dry vermouth, and pickled ginger elixir, as the must-try. But the go-to for regulars is the 46th Street High Five: PBR Light with a hit of Underberg, the herbal, bitter German digestif. “Jägermeister without sugar—and 44-percent alcohol,” explains one regular. Tuesdays host fiber arts circles; Thursdays, bring-your-own vinyl. First Fridays feature DJ Tarsis spinning ’80s and ’90s hits or live acoustic sets and a food truck. (The crispy duck-fat frites and beignets go fast.) A new brewer is on board, promising more house-made options. But it seems sure High Fives will still be Loom’s unofficial handshake. No one bergs alone.
1901 E. 46th St.
OPEN SINCE: 2020
THE USUAL: The 46th Street High Five (a PBR Light with an Underberg digestive)
Melody Inn
NEIGHBORHOOD: Butler-Tarkington
Small, gritty, and often packed, the Mel is more than a bar. It’s a part of our town’s musical identity. Among the city’s oldest bars, it has deep roots in the local underground punk and rock scene, bringing in local and touring acts as well as a loyal crowd. They come (and pay the cover) for the opportunity to sip cheap beer, perhaps in a vinyl booth transplanted from Indy’s long-gone Tee Pee Restaurant, and soak up the fiercely independent vibe, especially on Saturday’s famous Punk Rock Nights.
3826 N. Illinois St., 317-923-4707
OPEN SINCE: 1935
THE USUAL: PBR Tall Boy and a cigarette in the Smokers Garden
Red Key Tavern
NEIGHBORHOOD: Meridian-Kessler
With plentiful mirrors, soft lighting, and red leather banquette seating, Red Key retains the easy postwar glamour of a place beatniks and authors would have frequented back in the day. Unsurprisingly, the late Dan Wakefield, who passed away in 2024, was a regular. His image hangs on the wall, along with those of the former owner, Russel Settle, who bought the place in 1951 and whose family still runs it. “We keep everything the way Grandpa wanted it to be,” says granddaughter Leslie Settle, which is why every table is supplied with a laminated list of “Rules,” the first of which is, “Never question Russ.” For decades, the cash-only spot has been known for its martinis and Manhattans, homemade burgers, and impromptu schedule of live music. A front terrace on College Avenue provides excellent Meridian-Kessler people-watching opportunity while you sip, and especially cool are the model airplanes hanging from the ceiling and bucolic murals along one wall, believed to have been painted in the 1930s around the time the original bar at the location was established.
5170 N. College Ave., 317-283-4601
OPEN SINCE: 1933
THE USUAL: A classic Manhattan
Shadow Lounge & Restaurant
NEIGHBORHOOD: Canterbury-Chatard
Locals might remember the crowds of regulars this spot drew when, as Marco’s Restaurant and Lounge, it was known for its steakhouse-defying Cheap Meat Night. Now with a new name and new ownership, the northside bar is gaining a loyal following of its own. Revitalized under manager and music promoter Fred “Dookie” Leachman with former Chicken Scratch owner Tia Wilson overseeing the menu, the new concept blends entertainment (DJs, live music, comedy) with good food in a way that makes everyone feel like a VIP—whether or not they spring for the $425 Clase Azul bottle service. These days, folks get just as excited about the weekend brunch (which includes a Mad Libs variety of protein and grits dishes) as they do the list of signature cocktails.
2380 E. 54th St., 317-974-9288
OPEN SINCE: 2024
THE USUAL: Margarita
