The Feed: Crispy Bird, Sun King , and More

This week’s trends in Indy dining.
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» The Patachou empire is expanding. The company announced plans recently to open Crispy Bird at 49th & Pennsylvania, with a focus on—you guessed it—fried chicken. The kitchen will be helmed by David Hoover, back in Indianapolis by way of culinary school in Paris and an internship at the world-famous Noma in Copenhagen. In addition to the birds, raised locally and GMO-free, look for things Indy has come to expect from Martha Hoover and her team: seasonal vegetables, house-baked breads and desserts, and gluten-free and vegetarian options. Anticipate a late-fall opening.

» Get your comfortable shoes out. Festival season is on. First up: The Hops & Flip Flops Festival on August 27 at Daredevil Brewing in Speedway. Attendees will find craft beer, local food, live music, and even a 5K. You can count us in for the food and beer. We’ll skip the running.  August 28 marks the 8th annual Dig IN: Taste of Indiana, where local chefs, brewers, and food artisans gather to impress crowds with the best the state has to offer on the food-and-drink front. Make a note of the new location this year: Military Park at 601 West New York Street. On September 3, Circle City Industrial Complex will be the site of Meadful Things and Outciders Festival, Indy’s first event specializing in craft mead and hard cider. In addition to the drinks, food, and live music, there will be a puppies-and-kittens adoption event. Important fine print here: no day-of sales. Tickets must be purchased in advance. And, finally, start doing your sit-ups now. The first Indy Donut Festival is November 5 at the Speak Easy in Broad Ripple. You can sample local donuts and coffee, vote for your favorites, and raise money for the American Cancer Society at this family-friendly event.

» The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that Kansas-based Louie’s Wine Dive will open its second Indianapolis location at 701 Broad Ripple Avenue, a spot that’s been vacant for five years. Louie’s entered the local market in May of 2015 at 345 Mass Ave.

» Indy restaurants got some national love in Food & Wine‘s recently published City Guide: Best Sandwiches in Indianapolis. Goose the Market and Shapiro’s Delicatessen were joined on the list by emerging sandwich stars at Rook, Love Handle, Say Cheese, Locally Grown Gardens, and (one our new faves as well) Wildwood Market.

» It’s easier to get your hands on Sun King Brewing products Sunlight Cream Ale and Wee Mac now, thanks to a major expansion into grocery and convenience stores. As reported in Nuvo, the expansion was long-hoped for, but only possible after quality-control experiments made room-temperature storage a possibility for SKB beers (previously limited to refrigerator storage only). Look for it on shelves at Kroger, Marsh, CVS, Walmart, and other stores where beer is sold.