Every month, Indianapolis Monthly staffers head out across the region, to restaurants both familiar and new. It’s the best way to ensure our restaurant guide (which is also printed in the last pages of every issue) is as current and correct as possible. These four spots were our best discoveries—or rediscoveries—in recent weeks. Know of a spot that deserves a visit? Drop us a line and we’ll check it out.
Richard’s Brick Oven Pizza
2 stars (out of three)
229 S. Main St., Franklin
317-738-3300
$20-$30, no reservations
When husband and wife team Richard Goss and Meg Jones first fired up their restaurant’s massive brick oven in 2009, chain pizza ruled the Central Indiana landscape, either delivered within 30 minutes or served in a cavernous room with a singing, mechanical rodent. Franklin was a risky place to launch their vision of high-quality Neapolitan pizza made with fresh, often local ingredients—but the gamble paid off, and 15 years later, it’s become a destination for diners from far beyond Johnson County. With a tightly edited menu of pastas, you’re not restricted to their thin-and-bubbly-crusted pies; they also offer custom lasagna and a nice selection of desserts. —Eve Batey
Sam’s Square Pie
2.5 stars
2829 E. 10th St.
$20-$30, no reservations
Detroit-style pizza obsessive Jeff Miner’s pop-up pie shop now has a permanent home on Indy’s near east side, giving followers and newcomers easy access to his award-winning square-cut pizzas. Just don’t expect a laundry list of available toppings or side options like salads and wings. This spot is a single-minded homage to pan-baked pizzas with a signature crown of well-browned cheese around the edges of the chewy, sturdy crust.
Topping combos include the signature El Jefe with two styles of pepperoni, kicky Italian sausage, dollops of ricotta, and a drizzle of spicy honey. Slightly thinner and larger Sicilian pies occasionally appear on the menu, so snag one if you can, especially his sausage-topped High Plains Drifter that garnered second place at Las Vegas’ Pizza Expo. Cheesy garlic bread made with Miner’s pizza dough and garlic knots slathered in butter are also available, but it’s best to save room for the main attraction. Order ahead for faster service, but be sure to dine in to enjoy the whole funky experience. —Terry Kirts
Sidedoor Bagel
2 stars
1103 E. 10th St.
$10-$20, takeout only
Appropriately dense and chewy with that required crackly sheen, the hand-rolled sourdough rings at Josh and Emily Greeson’s walk-up bagel shop are the stars of the show. The flavor selection varies, but flaky salt, Everything, sesame, and poppy are all solid standbys. Order yours sliced and schmeared at the counter (and then leave—it’s carryout only) or go for one of the daily sandwiches that range from the open-faced Lox & Loaded to the Turkey Bacon Club with Fischer Farms turkey and Old Major Market bacon. —Julia Spalding
The Suds
1 star
350 Market Plz., Greenwood
463-444-6052
Under $10, no reservations
A visit to The Suds is less about your meal than it is about the Hollywood-style nostalgia it evokes, with a vintage look and feel that recalls American Graffiti or Christine. It comes by that vibe legitimately, as the restaurant opened in 1957 as a location of the now-defunct Dog ‘N Suds chain of drive-ins. These days, it’s independently owned and is only open from April to October, so roll on in while the weather is good for a reliably solid hot dog, burger, or shake. —Eve Batey