BRUNCH BUMMER Fountain Square’s Easy Rider Diner swiftly built a loyal fan base when it opened in late 2022 for its loose attitude and comforting, playful menu. (We called it “effortlessly cool” when we reviewed it in 2023.) But like its namesake film, the restaurant might be best remembered for its abrupt end (spoiler alert for a movie from 1969, I guess). Via Facebook, its owners (who also own the neighboring Hi-Fi music venue) say the restaurant’s last day in business will be May 24. “As we prepare for construction on our new venue in the Murphy Arts Center, we’re shifting operations and have made the difficult—but necessary—decision to close the restaurant,” they write. The restaurant’s bar “stays open as part of the expanded Hi-Fi experience,” but its food operations end this weekend.
STEAK EXPECTATIONS Racer Bobby Rahal is reportedly such a fan of chain restaurant Bowdie’s Chophouse that when his Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing headquarters in Zionsville needed a dining tenant, the Michigan-based steakhouse was his first call. Current reports that Indy’s first Bowdie’s will open at 10814 Creek Way this month with the same menu as its Grand Rapids location, which means a lineup of traditional chop-spot fare like a seafood tower, a wedge salad, and six different prime cuts.
VROOM VROOM Aramark, the food service monolith behind meals at U.S. prisons, school cafeterias, and the Indy 500, has dropped its menu for the IMS concession stand during this weekend’s race. New items in 2025 include a pretzel-wrapped bratwurst (think a corndog that takes more jaw work); Buffalo “Totchos,” which are potato tots smothered in “buffalo chicken, nacho cheese sauce, pico de gallo, and ranch dressing”; and a meatball sandwich served on Portuguese milk bread.
HOT DOG! Speaking of the race, keep an eye out Friday for the biggest spectacle in trucks shaped like hot dogs. This year’s Carb Day treat is a showdown between Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles, which apparently serve different regions of the U.S. This is the first time all six of the company’s Wienermobiles have been in the same place in over a decade, and this race will be its first track competition ever, Oscar Mayer says in a press release. Running in the Wienie 500 are Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Slaw Dog (Southeast), Sonoran Dog (Southwest), Chili Dog (South), and Seattle Dog (Northwest). The race will stream live at 2 p.m. Friday on the FOX Sports app and will be broadcast during Sunday’s preshow on the cable network.
KEYSTONE CANDY Pendleton-based confectioner Good’s Candies has been putting out its brittles, candy assortments, and flavored popcorns for over a century, but its reputation hit a snag after a controversial social media post from one of its shop owners revealed a family split that divided the business. The uproar prompted a sale of part of the brand soon after—and it appears the company is now thriving, as it just opened a new location at Keystone at the Crossing on May 15. According to a press release from mall owner Simon, the Indy Good’s produces its goods in small batches with premium ingredients, which is typically preferable to the alternative. The shop can be found in the mall area nearest Doc B’s Restaurant + Bar.
TOUCHING TRIBUTE As noted last week, Rene’s Bakery founder Albert Rene Trevino died on May 8, slightly two years after his diagnosis of laryngeal cancer. The Star published a thoughtful, in-depth look at Trevino’s life and legacy Wednesday, spanning his time as a Little 500 cyclist, a manager for Gen X local fave rock band Johnny Socko, and a doting and attentive father. It’s a lovely piece worth a leisurely read.
