RACE DAY Since its March move from Saks Fifth Avenue back to Fishers, Tilly’s Tea Room (8701 E. 116th St., Fishers, 317-537-2185) has been gearing up to host the kinds of events it was known for at Keystone at the Crossing. Owner Sharon Moore says the first such shindig will be Saturday, May 3, a Kentucky Derby watch party from 3 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and will help support the Parent Empowerment Network, a nonprofit organization that advocates for parents of children with complex medical needs.
GOING WILD After 13 years in Irvington, Coal Yard Coffee shut its doors at 400 S. Ritter Ave. last weekend, but the spot won’t be dark for long. A new local java joint, Wild Child Coffee Co. (not to be confused with the Australian company of the same name) is taking over the space and “will continue serving Ice House Coffee Roasters beans roasted on site and plan to keep some familiar faces behind the bar,” Coal Yard said in a Facebook post. Wild Child’s owners expect to open “soon” and say they’re “excited and passionate about bringing back community events and live performances as have been shared in the past.”
FLY AWAY HOME The offerings from farmers market and coffee shop fave 4 Birds Bakery will be a little different when the market season kicks off this month. While they will still be fully stocked with biscuits, cookies, and other treats, “the time has come for us to retire the griddle,” owner Jenna Unrue says. That means the shop’s popular breakfast sandwiches are off the market menu, a decision made to allow Unrue to “focus more on family time” and on plans to open a customer-facing retail space. Until then, find 4 Birds at the Garfield Park farmers market every first and third Saturday and at the Broad Ripple market on second and fourth Saturdays.
WOW MOM Dining out for Mother’s Day is a longstanding tradition, I get it, but I still bridle at the underlying implication that the only way to spare a woman the chore of cooking and then cleaning is to go to a restaurant. What greater way is there to show a parent or partner you appreciate her than to share domestic tasks 24/7/365? Before you write me off as a hopeless idealist, I’ll note that some of this is but a preface to share the Star’s excellent (and thoughtful) guide to Mother’s Day brunch options. My tip, assuming mom actively wants to dine out, is to choose a place with reservations—after all, the woman has waited for you so many times over the years, she shouldn’t have to wait for brunch, too.
SWEET SURPRISE Fans of pan dulce and conchas have a new Fountain Square option: Gateway West bakery Artesanal Pasteleria, Panaderia, y Más will open a second location Saturday at 1325 Shelby St., previously the home of vegan scoop shop The New Age of Ice Cream. Saturday’s grand opening celebration begins at 3 p.m. and will include gelato, donuts, and tacos served from the restaurant’s fresh pink storefront.
EMBRACEABLE YOU I was looking through the recently released renderings of downtown Noblesville’s revamp plan for its historic square and was struck by how much attention has been given to the town’s outdoor dining scene. It’s almost European in scope, the way tables dot public spaces as people eat and drink in the tree-shaded streets. The project’s roots go back to 2018, when Noblesville released its streetscape master plan. Like so many grand designs, its implementation was stymied by the pandemic as area merchants made the (quite valid) point that a massive construction project would likely bork foot traffic in a time they needed it the most. Will the revamp be more palatable now, given the work will last into 2026? If the end result is more seating for area restaurants, perhaps.
