Indy’s restaurant opening season is definitely picking up, with four new restaurants to try this week, two more with grand openings planned in the next few weeks, and seven more spots to look forward to in the months ahead. Here’s an overview of how the new restaurant scene in Indianapolis looks as of early March:
Tilly’s Tea Room
Now open
8701 E. 116th St., Fishers
317-537-2185
A staple for the Fashion Mall set, Saks tenant Tilly’s was forced to follow suit when the department store closed its doors at Keystone at the Crossing. The business sprang back to life last weekend, now located next door to owner Sharon Moore’s chip shop, Max & Tilly’s, which IM critic Terry Kirts reviewed last month.
Parlor Doughnuts
Now open
8804 Madison Ave., Indy
317-300-1145
The Evansville-based pastry chain, which now boasts 65 locations (many of them owned by franchisees) across the nation, just launched its latest Indianapolis outpost in a legit cute space just north of the Greenwood/Indy border.
Barry Bagels
Open now, official grand opening is Saturday, March 8
8684 116th St., Fishers
317-588-9444
The carb party continues with this chain bagelry with locations across the Midwest. Its newest stop in Fishers quietly started serving fresh-baked bagels (their big pitch is that they bake all day, as opposed to a single bagel drop every morning) this week. On Saturday, the shop is offering a BOGO deal on single bagels with cream cheese; the fine print is that this applies to in-person orders only, and you need to mention the deal at the register when ordering.
Prufrock Coffee Company
Open now
275 Veterans Way, Fishers
SoBro’s java go-to expanded to Carmel this week with a grand opening held yesterday. Expect the same focus on ethical purveyors and Insta-ready menu items (check out the look of these matcha concoctions) as at its original spot.
Rise & Revel
Opens Friday, March 14
1233 Shelby St., Indy
Speaking of coffee, West Fork Whiskey Co. is entering Indy’s increasingly competitive caffeine market with a coffee shop by day, craft cocktail bar by night in the ground floor of new Fountain Square apartment building Union Square. Company co-founder David McIntyre told me the company is excited to dip their toes into the java game but also notes the nighttime cocktail bar “isn’t just for bourbon drinkers,” despite his brand’s spirits-forward vibe. One thing to note is that the spot will serve pastries during coffee shop hours, but at night, no food will be on offer.
Eiffel Waffle
Opens late March
8594 E. 116th St., Fishers
The Chicago-based ice cream and bubble waffle cone spot recently launched an aggressive expansion model, with franchisees gearing up to open spots in California, Texas, Michigan, and—most relevant to our interests—Fishers.
1933 Lounge
Opens Tuesday, April 1
175 S. Rangeline Rd., Carmel
317-751-1933
St. Elmo’s speakeasy-styles spin-off launches its newest outpost on April Fool’s Day—think of that what you will. A press release promises “an opulent gold-domed bar, dramatic lounge seating and a year-round heated patio,” though, which suggests the local chain is not fooling around.
Dutch Bros Coffee
Opens spring, 2025
14560 Mundy Dr., Noblesville
Remember what I just said about Indy’s jam-packed coffee market? It’s about to get tighter with Oregon-based drive-thru coffee chain Dutch Bros, which has built a passionate fan base across 18 states (and over 1,000 locations) since its founding in 1992. The brand is making its Indiana debut in Noblesville within weeks, its franchisee tells WTHR.
Clayton’s Ripple Rodeo
812 Broad Ripple Ave., Indy
Clayton’s Honky Tonk
47-49 S. Meridian St., Indy
Both open spring 2025
Bedford-born country music artist Clayton Anderson will open two bar-and-grill businesses in Indy this spring, though his chosen hometown is Nashville. Both businesses promise live music, with Anderson telling the IBJ, “Country music and all things country in general are so hot right now. I don’t think there could be a better time.” The Rodeo will open in the former Mineshaft spot on Broad Ripple’s main drag, while the Honky Tonk will be in the downtown address last occupied by the long-departed Hard Rock Cafe. Steve Wentland and Itamar Cohen, who own Broad Ripple’s Old Pro’s Table and the Main Event bar in Fishers, are Anderson’s partners in the deal and—one presumes—will be the folks managing both spots’ day-to-day operations.
Salt
Opens June, 2025
11 City Center Dr., Carmel
Salt already has glossy dining rooms on Mass Ave and in Geist, so it only makes sense for it to head to Carmel. The third location of the local mini-chain will open in the recently vacated space last occupied by Matt the Miller’s (or “MTM Tavern | Steakhouse,” per a seemingly unsuccessful rebrand last October). A press release promises lunch and dinner menus of “fresh seasonal catches flown in daily and a variety of signature dishes.”
The Peach Cobbler Factory
Opens TBD
82nd Street and Clearwater Pointe, Indy
Indy Today caught wind of a sign for this nationwide dessert chain at a northside strip mall, but reps for the company have not responded to my messages seeking intel on this Indianapolis outpost, which would be its first. Right now, it only has locations in Bloomington, Clarksville, and Merrillville.
Voodoo Brewing Co.
Opens summer 2025
10510 Kings Way Rd., Fishers
The only Indy food market that feels more jam-packed than coffee is beer, but that hasn’t scared Pennsylvania-based chain Voodoo away from its first Indiana location. Local franchisee David Rivotto will open an outpost of the beer biz on the ground floor of snazzy new Fishers apartment complex The State, his first foray into the restaurant game since a job as a youth at the original Sahm’s, he tells the IBJ.
