SWEET TRIO: As we reported back in March, Elevator Hill—that area on East Washington Street that used to house the Angie’s List complex—is in the midst of a mini restaurant boom, with developers 1820 Ventures announcing then that local mini-chain LiftOff Creamery and longtime pop-up Three Dolls & Co. would open outposts in the near-eastside space. Since then, 1820 Ventures has faced scrutiny for its relationship to the increasingly problematic Hogsett administration, but that’s not slowing down those businesses: while Liftoff’s location in the former Sanitary Diner is under construction, the Three Dolls storefront at 1008 E. Washington St. launched yesterday, with an opening menu of hearty breakfast dishes, lunchtime sandwiches, salads augmented with custom cakes, and an abundance of pastries. A grand opening is planned for Saturday, October 25, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FRESH KFC: A new spot for Korean fried chicken has opened in the Saraga Market West food court. Grill and Fry took flight earlier this month at 3605 Commercial Dr. with a lineup of wings, burgers, fish and chips, and rice bowls. (H/t Indylicious.)
HORSEY SAUCE: Jim Irsay’s Carmel estate had barely hit the market this July when an offer flew in for the lavish, $12 million home. Lips on both sides were sealed when we asked who the buyer was, but now the word is out: Per the Star, it’s Carmel-based John Wade, the owner of AES Restaurant Group, the second-largest Arby’s franchisee in the nation. If you’re wondering how fast food restaurants generate enough to buy one of the state’s most expensive homes, this Franchise Times piece from this summer might help, as it says revenue from AES’s Arby’s locations across Indiana and beyond is projected to be between $350 million and $400 million this year. That’s a lot of Classic Beef ’N Cheddars.
AROMA RISING: Once the magnate of a local mini-chain, Vinita Singh’s portfolio of restaurants shrank calamitously over the past year. Amara, her lauded spot at 1454 W. 86th St. shuttered in late 2024. Then her original Aroma Indian Cuisine and Bar at 501 Virginia Ave. shuttered in April, and has since been replaced by La Margarita; her SoBro Aroma at 4907 N. College Ave. also closed earlier this year. Only her Carmel City Center restaurant, opened in March 2024, remains.
But it looks like she’s starting to build her roster back up, as she tells the IBJ that she’ll open another Aroma at 110 S. Pennsylvania St., at the former site of the Gallery Bistro & Bar. Singh says she expects to serve workers at the nearby Eli Lilly, Rolls-Royce, and Salesforce complexes at the downtown location, which is right across the street from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It’s an interesting choice, as other venues in the area (including Gallery, I should note) struggled with low foot traffic and inconsistent business; it’s unclear if Aroma can easily buck that trend. An opening date for the new restaurant has yet to be announced.
CHRISTMAS CHEER: Christmas pop-up bar operation Miracle will have an Indy outpost this season, one of the company’s 170 locations around the U.S. Miracle on Maryland will be at the Hampton Inn at 15 E. Maryland St. from November 17 to New Year’s Eve, serving up holiday-themed cocktails in distinctive cups and mugs.
Miracle is a funny thing! I interviewed founder Greg Boehm in 2019, and he explained his company’s business model: Boehm is also the owner of Cocktail Kingdom, a barware company that creates Miracle-specific glassware. That glassware is then sold to the participating bars and venues, which all follow the same Miracle cocktail menu, and even purchase decor from Miracle as part of the franchise agreement. “[We] need somebody who’s willing to just drench their space with Christmas decor,” Boehm says. “If they’re trying to preserve the original minimalist decor of their bar, they wouldn’t be a good partner. [They] have to be willing to transform into something completely different.” That compliance—and the hefty fees paid to Boehm’s company—often pay off. “People love a Christmas bar,” a past Miracle participant told me. “We can make more one night than we do during a week some months.” A miracle, indeed.
