Eating BIG in Indianapolis Pt. 3

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Checking back in on Indianapolis

Well I saved todays post for this date back when I saw that Caleb Williams and the Bears would be going down to Indianapolis for week three of the 2024 season and here we are sitting at 1-1 headed down to Indy for a very winnable game. It’s early but they do look like the same old Bears so far. But even if you’re not headed down for the game this post could come in handy should you ever find yourself in or passing through Indianapolis. Is it the Midwest's best food city? No it’s not. (Note: I rank it 9/10 on my list of  the Midwest's best food cities with Chicago taking the top spot). But is there good food to be found in Indy? Of course there is! Anybody that tells you (insert city) doesn’t have good food is either an extremely picky eater or they don’t know how to find the good stuff. There’s good food to be found in every urban area of the country, if there’s people around then good food isn’t far behind and Indianapolis has 850,0000 plus people. It takes a bit of research and knowing what you’re looking for or you can just leave it to me. I’ve never led my readers astray. Here’s where I’ve ate in Indy of late. Note: previous Indianapolis eating reports linked at the end of this post. Enjoy the ride!

Pics from Indy
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Long's Bakery 

First stop for me whenever I’m in Indy is more often than not this locally loved donut shop. Long’s Bakery is a great stop even if you’re just passing thru as it’s right off I-65 and it opens early and closes late (5:30a - 10p daily). If you arrive on a weekend before noon you should be prepared to wait as they often have a line. Customers from across the city line up for their donuts the most popular of which is a glazed yeast. Local rapper Tevin Studdard released a song in 2020 called "Long's Bakery Music Video" during which he raps about eating Indy's favorite donuts. David Letterman is also a fan.

Donuts at Long's Bakery 
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Shapiro's Delicatessen

Indy is a good Roadfood city by which I mean there’s alot of fun old school spots you can stop in at. Shapiro’s Deli is arguably the most iconic of the bunch. This classic cafeteria style restaurant has been at it since 1905 and is still in the same family today as when it started. I think their Reuben is a contender for best I’ve had in big part due to the spectacular rye bread which they bake on site. The sliced corned beef is really good too but man oh man that hand cut rye bread is as good as it gets.

Rueben Sandwich at Shapiro's Delicatessen
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Working Man's Friend

If there’s one spot in Indy that can contend with the previous stops for most iconic it’s this bustling bar known for their sensational smashed burger. I first visited Workingman's Friend 15 years ago when I named it one of the best burgers in the country and it’s still up there on my list. Limited hours means it's always packed so I highly advise arriving right when they open if not right before they close. Hoosiers jam the place for their signature burger which is a double crispy smashed with a third bun in the middle. Despite heavy inflation across the country it’s still a heck of a deal at just over $8. The beer is reasonable here too as it’s still a very blue collar bar that got its name after its Macedonian founder would spot food and cash to local railroad workers on strike back in the mid 20’s. Since 1918.

Double Cheeseburger at Working Man's Friend
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Heidelberg Haus

I can’t believe I never stopped at this German amusement park until just recently. Heidelberg Haus is a family-owned German restaurant, bakery, and gift shop that's been on the east side of Indianapolis since 1968. It’s owned by a German national from Heidelberg who gained fame making pastries around the world at a young age and eventually found himself in Indy where he decided to open his own place. Walking into Heidelberg Haus feels a lot like visiting the German wing at Disney’s Epcot Center. Dining tables are scattered about the restaurant strategically placed wherever they can find the room between the bakery and the gift shop that expands throughout the property. It also has a cafe where customers can try a variety of German sausages including a delicious plate of currywurst. 

Currywurst at Heidelberg Haus

I always enjoy this German dish born in Berlin but you don’t see it too often in Chicago. Currywurst is typically just sliced sausage served with a curry ketchup for dipping. At Heidelberg Haus they give you two pieces of fried knockwurst served with their made on site curry sauce and a fat scoop of German Potato Salad which is a mayo-less recipe served warm with chunks of bacon found throughout and also a piece of buttered rye bread. As good as the Currywurst was it was second fiddle to the incredible German Chocolate cake that the owner himself still bakes. You can buy it by the slice or if your timing is right you can even take an entire cake to go but it’s best to order ahead if that’s what you want. There’s rarely a day that goes by where they don’t sell out of it. I’m not a big cake guy, I like it but I don’t seek it out but that will change next time I find myself in Indy as I’m so going back for that and whatever else looks good in the bakery case that day. They also sell a ton of German ingredients and souvenirs which are scattered throughout the shop. This place is an absolute gem.

German Chocolate Cake at Heidelberg Haus
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Red Key Tavern

The Midwest is littered with cool bars no matter where you are. Indy is no exception. There’s some great bars to drink at in this city and Red Key Tavern is one of my favorites. This cash only establishment is one of the best bars in the country according to The Daily Meal. It opened in 1933 and was known for its rules like no cursing, no dancing, and no leaning back in your seat. While the rules have changed the inside remains very much the same. It’s got that old school feel that so many spots try to replicate but the only real way to do so is thru time and Red Key Tavern has been at for 90 years so you know it’s the real deal. Food wise the bar is known for its burgers and also its braunschweiger sandwich which is an embodiment of the tavern itself— nostalgic and straightforward. The sandwich has been on the menu as long as anyone can remember. “Braunschweiger” is a catch-all term for several types of German sausages but the version served at Red Key is spreadable, like pate, and sliced right off the log. It comes standard on wheat bread and can be toasted upon your request. You can also add onion, pickle, lettuce, tomato, or mayo. I thought it was surprisingly good.

Braunschweiger Sandwich at Red Key Tavern 
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The Pawn Shop Pub

Pictured below is 'The Big Pawn" from Pawn Shop Pub - an old Long John Silvers turned local vibes bar. The Big Pawn is a hand breaded pork tenderloin that’s sliced in half and dressed like a Big Mac. Did you know that McDonalds once tested a breaded pork tenderloin on the menu back in 2002? It went on a test run here in Indiana but I guess the Hoosiers decided they prefer the mom and pop spots like this. There’s not a ton of variety when it comes to the dressing of a BPT so this one was a standout with the special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onion on a sesame seeded bun. 

Big Pawn Breaded Tenderloin at The Pawn Shop Pub
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Wisanggeni Pawon

I first tried this Indonesian restaurant in its early stages as a ghost kitchen. Wisanggeni Pawon serves up some delicious Indonesian inspired street food. I’m not nearly as familiar with Indonesian cuisine as I’d like to be but Wisanggeni Pawon might be my favorite restaurant in Indianapolis. It’s a bit of an oddity in a city with a handful of Burmese restaurants but those are mostly found on the south side which can be an extra hour of driving going to and from downtown. Wisanggeni Pawon is ran by an Indonesian couple who ended up in Indy after a restaurant venture in the Netherlands fell thru. Well one country’s loss is another’s gain as Bambang Wisanggeni and his wife Putri Pratiwi are serving up some of the most exciting food in the city. Martabak Telor aka Crispy Beef Omelette is a savory flavor bomb of chopped beef with green onion and egg mixed with a special sauce and sandwiched between a crispy crepe that’s cut into squares for easy eating. The beef rendang is as good as I’ve had anywhere in the States. It’s rich and creamy and arrives with an array of sides like fluffy coconut rice, jackfruit gulai, steamed kale, and an omelet. But the best thing on the menu just might be the Indonesian sweet Dutch butter pancake with sprinkled chocolate, ground peanut, and cheese aka Martabak Manis. No joke one of the best deserts that I’ve ever had. I’ve never had this anywhere else but I felt like it was of a super high quality as it was just perfect. One of those dishes I'll never forget.

Martabak Telor 

Beef Rendang

Martabak Manis at Wisanggeni Pawon
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Futuro Indy 

I took a quick trip down to Indy last year to lend a helping hand I was rewarded with a Detroit style pizza just as good as any of the ones I’ve had in the Motor City. It comes from Futuro which is posted up in an old building from the old Angie’s List campus. We tried the Futuro Classic which comes with Ezzo pepperoni, housemade Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms and their house marinara sauce plus Pecorino Romano. They also do a tavern style thin and run a deep dish special but I highly suggest the Detroit style which hit all the high notes with its thick and airy dough that’s both light and sturdy with a lovely frico edge crust plus Wisconsin Brick cheese and a bright red top. Really good stuff.

Detroit Style Pizza at Futuro
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Shani's Secret Chicken 

Believe it or not Indiana has a rich tradition of fried chicken. Our neighbors to the east even have an interactive map with some of the states best fried chicken mapped out. A good chunk of those spots are south of Indy but some of the states best fried chicken is found on the west side of the city in a Pakistani restaurant. Chapati is a contemporary Indian and Pakistani spot ran by Indy resident Maisum Farid. He serves up some of Indiana's best South Asian food at Chapati which also houses Shani’s Secret Chicken where he dishes out a South Asian spin on the Southern classic. Halal Chicken is soaked in buttermilk and spiced with lots of exciting spices before a trip to the deep fryer resulting in some of the crispiest fried chicken in all of Indiana. Thumbs up for the fresh cut fries too. 

Fried Chicken at Shani's Secret Chicken 
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Julieta Taco Shop 

I’m not sure where to find Indy’s best tacos as I haven’t done enough searching around to give a real answer. But I know you can do much worse than this new school spot located at The Stutz - an iconic four-story factory building easily accessible from off the highway. Julieta Taco Shop is a tag team operation between two friends who met more than 15 years ago in Indianapolis. The co owners worked together at restaurants across the city before opening Julieta which specializes in tortillas made on site with nixtamalized corn from Mexico that’s milled and pressed by one of the owners dads. Aside from that I loved the fact I saw a spit of al pastor aka a trompo spinning. So I decided to try both the al pastor and a Taco Suadero (fried beef) which is really starting to take off at spots like Julieta across the country. I much preferred the al pastor which I ordered with a cheese skirt crust - it was crisp and has good flavor and the texture was better than most of the al pastor you’ll find elsewhere. The suadero was more like birria in that it was really just shredded meat and thus it lacked the texture and the fried beefy flavor typcially found in Mexico City’s lesser known specialty.

Tacos at Julieta Taco Shop
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Shoyu Shop at Strange Bird

To understand just how good ramen in the U.S. has got over the last decade or so take a look at our next stop - a ramen shop connected to a tiki bar in the historic Irvington neighborhood. Shoyu Shop is a made from scratch ramenya started by a graduate of The Tokyo Ramen Academy. Like any serious ramen spot they only offer a total of four bowls with their namesake Shoyu Ramen leading the way. Shoyu style  ramen starts with a sweet and salty broth made with a soy sauce base or “tare” as it’s called in ramen lingo. The tare is said to make up only about 1/10 of the liquid broth while the other 90% can vary depending on recipe. Shoyu Shop adds ‘Tori Chintan’ or crystal clear chicken stock to their house noodles along with chiyu (chicken oil) and chicken chasu (sliced chicken meat), pork chasu (sliced pork belly) and a soft boiled egg with a handful of chopped scallion. It’s a complex bowl of noodles that as recently as a decade ago would be impossible to find in Indiana. The tiki drinks at Strange Bird are also very good making for a great 1-2 punch when paired with the delicious ramen.

Shoyu Ramen at Shoyu Shop
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Vida

If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s a bit more upscale you may want to consider the tasting menu at Vida which serves a pretty good modern American tasting menu focusing on fresh and local ingredients. Executive Chef Thomas Melvin was a semifinalist for the ‘Best Chef: Great Lakes Region’ at the 2024 James Beard Awards. Vida serves up two different tasting menu options and also has ala carte selections. I tried the full tasting menu which plugs in at $135 on their website as of September 2024. The menu has completely switched since my visit in March but I had a nice dinner with a couple of standout dishes each of which were the meat forward courses of the seven course tasting. But if I had to choose between the duck breast with a carrot emulsion, confit turnip, kumquat or the Wagyu ribeye with "Robuchon" potato, preserved lemon creamed kale and truffle demi? I would take the duck as the meat had better texture. That said the ribeye paired with the rich and creamy potatoes was also a winner. Overall it was a very nice meal but I didn’t think it was quite to the level of the best restaurant in the Great Lakes Region which incudes Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois

Duck Breast at Vida

Ribeye at Vida 
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Bonge's Tavern (Anderson)

I got to cross an old spot off my Roadfood bucketlist with a bit of a detour on a recent trip to Indy. Bonge’s Tavern (pronounced bon - gees) rests in a quiet area on the outskirts of Anderson Indiana about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis. It sits in a building dating back to the late 1800’s. Bonge’s as a restaurant dates back to 1934 when Charles Bonge took over the restaurant and spent more than 60 years manning the kitchen before selling the place in 1997. It was recently sold again and the current owner chose not to mess with its success. Customers drive from across the state and tailgate outside when the weather is warm and there’s a wait - reservations recommended. The menu is fairly small but it has all of the basic proteins including chicken, duck, lamb, seafood, and steaks.  

a peek inside 

Bonge's biggest seller is their ‘Perkinsville Pork’ as this is Indiana after all and the Perkinsville Pork is a breaded tenderloin with a Parmesan crust plus lemon butter served with the days fresh vegetable and whatever potato prep they’re making on your visit. The first thing you notice upon that first bite is the quality of the pork itself. It’s got great texture as it wasn’t bludgeoned to mush. It's got great flavor too from both the butter and the cheese. This was easily the best BPT I’ve had in these parts. The scalloped potatoes were also on point. The steak wasn’t the best I’ve had as that’s a much bigger hill to climb but it was more than just fine. I really liked all the smoke flavor they managed to grill into it. All entrees come with jalapeño cornbread and your choice of tomato soup or wedge salad served with their house blue cheese dressing. I suggest going with the salad and paying the upgrade for the real deal made on site bacon bits to go with it. Bonge’s Tavern doesn’t do carryout but they do sell pints and quarts of the soup and the blue cheese dressing to go. We finished this fantastic meal with a marvelously made sugar cake topped with berries and whipped cream. I hope to one day return during the warmer months and tailgate. Overall this was one of my favorite stops of the year. 

Dinner at Bonge's Tavern 

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If you liked this post you might also be interested in:

Indianapolis Eats

Eating BIG in Indianapolis Pt. 2

Super Eats in Indianapolis

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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Northwest Indiana

 Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Return to the Region 

It’s been awhile since I threw up some stuff on Northwest Indiana. The Region and beyond has always been a fascinating place to me thanks in part to its history. Going thru there can feel like stepping back in time in many ways such as visiting some of the older bars and restaurants in the area. Another thing that’s interesting about this part of Indiana to me is how it’s one of the prettiest parts of the state and also the most industrial which doesn’t necessarily translate to ugly but I wouldn’t describe factories, warehouses, and pollution as pretty. But go over the area where the Indiana Dunes National Park is at and it seems like it’s a world away from the casino and all the manufacturing.

Northwest Indiana

Over the years I’ve featured more than 50 spots I’ve stopped at while out this way but it’s been almost four years since I had a dedicated NWI post. Today’s post is a roundup of new (to me) spots I’ve visited over the last few years so no repeats so to say even though I still like to stop at spots like Schoop’s, Miner Dunn, Zel’s Roast Beef and so forth. My story on the 'Legacy of Lincolns Sandwiches' is one of the 5 most read posts in my blogs history while I’ve featured all of the areas popular crispy taco spots as well as a big roundup of where to get lake perch in the area and much more. But today’s post is never before featured eating establishments - some are old, others are new.

Northwest Indiana
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Munster Donut (Munster)

First stop is a great option if you’re passing through NWI early in the morning when only the casinos and gas stations are still open. Munster is notable for being the home to the Three Floyds Brewery but locals love Munster Donut just as much if not more than the brewery. It originally opened as Mister Donut in 1969 but the current owners, a pair of sisters, switched the name and not little else. They still use just one oven, one fryer, and one donut proofer while making fresh donuts throughout the day. 

Donuts at Munster Donut 
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The Taco Dive (Whiting)

Next we head over to Whiting, home to the Midwest's largest oil refinery and a spot with deep Chicago connections called The Taco Dive. The Mexican Inn once stood at the corner of 95th and Ewing on Chicago’s East Side. At the time of its closing it was the city’s oldest Mexican restaurant. Mexican Inn was a staple for families on the city’s Southeast side, popular for their crispy beef tacos which were made the old fashioned way as in corn tortillas stuffed with ground beef that are folded and held together with tooth picks while frying. This style of taco remains popular up here on both sides of the IL/IN border. In fact there’s a family connection between Taco Dive and the Mexican Inn. You can also find the unique soft cheese tacos which Mexican Inn was known for at The Taco Dive. These are enchiladas with nacho cheese like you would tend find at a Mexican restaurant in the 70’s. Anyone that enjoyed this combo from the old Mexican Inn will enjoy it from the new Taco Dive.

Tacos at The Taco Dive
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State Line Pizza (Hammond)

Seeing as how Northwest Indiana is basically an extension of Chicago there’s alot of Pizza History in these parts. State Line Pizza is a mini chain with a few locations including the original in Hammond. It gets its name from its location on State Line Avenue separating Illinois and Indiana. The original location is basically takeout only though there’s a counter inside where you can stand and eat your pizza though nobody does that as this is a real locals type of place so the majority of the customer base lives in the area. State Line uses an old Fauld’s Oven which was a popular line of pizza ovens made in Chicago back in the day. Even though the company is no longer in service there’s still quite a few spots that rock an old Fauld’s oven. I met Bob, the pizzamaker, who’s been here for more than 30 years and he showed me a couple of bullet holes in the oven from an attempted robbery more than 30 years ago. I can usually tell if I’m going to like a tavern style pizza just by looking at it and I thought the pizza here looked good in a few of the pictures I saw. It looked thin and crisp and quite delicious and despite online reviews being a mixed bag I thought it was a pretty solid pizza. The sausage was flavorful, sauce not sweet and it had some of the crunchiest crust I can remember. Since 1957.

Sausage Pizza at State Line Pizza in Hammond 
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Asian Kitchen (Hammond)

This generically named Asian restaurant serves some of the best Vietnamese food in Indiana. Asian Kitchen sits in a busy strip mall and you'll find people from all walks of life in there as was the case on my visit. I can tell if an Asian restaurant is worth trying with a quick glance at the menu and a few unique offerings at Asian Kitchen put it onto my radar. But when I finally visited just last week I decided to try the Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) since it was my first visit and the smell of it coming from the kitchen was too good to pass up on. I got the Dac Biet which comes with a little bit of everything including sliced eye round steak, brisket, meatball, flank, tripe, and tendon. The broth was flavorful and just as important it was hot and all of the herbs and veggies served on the side to personalize your bowl were crisp and pungent. This place could hold its own on Argyle in Chicago.

Dac Biet Pho at Asian Kitchen
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Indian Kitchen (Gary)

I read a piece in the Washington Post last year about all the Indian restaurants starting to sprout up along the country’s busiest highways. The reason behind of which is a growing Desi trucker population. In this article the author Meena Venkataramanan goes onto explain that the majority of these Indian truckers are Punjabi hailing from the region spanning northwest India and east of Pakistan. According to one stat Punjabis make up 20% of the U.S trucking industry and that number is only growing. So it’s only fitting that these Punjabi Dhaba’s as they’re called are starting to pop up across the country. You can find one sitting right off I94 in Gary in the area where all the big gas stations are bunched together with a few fireworks shops and what not. I was put onto Indian Kitchen by Mike Sula at The Reader who told me he had some really good Baingan Bharta here so I took note for the next time I was out that way which was just recently. I arrived to a small line of clientele, all Indian men, and a large workforce of at least eight people shifting in and out of the trailer and the kitchen in the building behind it. One guy pulled up in a minivan and left with an order of more than five bags worth of food strategically placed throughout. I had a hard time deciding what to try so I went with my go-to dish for judging an Indian restaurant - Dal Makhani (black lentils, kidney beans and cream among other things depending on the recipe). I added an order of Tawa Roti and also got vegetable pakora (fritters) as an app. I was happy with all of it and will plan on going back.

Vegetable Pakora at Indian Kitchen
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Pizza Terra (Burns Harbor)

I got word of some good food to be found at Pizza Terra which is in Burns Harbor not far from Indiana Dunes National Park. Wood fired pizza is the main act here but the rest of the menu was tempting me to try a couple other things including a big old plate of linguine topped with an extra crispy chicken parm, pomodoro, and melted mozzarella that can easily feed two for just $16. Bone Marrow Arancini was also excellent albeit a bit misleading as I expected there to be bone marrow inside the arancini but it was still delicious mixed into a bolognese paired with a taleggio fondue. As for the wood fired pizza we got the namesake Terra with wild mushroom, caramelized onions, taleggio, spinach, and a black truffle fonduta that tasted as elegant as it sounds. I thought Pizza Terra was reminiscent of Stop 50 in nearby Michiana Shores and The Rolling Stonebaker in Valparaiso making the Northwest Indiana area a bit of a hot spot for wood fired pizza on top of Lake Perch and Crispy Tacos.

Lunch at Pizza Terra
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Wagner's Ribs (Porter)

The last time I ate at Wagner’s Ribs was a handful of years before they moved to their current location so although I’ve been here before it was around 20 years ago give or take. As the name suggests they’re popular for ribs which are pretty good if you can find joy in the baked until the meat is falling off the bone variety. I’m not sure the baby backs here ever see any real smoke but they’re still tasty albeit not true bbq. But even you don’t like baked ribs slathered in sauce I still recommend stopping here for the lake perch dinner as it might be the best plate of lake perch in all of Northwest Indiana. Wagner’s lightly breads small and tender pieces of Canadian Yellow Perch and pan fries them in butter. The end result is lake perch that taste like it came from the late great Phil Smidt’s which I never got to visit but I know good lake perch when I have it and Wagner’s is my pick for best in NWI (Tiebel’s is also top tier). It’s not cheap at $31 for a dinner which includes 8 pieces and 2 sides of your choice but it is worth it. You can also get a half order of lake perch and a half slab of ribs with two sides for the same price. Please note it’s 21+ and they can get busy but it’s a big space with a huge patio so they can really pack them in during summer months but best to call ahead in season.

Lake Perch / Ribs at Wagner's Ribs 
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Brooks Family Corned Beef (Michigan City)

Next stop might be my favorite of them all as far as recently opened dining options in Northwest Indiana. Brooks Family Corned Beef is hidden within in a large strip mall that includes a now defunct Carson Pirie Scott building in Michigan City. I saw some pictures online and noticed the way the corned beef comes in chunks (my preferred style) as opposed to slices so I checked them out just recently. I was very much impressed with their Reuben sandwich which comes on marbled rye. It was perfectly put together down to both sides of the bread being crisp while the cheese was completely melted. They also make corned beef egg rolls and although it’s a takeout only operation they have a few throwback video game machines for you to play while you wait for your food. Cool spot.

Reuben Sandwich at Brooks Family Corned Beef 
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Carlson's Drive-In (Michigan City)

It seems like every lake town in the U.S. has a seasonal drive in. In Michigan City that’s Carlson’s Drive In. This real deal drive in opens at the end of every February and closes for the season in early October. Carlson’s is known for their all beef Eckrich Farms Hot Dogs topped with a tomato forward chili sauce and also made on site root beer. The latter of which is why you stop here. Since 1947.

Chili Dog and Root Beer at Carlson's Drive-In
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Ritz Klub Tavern (Michigan City)

I’m a little late to the party at Michigan City’s oldest tavern (est. 1890) but better late than never. I’d read good things about some big ass burgers served here so me and some friends rode over one day last summer while we were up in Michigan City for the boat race. The namesake Cheeseburger at the Ritz Klub is 3/4 lb of heavily seasoned, lightly smashed fresh ground beef served with a pile of fresh cut fries and it’s a damn good bar burger served up in a timeless setting. 

Cheeseburger at Ritz Klub Tavern
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Cool Runnings Restaurant & Bar (Michigan City)

A couple summers ago I got word from a reliable source about some jammin’ jerk chicken at Cool Runnings in Michigan City. With jerk chicken being my favorite prep of chicken I made sure to stop in last summer with a couple of friends on our way into Long Beach. I really like the setup which has the feel of a Northwoods Tavern except it’s decorated like an island bar and there’s reggae and what not on the jukebox. I kind of knew we were in for a treat not just bc my friend who knows good jerk chicken told me it was good but also bc there was a dense cloud of smoke hanging over the restaurant. I was right in my assessment as a plate of the jerk chicken with mac and cheese plus rice and peas was a banger. Cool Runnings has two locations including another in South Bend.

Jerk Chicken at Cool Runnings 
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If you liked this post you might also be interested in:

Eating BIG in Southwest Michigan

Eating BIG in South Bend (and beyond)

Eating / Drinking Tour of Hegewisch
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