Six months into 2024, Indianapolis has been busy.
The city hosted NBA All-Stars in February and Olympic swimmers in June. In April, the Fever welcomed the biggest name in women's basketball, perhaps in American sports. The sun even disappeared from the Central Indiana sky for a few minutes earlier that month.
Through it all, there's been at least one constant: The ceaseless churn of Indy's dining scene. Several exciting concepts have cropped up around town, while a handful of storied staples have said farewell.
As we round into the back half of 2024, here are the restaurants that have opened, reopened and closed so far.
Restaurants that have opened so far in 2024
American cuisine
Chucky-D Chicken
139 E. Ohio St., (317) 315-8888, chuckydus.com, opened June 4
American fast food gets an Asian twist at the flagship location of this budding fried chicken restaurant, which moves into the former home ofPunch Burger’s downtown location. Chucky-D’s offerings include chicken wings, tenders, skewers and sandwiches, plus sides such as stout potato cake fries. Patrons can dunk their fried fare in a variety of sauces such as Korean BBQ, mango habanero and honey garlic soy. Chucky-D also sells fruit-forward sodas, teas and smoothies.
Mambo's Cheesesteak Grill, Salesforce Tower
111 Monument Circle Suite 120, mamboscheesesteakgrill.com, opened July 9
While the closure of City Market shuttered the original Mambo's, the cheesesteak outfit has maintained booths at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and The AMP at 16 Tech. Last week it opened a new brick-and-mortar location in Salesforce Tower. Situated next to the recently closed Yolk location, Mambo's brings its renowned cheesesteaks and other sandwiches to the corner of Pennsylvania and Ohio streets.
Asian cuisine
CM Korean Fried Chicken
8395 E. 116thSt., Fishers, (317) 537-2229, cmchickenin.com, opened Feb. 22
Not to be confused with thenational chain of the same name,CM Chickenin Fishers serves up sweet and spicy fried chicken alongside other Korean staples including stir-fried rice cakes and kimchi pancakes.
Aroma Experience
885 Monon Green Blvd., Suite 108, Carmel, (317) 993-3021, aromaindy.com, opened March 12
Aroma Indian Cuisineopened its third location in the Indianapolis area at Carmel City Center, introducing an upscale flair to its menu. On top of staples like samosas and butter chicken, Aroma Experience offers new dishes such as coconut curried salmon.
Haveli Indian Restaurant
6334 Guilford Ave.,(317) 974-9211, havelirestaurant.com, opened March 19
There's something for nearly every fan of South Asian cuisine at Haveli in Broad Ripple, whether you like to play it safe with chicken tikka masala and garlic naan or want to branch out with braised lamb or tandoori swordfish.
Sake Maru
5320 E 82nd St,(317) 516-5113, sakemaruindy.com, opened mid-April
Castleton Crossing has a new spot for sushi, donburi, ramen and several other traditional Japanese dishes. From shrimp tempura to wagyu tartare, curious diners have plenty to explore atSake Maru.
Mt Fuji
49 W. Maryland St., (317) 600-3158, opened April 29
One of Circle Centre'snewest culinary additionsoffers sushi, ramen, noodles and other Japanese dishes ranging from less than $10 to an $80 party platter. There's also bubble tea and a full bar.
Harmony Fine Ramen
8505 Keystone Crossing, (317) 755-2131, opened early May
Upscale noodle and rice dishes abound at Harmony, which opened at Keystone at the Crossing. On top of flavors like salty miso and creamy tonkotsu, diners can sample gyoza, seasonal vegetables and donburi.
Bars and breweries
Bier Brewery Noblesville
1618 10thSt., Noblesville, (317) 444-8500, bierbrewery.com/noblesville, opened March 16
Bier Brewery’sthird locationfeatures a 6,000-square-foot taproom, an outdoor patio, a dog park and a playground for children across a four-acre property. Guests 21 and over can enjoy a variety of German- and Belgian-style beers, wine and spirits. Classic pub food is available for non-drinking patrons. The family-friendly brewery is Bier’s largest location.
The GOAT
220 2nd St. SW,Carmel,thegoatisdope.com, reopened March 21
Carmel'sonce-controversialGreatest of All Taverns returned to Midtown with practically no fanfare in late March. In mid-April, a spokesperson for the The GOAT confirmed to IndyStar the bar had reopened following amonths-long back-and-forthwith Carmel's Board of Zoning Appeals. The menu and the venue are still works in progress, but for now The GOAT is back serving upscale pub fare and a variety of drinks just off the Monon Trail.
Related: The GOAT is (mostly) reopened in Carmel. Here's why.
Guggman Haus 46thStreet Taproom
4601 N. College Ave., guggmanhausbrewing.com, opened June 19
Indianapolis brewery Guggman Haus’ second full-service taproom features roughly 50 indoor seats, plus a dog-friendly patio overlooking 46th Street in SoBro. Guggman Haus’ myriad German-style beers are available on tap, plus an impressively varied appetizer and sandwich menu.
Happy hour is back in Indiana: Drink specials return to Indiana bars and restaurants
Cafés and coffee shops
Indie Coffee Roasters Noblesville
196 Westfield Road, Noblesville, (317) 900-4197, indiecoffeeroasters.com, opened Feb. 14
TheCarmel-based roasteryopened its fourth location on Valentine’s Day, bringing a variety of South American and East African blends to Noblesville.
Command Coffee
55 Monument Circle, (317) 492-9199, commandcoffee.com, opened Feb. 19
Commandopened its second location at theformer site of the Monument Circle Starbucks. You’ll find a variety of hot and iced drinks, plus a small food menu at Command, where milk alternatives including oat and coconut come at no additional cost.
Mariam Coffee Fishers and Broad Ripple
11809 Allisonville Road, Fishers, (317) 749-3621, opened March 5; 6280 N College Ave, (260) 221-5236, opened May 24, mariamcoffee.com
Istanbul-basedMariam Coffeeopened itsfirst United States locationin Fishers and a second shortly thereafter in Broad Ripple, selling a variety of hot drinks and Middle Eastern confectionaries. Mariam currently operates in seven countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.
Yafa Golden Coffee
14160 Mundy Drive, Noblesville, yafa*goldencoffee.comopened June 6
A few months after Fishers welcomed Istanbul-basedMiriam Coffee, Hamilton County received another infusion of Middle Eastern brews with the opening ofYafa Golden Coffeein Noblesville. The Yemeni roaster offers macarons, honey cake and tea alongside the fruity, distinctly aromatic coffee characteristic of the Arabian Peninsula.
Borage
1609 N. Lynhurst Drive, (317) 734-3958, borageeats.com, opened June 12
Nearly every dish at Borage is one Josh Kline and Zoë Taylor have cooked for each otherthroughout their relationship, which began nearly 10 years ago with the pair sharing a kitchen at acclaimed Fletcher Place brunch spot Milktooth. The menu winds from understated breakfast plates to intensely herby flatbread sandwiches and an impressive pastry spread. Whether you pop in for a croissant and coffee or come for dinner, you’ll likely encounter new flavors at this much-anticipated Speedway spot.
New eats in Speedway: Borage opens after two-year delay
Gina's Juice Bar
6311 E. Westfield Blvd. Suite 105, (317) 927-8177, opened June 15
Self-billed as a body-positive juice and smoothie bar, Gina's offers a fruit-forward blend of cold and hot drinks ($4 to $8.50), açai bowls (around $12) and herb-forward "wellness shots" ($4). Customers can also snack on avocado and peanut butter toasts ($9), cold overnight oats and chia pudding ($5 to $6). Gina's moved into the former home of Amish bakery chain Rise'n Roll, which closed its Broad Ripple and downtown locations last September.
Ice cream and desserts
Canal Creamery
6349 Guilford Ave., (317) 377-4551, thecanalcreamery.com, opened March 4
Canal Bistrohas its own ice cream shop. The aptly namedCanal Creamerydishes out a blend of classic and novelty ice cream flavors with plenty of toppings behind a cozy pink storefront situated right next to the Central Canal in Broad Ripple. Fans of Canal Bistro's homemade baklava can find it in the Creamery's baklava shake and sundae.
Bizarre ice cream Seven unusual ice cream flavors to try around Indianapolis
The Cavity Factory
1354 Shelby St. B,facebook.com/thecavityfactory, opened April 6
Owner Destinee Smith's hot pink food truck andno-holds-barred cookiesgarnered plenty of social media chatter last year, leading to a ghost kitchen and now a brick-and-mortar bake shop on the near southside. True to its name, the Cavity Factory offers an array of unforgivingly sugary treats. Look no further than the crookie: cookie dough stuffed inside and layered on top of a croissant.
National chain restaurants
World Famous HotBoys
4335 W. 106th St., Carmel, (317) 344-0683, worldfamoushotboys.com, opened Jan. 13
The Oakland, California-basedfried chicken chainfirst arrived in Indianapolis in Fountain Square in 2022. The Carmel location is HotBoys’ fifth, bringing spicy fried chicken, crinkle-cut fries and a biscuit-donut hybrid fittingly called Bonuts to Hamilton County.
Parlor Doughnuts Fishers
13588 Bent Grass Lane, Unit 107, Fishers, (317) 219-5306, parlordoughnuts.com/fishers-in, opened Feb. 9
Parlorhas exploded to more than 30 locations in 16 states since opening in Evansville in 2019, with Fishers marking the franchise’s tenth shop in the Hoosier state.Small, colorful batches of sweet dough are the name of the game at Parlor, which sells Cronut-adjacent pastries in flavors like Bourbon caramel, raspberry pistachio, s’mores and cookies and cream.
Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux
11655 Fishers Corner Blvd., (463) 252-9255, walk-ons.com, opened May 6
Just four months after the Drew Brees-backed sports bar chainclosed its downtown location,Walk-On'sreopened in Fishers. The Cajun-inspired eatery features classic pub fare like wings and burgers as well as southern dishes including po' boys, étouffée, fried catfish and shrimp and grits.
Fishers gets new sports bar Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux opens four months after closing downtown
Pizza and Italian cuisine
Sam's Square Pie
2829 E. 10th St., opened Feb. 2
Pizza chef and former NFL Skycam operator Jeff Miner began slinging square pan pizzas at pop-ups in early 2020, opening hisbrick-and-mortar locationon the Near Eastside over three years later.
Hey Now Pizza
607 Main St., Beech Grove, opened April 16
At the former home of Ball Park Pizza,which closed in 2022, Hey Now Pizza brings classic pizzeria options with the occasional upscale twist. Themenu features sandwiches and salads alongside pizzas with toppings ranging from pepperoni and black olives to pecans and morel mushrooms.
Tre on Main
10 E. Main St., Carmel,(317) 669-6580, treonmain.com,opened April 26
Following the success of hisSangiovese Ristoranteeateries, restaurateur Chris Evansbrought his brand of high-end Italianfare to Carmel's Arts and Design District. Tre's temporaryopening menuhas all the hits — meatballs, burrata salad, lasagna and osso bucco, with no shortage of fine wines to wash it all down.
Rosemary and Olive
870 Massachusetts Ave., (317)-426-2529, rosemaryandoliveindy.com, opened May 28
Four months after Mimi Blueshuttered its originaland last remaining location, Italian eatery Rosemary and Olive has taken its place on the northern tip of Mass Ave. Rosemary and Olive is a venture from the restaurateurs behindGreek Islandsdowntown,Giorgio’s Pizzaon Monument Circle andAmbrosiain Broad Ripple. The menu features rich pasta, meatballs, seafood and olive-heavy salads.
Steakhouses, seafood and fine dining
Commission Row
110 S. Delaware St., (317) 550-2500, commissionrow.com, opened Jan. 22
Owned by Pacers Sport and Entertainment and operated by Cunningham Restaurant Group,Commission Rowis a three-story venue complete with a steakhouse, speakeasy and private event space. Executive chef Corey Fuller’s menu goes big on seafood and prime cuts, while the basem*nt bar, Mel’s, offers an expansive co*cktail menu in a cozy speakeasy setting.
Harmony Steakhouse
5145 Noggle Way,(317) 300-1024, harmonysteakhouse.com, opened April 26
The Whitestown-based Japanese steakhouse's third location opened at the southern edge of South Perry Township just north of Greenwood. Harmony offers a wide spread of sushi, ramen and hibachi dishes; entrees range from a $14 eel and cucumber roll to an $80 meal for two featuring lobster, filet mignon, shrimp, chicken, scallops and sides.
Tiburon Coastal Cuisine
8701 E. 116thSt., Fishers, (317) 593-5003, tiburoncoastal.com, opened June 17
Fans of Monterey Cuisine in Carmel will recognize much of the fare at sister restaurant Tiburon Coastal Cuisine, which sits just off the intersectionofFishers’ Nickel Plate Trail and 116thStreet. Pacific flavors including sushi, ramen and fish tacos, plus an expansive co*cktail selection, highlight the menu at this upscale seafood spot.
Restaurants that have closed in 2024
American cuisine
Rooster’s Kitchen
888 Massachusetts Ave., closed Dec. 31
Rooster’s moved into the former home of fine dining restaurant R. Bistro, which served Mass Ave customers for 15 years before closing in early 2016. Chicago transplant Ross Katz’s menu featured upscale comfort food and craft beer. After more than seven years, Rooster’sannounced on Facebookthat it would close at the end of 2023. Following the closure, the Mass Ave property was briefly occupied by Mass and Belle Taphouse under the same ownership.
Mimi Blue Meatballs
807 Massachusetts Ave., closed Jan. 30
The Mass Ave favoriteclosed its original and last remaining location, citing mounting operational costs. Mimi Blue opened in 2015 as a collaboration between Zionsville-based development company Kosene & Kosene and Sangiovese Ristorante owner Chris Evans. Co-owner Gerald Kosene said he would mourn the loss of a gathering space for Mimi customers, particularly the LGBTQ+ community that frequented the restaurant’s monthly drag brunches. Italian eatery Rosemary and Olive moved into the space in late May.
Apocalypse Burger
115 E. 49thSt., closed March 9
Won’t Stop HospitalityIncopened Apocalypse Burgeras a short-term pop-up during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After nearly four years, the Meridian Kessler eatery smashed its final patty. In anInstagram post, Apocalypse Burger thanked its patrons, sarcastically questioned how Massachusetts-based chain Wahlburgers was still in business — ironically enough, Wahlburgers closed its Carmel location less than four months later — and said Won’t Stop Hospitality will refocus resources toward growing Café Patachou.
Best burger in Indy: Over 100K votes cast in Indy's Best Burger Bracket. See who won.
The Iron Skillet
2489 W. 30th St., closed May 11
Opened in 1953, the Iron Skillet finally pan-fried its last piece of chicken in May. Owner Ronald Torr, who purchased the Skillet in 1996, cited staffing issues and ongoing construction on the nearby 30th street bridge for the closure.
West side loses iconic restaurant Iron Skillet closes after 70 years of pan-fried chicken dinners
Mass and Belle Taphouse
888 Massachusetts Ave., closed late June
Owners Jay and Becky Douglas opened Mass and Belle Taphouse in late February, two months after the pair elected to shutter Rooster's Kitchen at the same north Mass Ave storefront. Named for its place at the intersection of Mass Ave and Bellefontaine Street, Mass and Belle Taphouse offered craft beer and sports bar fare including Minnesota's famed cheese-stuffed Juicy Lucy hamburgers. Attempts to reach the Douglases to confirm the restaurant's permanent closure have been unsuccessful, but the eatery hasn't opened for service in weeks, multiple patrons have reported it closed on Google and Yelp and its website is no longer active.
Asian cuisine
Bangkok Restaurant and Jazz Bar
225 E. Ohio St., closed March 23
After over a decade, theBangkok’s run on Ohio Streetconcludedwith the end of its lease. The block on which Bangkok operated will be part of a two-year,$175 million redevelopment projectthat aims to build apartments and parking spaces and renovate City Market.
House of Cheung
2460 E. 71stSt., closed June 30
After 45 years, this storied Ravenswood Chinese-American eatery closed with the retirement of owners Peter and Mei Cheung. Peter opened House of Cheung in 1979 with his mother, Chui King Lam, while his uncle, Paul, owned and operated fellow Chinese-American restaurant Mandarin Inn at 3775 College Ave. until 1992. In a post onHouse of Cheung’s Yelp page, Peter thanked longtime customers for years of loyalty. “Our family is very happy and proud to be part of such a wonderful Indianapolis neighborhood for so many years,” he said.
Bars and breweries
Scarlet Lane Brewing Irvington
5632 E. Washington St., closed Feb. 25
Afterclosing two locationsin December,Scarlet Laneclosed its Irvington tap houseand pizza parlor just before it would have hit one year in business. Known for its horror-themed beers, Scarlet Lane struggled to keep up with operational costs since the COVID-19 pandemic. The brewery’s Beech Grove and flagship McCordsville locations remain open.
Memento Zero Proof
8701 E. 116th St., Fishers
Billed as Indiana's first sober bar,Mementoopened its brick-and-mortar lounge last October, pouring coffee by day and alcohol-free co*cktails by night. In anInstagram post, owners Max Gavin and Shwa Hall said they couldn't reach an agreement with their landlord, forcing Memento to close.
Cafés and coffee shops
Landlocked Baking Company and Chalet
5555 N. Illinois St. and 118 S. Audubon Road, closed April 21
After struggling to keep pace financially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Indianapolis-based Small Victories Hospitality closedChaletandLandlocked Baking Company.
Chalet opened in Butler-Tarkington in 2022, offering a ski lodge atmosphere with hot drinks, wine and an Alpine-inspired menu. Tinker Coffee plans to open a new location at the former Chalet side in late summer.
Landlocked launched in fall 2020 on the same block as Small Victories' ramen barStrange Bird, quickly becoming a neighborhood staple. The closings are part of a broader consolidation effort from Small Victories to refocus efforts on Strange Bird.
So long, Landlocked: Landlocked Baking Company, Chalet close as Small Victories Hospitality consolidates
MOTW Coffee Castleton
6706 E. 82nd St., closed early July
Carmel-based MOTW (Muslims of the World) Coffee announced the closure of its Castleton location with a note posted to the shop's front door. The note, attributed to MOTW staff, attributed the closure to the end of the store's lease and said the location would move to Illinois. On June 23, MOTW announced on Facebook the opening of its Naperville, Illinois location, the chain's second in the Prairie State. MOTW still has three Indiana locations: in Eagledale, in Fishers and Carmel.
City Market eateries
222 E. Market St., closed Feb. 29
After years of declining business amid reduced foot traffic downtown,City Marketclosed for a renovation project expected to last into 2026.
Farewell to City Market: City Market vendors mull future as venue faces two-year closure
While some vendors would like to return when the market reopens, few think it likely. You can follow their social media pages or check their websites for possible updated locations. The eateries include:
AB Mobile Kitchen, formerly Maxine’s Chicken and Waffles, sold comfort food including fried fish and chicken and macaroni and cheese. Catering orders are still available through the eatery's website.
Ameer Middle Eastern Cuisineoffered classics like shawarma and falafel.
Café Oliviapoured a variety of hot drinks. It has since moved to the first floor of Regions Tower at 211 N. Pennsylvania St. and is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cath Coffee and Tea House, in business since 1984, served up craft lattes and other hot drinks alongside breakfast bites.
Chef Wuan’s Kitchen, offered classics like fried fish, chicken and crinkle cut fries along with curveballs like grilled cheese sloppy Joes and taco pasta.
Just Cookiesclosed for good. Owners Lily and David Stockton baked and decorated a mosaic of cookies for more than 30 years.
Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grillcan still be found at Pacers games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and theAMP at 16 Tech. Mambo's also opened a brick-and-mortar location in the Salesforce Tower at 111 Monument Circle at the corner of South Pennsylvania Street and East Ohio Street on July 9, so no need to say goodbye to their creative twists on the Philly staple.
Mauricio’s Pizzasold pies by the slice alongside pasta, breadsticks and salad.
T Street Eatzbranded its variety of wings, fried fish, thick-cut fries and peach cobbler as elevated comfort food. The eatery has since pivoted to catering and private events only, available through T Street's website.
Tapatia Mexican Grillchurned out lunch specials and combos full with Latin flavor.
Tomlinson Tap Roomraised one last glass Feb. 28 after years of pouring several brews at affordable prices.
National chain restaurants
World of Beer
409 Massachusetts Ave., closed Dec. 31
World of Beershuttered its downtown Indy location after five years. The Florida-based brewery chain has 40 locations throughout the United States, pouring about 300 different craft beers alongside classic pub food. The Mass Ave brewery was World of Beer’s only location in Indiana.
Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
247 S. Meridian St., closed Jan. 14
In May 2023, the Louisiana-basedCajun-inspired eaterymoved into the former street-level homeof After 6 nightclub, which closed in 2022 alongside upstairs neighbors Taps and Dolls and 247 Sky Lounge. Building owner and Walk-On’s franchisee Todd Johnson opened the family-friendly restaurant in the hopes of revitalizing a venue with arecent history of safety concerns. Shortly after Walk-On’s vice president of communications Andy Izquierdo said the franchise would relocate elsewherein the Indy metro area, Walk-On's opened a Fishers location in early May.
HopCat Broad Ripple
6280 N. College Ave., closed Jan. 28
After 10 years in the heart of Broad Ripple, the Michigan-basedbrewery chainannounced on Facebookthat it wouldpull out of the Hoosier State. It left behind a still-vacant, high-profile location along the Red Line near the Central Canal.
Red Lobster
1752 Shadeland Ave., closed May 17
One of87 closuresacross 27 states, the Shadeland Avenue Red Lobster was a casualty in the global seafood chain'srecent bankruptcy. Red Lobster's Elkhart location also closed.
Wahlburgers
1200 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel, closed June 30
The Hingham, Massachusetts-based burger chain — started in 2011 by chef Paul Wahlberg and his actor-singer brothers, Mark and Paul — arrived in Carmel in April 2021 amid the company's plans to open multiple Central Indiana locations. After just over two years of serving burgers, craft beer and other pub fare, the Carmel Wahlburgers joined several others nationwide that recently closed.
Pizza and Italian cuisine
Osteria Carmel
11505 N. Illinois St., Carmel, closed May 25
Osteria, a venture from celebrity chef and restaurateur Fabio Viviani, operated for three years next toCarmel's Market District. In aFacebook post, Osteria assured fans of its pasta, wood-fired pizzas and assorted Italian fare that the closure is more of a "see you later," and to watch for another Viviani concept in the near future.
Steakhouses, seafood and fine dining
Blupoint Coastal Kitchen
5858 N. College Ave. D, closed April 27
Indianapolis restaurateur Gino Pizzi's oyster bar concept concluded its second run this month. Pizzi opened Blupoint Oyster Bar on Westfield Boulevard in Broad Ripple in the 1980s, closed it after a few years and reopened as Blupoint Coastal Kitchen on College Avenue in 2019. Blupointdid not renew its lease, although in a farewellFacebook post, Blupoint told its customers, "We hope to see you soon on another shore." In late May, Pizzi helped open Rosemary and Olive on Mass Ave as a co-owner.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indy-area restaurants that have opened and closed so far in 2024
