Sunday Dinner in Indy

[ewindels]

Folks, I've got some colleagues going to Indianapolis this Sunday 4/19 for a meeting the following day, and need to find someplace nice and not too raucous for dinner that night. I was hoping for Elements, but they're not open on Sundays. I'm shying away from steakhouses, which in NYC at least tend to be VERY raucous. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

[KCWilkinson]

Folks, I've got some colleagues going to Indianapolis this Sunday 4/19 for a meeting the following day, and need to find someplace nice and not too raucous for dinner that night.  I was hoping for Elements, but they're not open on Sundays.  I'm shying away from steakhouses, which in NYC at least tend to be VERY raucous.  Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

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Hmmm... Not a ton of options in Indy. There's the usual business dinner places like McCormick & Schmick or Cap Grille. Then there's the Oceanaire Seafood Room. If you're looking for something a little more relaxed and not so.... boring (to be frank) you could always hit up the Rathskeller. Great German food but also a variety for people who don't like German. Beer list is one of the best in the city.

Another good place is Cafe Nora up on 86th. It's a bit of a sleeper. In a very ugly building with an unassuming sign, if I hadn't been starving my girlfriend and I would have driven straight by it without trying it. It's nice. The food was really good, some Mediterranean with a little French twist. The wine list was pretty good too, for Indy.

If you're looking for super casual, Shapiro's Deli is a good place to go in and grab a quick sandwich or dinner.

[nsxtasy]

Many restaurants in Indy are indeed closed on Sundays, including some of my favorites (e.g. Oakley's Bistro, R Bistro, and Elements) as well as places I've been wanting to try (Peterson's, Scholar's Inn/SI Lounge).

Here are four nice places that I can recommend that are open on Sundays. The first three are all downtown, on the block that includes the Circle Center mall, although the restaurant entrances are from the street, not from the mall. I ate at three of these four (all but 14 West) this past weekend.

1. The Oceanaire (www.theoceanaire.com) is widely acclaimed as Indy's very best seafood restaurant, and with good reason. The seafood is superb and amazingly fresh, and there is a wide variety of preparations to suit all tastes. The decor is nautical, designed to resemble a cruise ship. Perfect for a business group; get one of their comfy booths. I've been there numerous times and I've never been disappointed.

2. 14 West (www.14westindy.com) is a contemporary American restaurant with lots of wood paneling. A very nice place with good food. If the weather is nice, consider the outdoor sidewalk seating.

3. Palomino (www.palomino.com) has a bit more casual feel to it than the previous two places. It's a ten-location chain that is part of the Restaurants Unlimited restaurant group (which includes Kincaid's, with a location in Carmel). The Palomino website describes the food as "Palomino's European-inspired regional American Cuisine"; more specifically, there was a distinctly Mediterranean feel to several dishes I had.

4. If you're not right downtown, but are instead north or northeast of downtown, I recommend Z's Oyster Bar and Steakhouse (www.zsoyster.com) in the Castleton area northeast of downtown, near where I-69 crosses I-465. The restaurant is lovely, with classy contemporary décor. They also have a large outdoor patio overlooking a small lake, and they offer al fresco dining in warmer weather (they said this should be starting a few weeks from now). They have extremely fresh seafood specially flown in, and the preparations are excellent. Although the decor/atmosphere are not your typical steakhouse, they do an excellent job with steaks and meats as well.