INDIANAPOLIS — Indy Local Foodies (if you know, you know), rejoice! Indianapolis is getting credited as one of the 11 best up-and-coming culinary destinations in the United States by none other than Food & Wine, the self-proclaimed "ultimate authority" on the best food, drink and travel trends.
Food & Wine's inaugural list of the next great food cities included the seven most exciting big cities and four smaller towns with big food scenes.
Indianapolis was among the seven under-the-radar but deserves to be in the spotlight, big cities that have a food scene bound to delight any person with a growling stomach.
The Circle City has a new guard of food entrepreneurs that Food & Wine said are "striving to make Indy a city where everyone can eat well." And eat well, we do. It also celebrated Indy for being one of the few cities that have truly diverse cuisines in addition to affordable and quality dining options and a mix of personalities championing food access for all.
So what places did Food & Wine say really stood out in Indy? To start, downtown's Gallery Pastry Bar which features an open-air kitchen, incredible decorations and even more incredible desserts.
Next up was Amelia's Bread, the sister business of Bluebeard, located in Fletcher's Place.
If you want a drink to wind you up in the morning, Food & Drink recommends Amberson Coffee & Grocer in Fletcher's Place, where the owner pours your lattes into glass jars to eliminate single-use plastics.
Looking for a drink to wind down with at night? Food & Drink says Fountain Square's speakeasy, The Commodore, is the place to be.
And naturally, Food & Drink mentioned some of the city's favorite spots including the LUME at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, where people can sip wine while diving into a multisensory exhibit. Plus, the Garage Food Hall, the Bottleworks Hotel and the AMP, a food hall helping minority-owned concepts with low rent and creative freedom.
And these incredible food destinations are just the tip of the iceberg with places like St. Elmo, Shapiro's Deli, Livery and Iozzo's all omitted. So basically, if you're hungry, come to Indy. We promise to have your belly and heart (because Hoosier hospitality!) full by the time you leave.
Food & Wine's full list of cities includes:
These 7 "most exciting up-and-coming big cities for food lovers":
- Boise, Idaho
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Tucson, Arizona
And, these four "small cities with impressive food scenes worth checking out":
- Biddeford, Maine
- Bozeman, Montana
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Greenville, South Carolina
