How to Become a Foodie in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is hundreds of miles from culinary meccas like New York City and Paris, but it’s still possible to satisfy your foodie instincts in Indiana’s capital city. Here's how.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Start by experiencing outstanding food at the local restaurants foodies love. One of our favorites is R Bistro, where chef Regina Mehallick changes the menu weekly. Other top restaurants include Elements, Oakley’s Bistro and newcomers Meridian and L’Explorateur. Peterson’s, a local steakhouse, is often lauded for its fine desserts. (Reservations are recommended for all of these.)
2. Subscribe to the local magazines foodies read, including “Indianapolis Dine” and “Indianapolis Monthly.” The latter publishes a highly regarded annual list of the city’s best restaurants. It also offers a valuable e-mail newsletter, “The Dish,” that will keep you up to speed on local restaurant news.
3. Check local food blogs for restaurant news, cooking tips, recipes and more. Our favorite is “Feed Me Drink Me,” which is updated regularly with lots of valuable tidbits about the Indianapolis restaurant scene and cooking in general.
4. Invest in good ingredients by shopping at the city’s gourmet food shops. These include Frasier’s Gourmet Foods on East 96th Street and Vine & Table Gourmet Market in Carmel. Goose the Market on Delaware is noted for its meats but also has gourmet grocery items, produce and more.
5. Help support the Indianapolis culinary scene by buying local foods whenever possible. Because we’re in the heart of the Midwestern breadbasket, there’s almost always a way to go local. The award-winning dairy products from Traders Point Creamery are just one example. If you don’t have time to get to the farmers market or farm stores, have local products delivered to your door by Farm Fresh Delivery.
6. Itching to hone your own culinary skills? Sign up for a cooking class at Frasier’s Gourmet Foods, the Chef’s Academy or Ivy Tech Community College. Another popular option is the “Chef for a Day” program at Oakley’s Bistro. For $200, you get to spend a day as a sous chef and then come back for dinner to devour your work. Plus, you get a cool chef’s jacket.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't overlook regional, national and international resources, such as food magazines, blogs, cookbooks and television shows, that can help you build your culinary expertise.