Every month, Indianapolis Monthly staffers head out across the region, to restaurants both familiar and new. It’s the best way to ensure our restaurant guide (which is also printed in the last pages of every issue) is as current and correct as possible. These four spots were our best discoveries—or rediscoveries—in recent weeks. Know of a spot that deserves a visit? Drop us a line and we’ll check it out.
King Dough
One star (out of three)
452 N. Highland Ave.
317-602-7960
$20-$30, no reservations
This industrial-feeling pizza spot from Adam and Alicia Sweet began as a student-friendly Bloomington destination in 2014. Now it’s a local mini-chain with three locations. The huge wood-burning pizza oven (named Thunder Dome) is the first thing diners see when they enter the space, and the open kitchen feels like a grown-up version of the exhibition pizzerias so popular in the 1980s. But this is present-day pizza, bubbly and charred, with seasonal toppings such as truffles and imported taleggio cheese.
McGinley’s Golden Ace Inn
1/2 star
2533 E. Washington St.
317-632-0696
$10-$20, no reservations
For 90 years, members of the McGinley family have been frying up cheeseburgers on the same cast iron pans John and Ann McGinley bought shortly after arriving in America. Those years of seasoning make for a delicious burger to line your stomach as you try (and fail) to keep up with the bar’s welcoming cast of regulars. Beer, shots, and whiskey are the drinks of the day here, not craft cocktails. That said, their multilayered Irish Flag shot must be seen to be believed.
Goose the Market
One star
2503 N. Delaware St.
317-924-4944
$10-$20, no reservations
This high-end butcher and seafood shop boasts one of the city’s strongest sandwich games, making this a dangerous proposition if you’re shopping for staples while feeling peckish. Its chalkboard menu is updated daily with a list of standards (including a kids’ grilled cheese), specials, and soups of the day. Its refrigerated cases display a selection of salads and nibbly little treats such as olives and cheeses. Keep an eye on its website or social media for additional offerings and special events, as it also hosts adventurous pop-up dinners with some of Indy’s most exciting chefs.
Terry Kirts
Taxman Brewing Co.
1.5 stars
13 S. Baldwin St., Bargersville
317-458-0210
$20-$30, reserve
It’s hard to believe that it’s been 10 years since Taxman transformed the face of Bargersville with its first location, a lofted and airy restaurant built in a long-fallow zone next to the railroad tracks. The family-friendly taproom is adjacent to the Belgian-style beer brand’s production facility, which plays into the industrial feel of the venue. There’s table and bar seating and—when the weather is right—a patio at which dogs are welcomed. The menu is standard gastropub fare done well, which means reliable burgers, the ubiquitous surf taco, and nachos, fries, and wings. The featured drinks are Taxman’s wide-ranging offerings, but there’s also a list of international wines and bubbles, a curated selection of craft cocktails, and an impressive range of spirits.
This article appeared in the July, 2024 issue of Indianapolis Monthly magazine. Subscribe today.
