Indianapolis Staples to Visit in 2022

A short two hour drive to Indianapolis makes for the perfect weekend getaway in 2022. Be sure to stop by these local historic eateries when you’re there.

Written by Neil Charles/Photographed by Dave Pluimer & Andrew Kung

St. Elmo Steak House

Established in 1902, St. Elmo Steak House, located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis has, over the years, earned its position as a bastion of the city’s fine dining scene, offering a robust menu aimed at the hungry carnivore with its selection of outstanding steaks from Meats by Linz and a wine list to rival almost any in the Midwest. In recent years, this sprawling establishment has become something of a cultural landmark, earning frequent mentions by pro football commentators, respected food critics and even featuring heavily in an episode of Parks & Recreation.

St. Elmo’s Bone-In Steak and Loaded Baked Potato

Weathering two world wars, the great depression and, perhaps most importantly, Prohibition, the fortunes of this legendary establishment ebbed and flowed until it was acquired by its current owners, Steve and Craig Huse, back in 1986. Since then, the menu has evolved, and the drinks list expanded beyond recognition since St. Elmo began life as a simple bar and chop house. Little about the essential décor and ambience (apart from expansion across three buildings) has changed much since then, however. Autographed pictures of the great, the good and the perhaps not-so-good adorn the walls. The ambience is that of a cozy gentleman’s dining club: one can almost smell the cigar smoke and hear the urgent back and forth of deals being made and broken over hearty steaks and tongue-loosening cocktails.

Today the restaurant doesn’t only reserve its best tables for politicos and captains of industry. It’s popular too with visiting artists, athletes and celebrities, as well as with a loyal and devoted clientele, who descend upon one of several dining rooms to consume almost 140,000 pounds of beef and 114,000 signature shrimp cocktails a year. The latter needs to be experienced for its sinus-clearing properties and endorphin rush. For more information, stelmos.com

Ambrosia

Since opening Ambrosia back in 1979, Restaurateur Gino Pizzi has seen and known pretty well everything and anyone of note in this city’s evolving dining scene, and has survived longer than most to tell the tale. Now at is second location after over thirty years in the heart of Broad Ripple, under the ownership of Gino’s daughter Anna and her former professional basketball player husband Daniel Cage, Ambrosia feels as comfortable and inviting as the original: a bit sharper and more contemporary, perhaps, but as cool and seamless as ever.

Ambrosia’s Linguine con Gamberi

Ambrosia’s menu is packed with old-school Italian favorites, such as the Ravioli della Mama and the Fettuccine alla Bolognese. The signature dessert, a rich, creamy and practically definitive tiramisu, is a recipe perfected by Gino’s late father, Giuseppe. Although Pizzi acknowledges that he attempted to remove some more dated items from the menu, he met with some resistance, such is the popularity of so many of his by now classic dishes. Ironically, though, much of the traditional cuisine is beginning to cycle back around. “A lot of what’s modern today is actually old stuff being reinvented. What your grandparents used to do is now back in style.”

Ambrosia’s Gamberi e Prosciutto

With 30 years under its belt, Ambrosia is now welcoming another generation of diners. History and continuity are close to the family’s heart: the walls of the restaurant are adorned with spectacular enlargements of photos taken in Italy back in the ’50s and ’60s. Like stills from some glorious early Fellini movie, they tell of days long past whose resonance is still felt. “Gino has a tremendous ability to connect with his guests,” says Dan. “I see myself as the caretaker of the business, and I want to protect his and my wife’s legacy.” For more information, visit ambrosiaindy.com