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Coffee shops flowed into central Indiana this year, highlighted by 10 companies that launched new locations:
Barista Parlor, founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2012, opened in July in the renovated Stutz, 1060 N. Capitol Ave. Also in July, Louisville-based Please & Thank You expanded to Indianapolis with a spot at 849 Massachusetts Ave. Five years after the Thirsty Scholar coffee, beer and wine bar closed in the Penn Arts building, Dream Palace Books & Coffee welcomed customers in October at 111 E. 16th St. MOTW Coffee and Pastries opened its fourth local shop, 12761 Old Meridian St., Carmel, in April.
A new location of Tinker Coffee Co. opened in May at 360 E. Market St., where the residential tower hosted a Starbucks until 2020. Blue Mind Coffee Shop opened in February at 646 E. 38th St., a building that served as headquarters for the Indiana Pacers during the team’s ABA era. The Avenue Coffeehouse & Cafe became part of the Broad Ripple food and beverage scene in February. The shop supports not-for-profit Avenue Foundation Inc., which lists its mission as eliminating the racial wealth gap in central Indiana. Illumine Coffee Co., which originated as a beverage partner at the Indianapolis Art Center, opened in February at 8517 Westfield Blvd.
Garfield Park’s Skosh opened in November at 2555 Shelby St., where the business model combines a coffee bar with a home decor store. And Scooter’s Coffee, a drive-through concept that originated in Nebraska, opened locations in Fortville and Franklin in October.
Selected restaurant openings from January through mid-November:
January: Siam Star Asian Express, 890 E. 116th St., Carmel; a Lincoln Square Pancake House, 150 W. Market St.
February: Hovito Ultra Lounge, 234 S. Meridian St.; Blankus Luxury Lounge, 501 N. College Ave.; Doc B’s, Fashion Mall at Keystone; Agave & Rye Tequila and Bourbon Hall, 336 S. Delaware St.; a Carmel location of Le Macaron French Pastries, 14550 Clay Terrace Blvd.; Swensons Drive-In, 8894 E. U.S. 36, Avon
March: Georgia St. Rhythm & Blues Lounge, 28 W. Georgia St.; Gallery Pastry Shop, 4573 N. College Ave.; Open Kitchen, 4022 Shelby St.; K-Town Korean BBQ & Hot Pot, 9350 Michigan Road; an Irvington location of Scarlet Lane Brewing, 5632 E. Washington St.; Paradox Lounge, 1059 Virginia Ave.; Park & Rec, 247 S. Meridian St.
April: Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar, 320 S. Alabama St.; Los Arroyos, 137 E. New York St.; Beacon Off the Path, 2201 E. 46th St.; The Quarter, 925 E. Westfield Blvd.; Broad Ripple Bistro, 6331 Guilford Ave.
May: Vicino, 350 Massachusetts Ave.; Walk On’s Sports Bistreaux, 247 S. Meridian St.; a Broad Ripple location of Centerpoint Brewing, 6320 Guilford Ave.; a Nora location of Luciana’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantina, 9510 N. Meridian St.; Rush Bowls, 11649 Maple St., Fishers
June: Smash’d Burger Bar, 10 Johnson Ave.; an Amelia’s Bakery location at the Stutz; Nowhere Special, 608 Massachusetts Ave.; a Carmel location of King Dough, 12505 Old Meridian St.; Tha Daiquiri Factory, 1634 East St.; The Rejoicing Vine, 8440 W. 82nd St.; the reopened Liberty Street, 653 Massachusetts Ave.
July: Julieta Taco Shop at the Stutz; Turner’s Bar at the Stutz; Parlor Doughnuts, 805 W. 10th St.; Mr. Dan’s, 2611 E. 46th St.; A Cup of Chai, 1028 Shelby St.; HandleBar Hangar, 501 Madison Ave.
August: A Zionsville location of Cafe Patachou, 95 E. Pine St.; an Avon location of Chicken Salad Chick, 8782 E. U.S. 36.
September: Burgeezy, 335 W. Ninth St.; Paco’s Taqueira, 2902 W. 86th St.; Pig Pen BBQ at the Garage Food Hall; a Castleton location of Gaucho’s Fire Express, 3746 E. 82nd St.
October: Theo’s Italian, The Shops at Perry Crossing, Plainfield; Chicken Scratch, 121 W. Maryland St.; Bardales Seafood, 882 E. Coil St.; Slim Chickens, 5730 W. 86th St.; the rebuilt Kountry Kitchen, 1831 N. College Ave.; Gather 22, 22 E. 22nd St.; a Greenwood location of Chilly Water Brewing, 1480 Olive Branch Parke Lane; Stixx, 621 Fort Wayne Ave.
November: EggHolic, 1224 W. 86th St.; restaurant at RH Indianapolis, The Gallery at the DeHaan Estate, 4501 Michigan Road
Among prominent closures:
◗ Ember Urban Eatery Restaurant and Bar, 435 Virginia Ave.
◗ Wabash Brewing LLC, 5328 W. 79th St.
◗ Black Acre Brewing Co., three locations
◗ Indiana City Brewing Co., 24 Shelby St.
◗ Wildwood Market, 1015 Virginia Ave.
◗ Tiki Bob’s Cantina, 231 S. Meridian St.
◗ 3 Sisters Cafe, 6223 Guilford Ave.
◗ Hotel Tango Distillery, 10615 Zionsville Road, Zionsville
◗ Grumps Slice Stop, 2201 E. 46th St.
◗ Hoss Bar & Grill, 7870 E. 96th St., Fishers
◗ Doughnuts & Dragons, 3838 E. 82nd St.
◗ Green District, three locations.
◗ Mimi Blue, Fashion Mall
◗ Wine Market & Table, 1031 Virginia Ave.
◗ Rise’n Roll Bakery, 107 E. New York St.
◗ SweeTies Gourmet Treats, two locations
◗ Roots Burger Bar, 5711 E. 71st St.
◗ Studio Movie Grill, 3535 W. 86th St.
◗ Three Carrots, 920 Virginia Ave.
◗ Between the Bun, 2222 W. Southport Road
◗ Squealers, 5515 W. 86th St.•
Check out more year-in-review stories from 2023.
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