As the country celebrates Juneteenth, here are 40 Black-owned restaurants to check out
VisitIndy and indyblackbusineses.com both maintain comprehensive registries of Black-owned businesses in the Indianapolis area, including restaurants. You can find 40 eateries listed below, from upscale lounges to neighborhood ice cream shops and plenty of soul food.
Axum Ethiopian Restaurant
825 N. Pennsylvania St., 317.493.1139, facebook.com/Aaxum21
This downtown Ethiopian eatery, located right by the Central Library, serves heaping platefuls of spongy injera flatbread topped with stews (wot) and semi-dry meat stir fries (tibs). The berbere-spiced lamb awaze tibs ($23) offer a hearty option for heat seekers, while the atakilt wot ($21) marries chopped Ethiopian greens, potatoes and aromatic vegetables in a mild, vegetarian-friendly medley.
INdulge: Spicy lamb at downtown Ethiopian restaurant is best thing I ate in Indy this week
More Black-owned restaurants that serve East African cuisine: Abyssinia (5352 W. 38th St., 317.299.0608, abyssiniaindy.com), Lete's Injera & Café (2927 W. 10th St., 317.667.7587, leteinjeracafe.square.site), Major Restaurant (1150 S. Mickley Ave., 317.240.2700, yelp.com/biz/major-restaurant-east-african-authentic-food-indianapolis-2)
The Jollof Buka
2501 W. Washington St., 317.384.1575, thejollofbuka.menufy.com
This westside restaurant specializes in the cuisine of Nigeria and Ghana, with a menu full of rich stews, starchy grain dumplings called swallows and the signature spiced rice dish of West Africa called jollof.
More Black-owned restaurants that serve West African cuisine: Barry's African Restaurant (4253 Lafayette Road, 463.888.7007, barrysafricanrestaurant.com), Mega Suya (3081 N. High School Road, 317.672.6186, instagram.com/megasuyabarandgrill)
Bar-B-Q Heaven
2515 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St., 317.926.1667 and 877 E. 30th St., 317.283.0035, barbqueheaven1952.com
This 73-year-old Indianapolis staple sells just about every form of smoked and sauced meat you can fathom, from pig's feet to turkey ribs. Bar-B-Q Heaven's no-frills, all-flavor reputation has made it one of Indy's biggest names in barbecue since owner and longtime pitmaster Ronald Jones began selling barbecue outside the Frederick Douglass Park on the east side as an 11-year-old.
INdulge: INdulge: This BBQ dish was best thing I ate in Indy this week
Pa and Ma's Backyard BBQ
2621 Dr. M.L.K. Jr. St., 317.835.1695, facebook.com/pamasbackyardbbq
The mother-daughter duo of Monica and Brockelle Nelson carry on the legacy of Evansville native and longtime Indy resident George Nelson (Monica's husband and Brockelle's father), who last year was shot and killed outside the restaurant he first opened on 27th and Rader Street in 2007. Pa and Ma's, named for George and Monica, serves smoked meat and soul food in a casual family setting. Last fall the eatery appeared on an episode of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," where celebrity chef-host Guy Fieri lauded George's chicken and dumplings.
More Black-owned barbecue restaurants: King Ribs (3145 W. 16th St., 317.488.0223 and 4130 N. Keystone Ave., 317.543.0841, kingribsbbq.com), Gip Got Tips (2073 N. Emerson Ave., 317.258.1447, gipgottips.com)
Just Wing'n It
7834 Michigan Road, 317.471.1020, facebook.com/justwingnitindy
This Crooked Creek sports bar serves up pizza, pasta, sandwiches and, indeed, wings, in an all-ages setting lined with TV screens.
Papa Bears Chicken
1938 E. 46th St., (317) 253-2697
Owner, chef and lone employee Kelvin Brasher hawks wings, fries, ribs, pizzas and more from his carry-out venture just off 46th Street and Keystone Avenue. The one-man show operates seven days per week, open until 3 a.m. on weekends.
The Coffee Den
201 S. Capitol Ave., 317.500.4333, coffeedenindy.com
Situated in the first floor of the Pan Am Tower across from the Indiana Convention Center, the Coffee Den brews hot and iced drinks and offers a slim selection of to-go sandwiches and breakfast items.
Tea's Me Café
140 E. 22nd St., 317.920.1016, 3967 N. Illinois St., 317.518.7536 and 420 University Blvd., 317.432.0022, teasmeindy.com
Acquired by WNBA champion and Indiana Fever great Tamika Catchings in 2017, Tea's Me's three Indianapolis locations serve inexpensive breakfast and lunch fare ($11.25 and under) with a robust selection of cold and hot loose-leaf teas.
Shadow Lounge
2380 E. 54th St., 317.974.9288, shadowloungeindy.com
Chef Tia Wilson, who previously helmed the popular wing joint Chicken Scratch downtown, has crafted an upscale menu with dishes like lamb "lollipops" ($30), jerk lamb pasta ($35) and high-end takes on popular bar foods at this 21+ eatery on the northeast side. The food, plus a full bar and live music, has made Shadow Lounge a popular haunt since it opened last August.
Other Black-owned lounges in Indianapolis: Arden Café and Lounge (6 W. Washington St., 317.401.3848, ardenindy.com), BlankUS Luxury Lounge (501 N. College Ave., 317.734.3161, facebook.com/BlankUSLuxuryLounge), Kulture Bar and Bistro (7038 Shore Terrace, 317.222.4964, kultureindy.com), Living Room Lounge (934 N. Pennsylvania St., 317.635.0361, facebook.com/LivingRoomLoungeIndy)
Yaso Jamaican Grill
1501 Prospect St., 317.744.0011, yasogrill.com
Curried goat, jerk chicken and Jamaica's national dish of ackee and saltfish ($16 to $23) headline the menu at this popular Fountain Square Jamaican spot. A rotation of daily specials offers plenty of opportunities for those unfamiliar with island cuisine to try something new.
More Black-owned restaurants that sell Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine: Da Blue Lagoon (11705 Pendleton Pike, 317.855.3778, dabluelagoon.com), Jamaican Breeze (4189 N. Keystone Ave., 317.426.4045, jamaicanbreezeindy.com), Scotchy Jamaican Grill (inside the Fishers Test Kitchen at 9713 District N. Drive, Fishers, fisherstestkitchen.com)
His Place Eatery
6916 E. 30th St., 317.545.4890 and 1141 W. 86th St., 317.790.3406, hisplaceeatery.com
Owner James Jones has loved barbecue and soul food since he took in the smells of nearby church potlucks as a kid growing up in downtown Indy. In 2009 he opened the first of two His Place Eateries, both of which serve James' blend of smoked meats and comfort staples like ribs ($18 to $21), chicken and dumplings ($17), collard greens grilled cheese ($18) and sweet twists on chicken and waffles like red velvet, churro and peach cobbler (around $20).
More: His Place Eatery appears on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.' Here's what makes it special
Kountry Kitchen
1831 N. College Ave., 317.635.6000, kountrykitchenindy.com
This Indianapolis institution, whose dining room has welcomed guests ranging from Shaquille O'Neal to Barack Obama, has carried on its tradition of artisanal soul food since it reopened in October 2023, three years after a 2020 fire destroyed the original Kountry Kitchen. Dishes like oxtail and grits ($23), rib tips ($22) and shrimp and grits ($22) with a slew of comfort sides have made Kountry Kitchen an Indianapolis favorite for decades.
More soul food restaurants in Indianapolis: The Grub House (1953 N. College Ave., 317.974.9089, grubhouseindy.com), Healthy Soul Indy (inside The AMP food hall at 1220 Waterway Blvd., 317.210.0345, healthysoulindy.com) SouthPaw Soul Kitchen (3351 Central Ave., 317.794.9349, facebook.com/SouthPawCatering)
Black Leaf Vegan Café
335 W. 9th St., 317.560.4222, blackleafvegan.com
A blend of vegetarian dishes and imitation meats headline the menu at Black Leaf, located just off the Downtown Canal. From an egg-less bagel sandwich ($7) to jackfruit potato stew ($9) and vegan cinnamon rolls ($4.25), Black Leaf accomodates those on plant-based diets.
Burgeezy
335 W. 9th St., 317.419.2180, burgeezy.com
Situated along the Downtown Canal, Burgeezy offers visually striking plant impersonations of American carnivores' favorite flavors, with animal-free versions of burgers, fried chicken and breakfast sausage ($10 to $20).
LiftOff Creamery
111 E. 16th St., 317.426.2641, 5539 E. Washington St., 317.419.3885 and 1280 U.S. Highway 31 N., Greenwood, 317.300.1737, liftoffcreamery.com
Veteran commercial airline pilot Ryan Lynch pays homage to his career with the aviation-themed ice cream at LiftOff Creamery in the Old Northside. Each of the brand's three shops offers a staggering variety of flavors, often as many as 80 at a time.
More Black-owned dessert vendors in Indianapolis: Cretia Cakes Bake Shop (1435 Chase Court, Carmel, 317.929.1560, cretiacakes.com), Gordon's Milkshake Bar (865 Massachusetts Ave., facebook.com/milkshakeindy), Punkin's Pies (inside The AMP food hall at 1220 Waterway Blvd., punkinspies.com), Scoopz Ice Cream (inside The AMP food hall at 1220 Waterway Blvd., scoopz-icecream.com)
Flatiron on Penn
605 N. Pennsylvania St., 317.746.6961, thepointonpenn.com
This downtown eatery wedged between Pennsylvania Street and Fort Wayne Avenue started as the Elbow Room tavern in 1933, closed in 2018 and reopened in 2019 under chef-owner Glenn Brown. Re-envisioned as an upscale American eatery with a robust cocktail menu and plates like filet mignon ($46 to $57) and pan-roasted salmon ($32), the Flatiron still pays homage to its less extravagant roots with dishes like the Elbow Room pork tenderloin sandwich ($15) and other familiar pub fare.
More Black-owned restaurants in Indianapolis: The Block Bistro and Grill (115 W. Market St., 317.932.9200, theblockbistro.com) Foster's Café and Catering (inside Ivy Tech Community College-Lawrence at 9301 E. 59th St. fosterscafeandcatering.com), Open Kitchen (4022 Shelby St., 317.974.9032, opennkitchen.org)
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