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Indianapolis Star
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
It's Pride month. Here are 11 LGBTQ+ owned or allied bars and restaurants in Indy
Pride month will soon reach a crescendo in Indianapolis with Indy Pride Weekend, a celebration of LGBTQ+ culture in the Circle City. In addition to the parade on Mass Ave, festival on Monument Circle and star-studded concerts at the American Legion Mall this weekend, LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and allies can show their support for Indy's queer community year-round at these local restaurants and bars that are queer-owned or known for fostering friendly spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. 2147 N. Talbott St., (317) 600-3559, Located at the former site of Talbott Street, long a popular hangout for Indy's LGBTQ+ community, Baby's regularly hosts drag brunches and lunches inside a pastel pink version of a 1950s diner. Burgers, fries and milkshakes (optionally spiked by a liquor of your choosing) headline the eatery's classic Americana menu. 922 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 941-6595, 21+ Named one of USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year, Bodhi serves a high-end blend of traditional Thai dishes with a few contemporary curveballs alongside a creative cocktail menu. Chef-owner Taelor Carmine helms the acclaimed eatery with the aid of her mother, Nicky, and her grandmother, Pen Phojanasupan. The multigenerational family business, which opened at the north end of Mass Ave in 2021, has become one of Indy's most sought-after dining destinations thanks to a classy yet excited atmosphere and dishes like the generously apportioned pad kra pow (minced pork with Thai basil and vegetables, $19) paired with inventive drinks like the Thai tea-inspired cha yen cocktail (served with its own fried banana spring roll, $16). Bodhi does not take reservations, so show up early or be prepared to wait an hour or longer. 822 N. Illinois St., (317) 636-5597, 21+ Named the LGBTQ+ Venue of the Year at the Bar and Restaurant Expo's 2022 Industry Excellence Awards, this decades-old downtown haunt serves classic brunch fare by morning and all the grease-slicked pub classics you could want until late at night. Downtown Olly's frequently hosts no-cover events including regular drag brunches and its annual Pride block party. 944 Alabama St., (317) 822-5070, 21+ Listed as one of America's best gay bars by Esquire magazine in 2022, English Ivy's has been dishing up classic American comfort food and hangover-curing brunches in downtown's historic St. Joseph neighborhood for more than two decades. During the Colts' and Pacers' seasons, English Ivy's often hosts watch parties in its rainbow-adorned sports bar setting. 765 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 634-4545, Longtime Indy restaurateur Bill Pritt, who also owns popular Mass Ave nightclub Metro, opened FortyFive Degrees in late 2008. Named for the sharp-angled intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and College Avenue on which it sits, FortyFive Degrees features a Japanese-inspired menu heavy on sushi and a full bar well-stocked with sake. The chic eatery frequently hosts events to raise money for nonprofits such as the Damien Center — Indy's largest care center for people with HIV/AIDS — including its upcoming Pride fashion show. 22 E. 22nd St., (317) 258-2222, One of the more memorable dining experiences in the Circle City, Gather 22 dishes up a globally inspired fare in an ever-changing atmosphere. The fingerprints of owners and partners Pablo Gonzalez and Adam Reinstrom can be seen throughout the Near Northside restaurant, from the light fixtures and bar top designed by Reinstrom to the colorful cocktail menu Gonzalez spearheaded. A shaded veranda and backyard patio that features personal hammocks and even a small jungle gym complete Gather's eclectic vibe, where guests can share Korean sausage skewers ($16) and grilled pizzas ($14 to $24) while sipping cocktails that challenge even adventurous drinkers to push the confines of their comfort zones. More: Globally inspired but Indy at its heart, Gather 22 serves food morning and night 231 E. 16th St., (317) 638-8138, 21+ Originally a one-room bar called the Wawase, Gregs has long been a popular haunt among Indy's gay community. The Wawase became Our Place (known colloquially as OP's) in 1980 under owners Bill Brown and Dean Gardner and has since undergone several facelifts while still catering to its prominently LGBTQ+ clientele. When then-co-owner Greg Powers died in 2002, his partner and co-owner Phil Denton renamed the bar Gregs in his honor. Now owned and operated by Derek Theriac and Greg Cotton, Gregs still regularly hosts drag shows, screenings of "Ru Paul's Drag Race" — with occasional appearances from some of the show's contestants — and frequent "queeraoke" nights. 2324 Shelby St., This Garfield Park coffee shop was opened in late 2021 by Jillion Potter, the captain of the 2016 USA Olympic women's rugby sevens squad, and her wife, Carol Fabrizio, a longtime consultant and executive coach who has worked for multiple organizations including USA Gymnastics. Helm roasts and brews a variety of beans primarily sourced from South America and North Africa at its brick-and-mortar café and also offers delivery coffee subscriptions. 707 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 639-6022, 21+ Acquired last year by Pritt, who also owns FortyFive Degrees, Metro has developed into a cornerstone of Indy queer nightlife — and generally a very popular nightclub — since it opened in 1990. The first floor features a bar and restaurant serving wings, nachos and similar pub grub, while guests can gather with drinks on the fenced-in patio out back. But perhaps Metro's biggest draw is the second story, where bargoers flock to dance and absorb the music of a live DJ. 2489 Shelby St., (317) 875-1932, 21+ Although this Garfield Park pub and its upstairs speakeasy, Scofflaw, are currently closed for renovations, Shelby Street Tavern aims to reopen in late June. Established in 1934 and recently revitalized as a proudly LGBTQ-friendly space under owner Jay Pearl, Shelby Street frequently hosts events geared toward the queer community in its mid-19th century tap room where beer, spirits and pub food are plentiful. 717 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 986-6603, 21+ Tini operates as a cocktail bar on weeknights, but opens up its second-floor bar and dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights. Live DJs and drag shows are commonplace at Tini, but the bar's distinguishing tradition is "movie Mondays," when Tini's projector screens an eclectic, genre-spanning slate of films — in June, each Monday will feature films with LGBTQ+ protagonists. Know of an LGBTQ-owned or -friendly restaurant or bar in Indy that we missed? Let dining reporter Bradley Hohulin know @bhohulin@
Indianapolis Star
24-04-2025
- Health
- Indianapolis Star
Where you can eat out in Indy to benefit a local benefit HIV/AIDS center today
Dining out or grabbing drinks in central Indiana on April 24 can help fight HIV. More than 50 restaurants in the area will donate 10% to 75% of their sales for the day to Damien Center, Indiana's largest AIDS service organization. It's part of the annual Dining Out for Life promotion, in its 31st year. Indianapolis-area restaurants participating in Dining Out for Life 2025 English Ivy's will donate 75% of its April 24 sales to the Damien Center on April 24. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. The following restaurants will donate 50% of sales: Arni's Restaurants (96 th St., Brownsburg, and Greenwood) Bodhi Brew Link Brewing Pub FortyFive Degrees George's Neighborhood Grill Greek Islands Metro Nightclub & Restaurant Pier 48 Fish House & Oyster Bar Rosemary and Olive For the complete list of participating restaurants, visit
