Experience the Crossroads of America in Indianapolis

Indianapolis has been called the Crossroads of America because it’s within a single day’s drive of 70 percent of the nation’s population. As a bonus, you can sample the variety of U.S. cuisine through the food in Indianapolis. Check out our list of places to taste some of the best flavors from around the country, all within city limits!

Savor Pittsburgh’s famous sandwich

Pittsburgh’s legendary Primanti Bros. is home to some of the best food in Indianapolis. The store has one location in Greenwood, and another at the corner of South Illinois and West Maryland streets. The chain’s “almost famous sandwich” is piled high with the meat of your choice (salami, capicola, roast beef, turkey, or even an egg or cheese combo instead of meat) along with coleslaw, tomatoes and crisp french fries between two slices of Italian bread. In addition to sandwiches, Primanti Bros. offers wings, appetizers, burgers, pizzas, salads and beer.

Taste some good, old-fashioned Texas barbecue

A great example of how the food in Indianapolis comes from every corner of the country, Hank’s Smoked Briskets is the place to get some original Texas barbecue from a native Texan. Hank’s offers you and your family a variety of smoked delights from brisket to corned beef to chicken. To keep the place even more authentic than it already is, the restaurant’s owner travels back home to his native Texas to purchase mesquite wood twice a year.

Chomp down on a Chicago dog

Craving a bite of Chicago’s signature hot dog? Located just south of Ohio Street on Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis, you’ll find King David Dogs, which serves your Chicago favorite food in Indianapolis just the way you like it: kosher pickle spear, chopped onions, two tomato wedges, neon-green sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, sport peppers and celery salt. And, of course, no ketchup!

Enjoy a New Orleans-style joint

Yats, which has several Indy locations, serves fresh and spicy Cajun and Creole food in Indianapolis that will remind you of the Big Easy. Adorned with a New Orleans-style decor to match, Yats offers some Bourbon Street favorites such as crawfish etouffee and gumbo all served on rice and ordered with or without cheese, onions and sour cream. The daily menu also rotates a list of different sauces and stews to reflect the founder’s Crescent City roots.

Grab a slice of the Big Apple

Hungry for New York-style pizza with foldable, thin crusts? Be sure to stop by Brozinni Pizzeria, a family-friendly pizza place in the Southside area of Indianapolis. Try the Park Avenue, featuring peperoni, sausage, bacon and ham; or the Broadway, loaded with all the veggies. From 11 to 4 through the week, you can buy an oversize slice a la carte like at most New York pizzerias (but why would you want to stop at just one slice?). Brozinni’s also features a great menu of other delicious Italian food in Indianapolis, such as calzones and homemade pepperoni breadsticks or a sausage link.

Drink brews from around the country

Located in a historic German cultural center, the Rathskeller is one of Indianapolis’ oldest restaurants. Opened in 1894, the location prides itself on delicious and authentic dishes such as sauerbraten and schnitzel, and its extensive beer list. You will find brews and microbrews from Germany, Belgium, the U.K. and the U.S., including California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont.

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