Indianapolis area restaurants that opened and closed in January 2024
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A mere month into the new year, Indianapolis’ dining scene saw a number of shakeups. Some new names entered the fray, including an upscale restaurant owned by the Pacers.
Meanwhile, a slew of chains and local favorites closed their doors. Find out what came and went in central Indiana in the first month of the year below.
Restaurant openings:
World Famous HotBoys
4335 W 106th St., Carmel, opened Jan. 13
The Oakland, California-based fried chicken chain first arrived to Indianapolis in Fountain Square in 2022. The Carmel location is HotBoys’ fifth, bringing spicy fried chicken, crinkle-cut fries and a biscuit-donut hybrid fittingly called Bonuts to Hamilton County.
Commission Row
110 S. Delaware St., opened Jan. 22
Owned by Pacers Sport and Entertainment and operated by Cunningham Restaurant Group, Commission Row is a three-story venue complete with a steakhouse, speakeasy and private event space. Executive chef Corey Fuller’s menu goes big on seafood and prime cuts, while the basement bar, Mel’s, offers an expansive cocktail menu in a cozy speakeasy setting.
Sneak peek: See inside Commission Row
Restaurant closings:
Rooster’s Kitchen
888 Massachusetts Ave., closed Dec. 31
Rooster’s moved into the former home of fine dining restaurant R. Bistro, which served Mass Ave customers for 15 years before closing in early 2016. Chicago transplant Ross Katz’s menu featured upscale comfort food and craft beer. After over seven years, Rooster’s announced on Facebook that it would close at the end of 2023.
World of Beer
409 Massachusetts Ave., closed Dec. 31
World of Beer shuttered its downtown Indy location after five years. The Florida-based brewery chain has 40 locations throughout America, pouring about 300 different craft beers alongside classic pub food. The Mass Ave brewery was World of Beer’s only location in Indiana.
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Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux
247 S. Meridian St., closed Jan. 14
In May 2023, the Louisiana-based Cajun-inspired eatery moved into the former street-level home of After 6 nightclub, which closed in 2022 alongside upstairs neighbors Taps and Dolls and 247 Sky Lounge. Building owner and Walk-On’s franchisee Todd Johnson opened the family-friendly restaurant in the hopes of revitalizing a venue with a recent history of safety concerns. Walk-On’s vice president of communications Andy Izquierdo said the franchise will relocate elsewhere in the Indy metro area.
HopCat Broad Ripple
6280 N. College Ave., closed Jan. 28
After 10 years in the heart of Broad Ripple, the Michigan-based brewery chain announced on Facebook that it would pull out of the Hoosier State. It leaves behind a high-profile location along the Red Line near the Central Canal.
Mimi Blue Meatballs
807 Massachusetts Ave., closed Jan. 30
The Mass Ave favorite closed its original and last remaining location, citing mounting operational costs. Mimi Blue opened in 2015 as a collaboration between Zionsville-based development company Kosene & Kosene and Sangiovese Ristorante owner Chris Evans. Co-owner Gerald Kosene said he would mourn the loss of a gathering space for Mimi customers, particularly the LGBTQ+ community that frequented the restaurant’s monthly drag brunches.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@gannett.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @bradleyhohulin.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Restaurants in central Indiana that opened and closed in January 2024
