The kitchen is closed: Indianapolis area restaurants that went out of business in 2023
The restaurant industry is many things; forgiving is not one of them.
Many Indianapolis eateries felt the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic this past year as bills added up and downtown foot traffic never reached pre-pandemic levels. Other restaurants struggled with inflation as routine costs like rent, inventory and distribution became insurmountable. Some restaurateurs simply decided to pursue a new line of business.
Presented in chronological order, here are several local restaurants that closed in 2023.
What opened? We have that list, too: Local restaurants that opened — and reopened — in Indianapolis in 2023
January
Ember Urban Eatery Restaurant and Bar
435 Virginia Ave, closed Jan. 28
Owners Rob and Shelly Odendahl opened Ember Urban in December 2013, offering a sprawling menu of American favorites. The pair did not cite any specific reason for closing when they announced the end of their nine-year run in a January Facebook post. While Ember remains closed, Rob now occasionally plays guitar and sings at Barringer’s Tavern on 2535 S. Meridian St.
Wabash Brewing Taproom and Brewery
5328 W. 79th St., closed Jan. 31
The purveyor of Bacon Face brown ale and Cannonball pale ale closed its doors after its majority owners chose to pursue other business opportunities, its staff said in a Facebook post. Wabash was open for eight years.
February
Black Acre Brewing Company
5632 E. Washington St., closed Feb. 4
The Irvington brewery closed after nearly 11 years due to challenges including COVID-19 and a fire that damaged the taproom. The distillery remains open.
In December 2019, a fire damaged Black Acre’s taproom, followed by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last winter, a pipe burst at Black Acre’s production facility, further hamstringing the business.
Black Acre officially closed Feb. 4 after 11 years in Irvington. Scarlet Lane Brewing now operates a tap house and pub in Black Acre’s former location.
Tiki Bob’s Cantina
231 S. Meridian St., closed Feb. 6
IMPD cited 466 runs to Tiki Bob’s from 2019-22, with reports of instances of violence, over-service and the presence of minors. Days after an IndyStar investigation into violence at Indianapolis bars and one day after a reported shooting on the premises, Bob’s co-owner Jason Stellema announced the bar would close after over 20 years.
3 Sisters Café
6223 Guilford Ave, closed Feb. 7
The Broad Ripple staple began selling breakfast and brunch in 1992 under a different name, moving to a former home off Broad Ripple Avenue in 2014. Owner Moira Summers announced the closure in a Facebook post, thanking her customers and late 3 Sisters co-owner and cook Alex Munroe who died in 2021.
Indiana City Brewing
24 Shelby St., closed Feb. 18
Increasing rent prices under new property ownership pushed Indiana City Brewing to close after 10 years. The brewery said at the time it closed that it was accepting offers from local breweries to purchase its recipes, but has offered no updates since.
Inner City Pizza
7436 Rockville Road, closed Feb. 26
After 12 years in business, Inner City Pizza announced it would close in a late January Facebook post, saying its landlord asked it to leave to expand an adjoining liquor store. Inner City launched a GoFundMe page with ambitions of raising $30,000, but stopped accepting donations at $1,380. Beneath a March 8 Facebook post, the restaurant commented that it was not able to reopen.
Grumps Slicestop
2201 E. 46th St., closed Feb. 28
Grumps opened in July 2022 as a new venture from the owners of Futuro Pizza. After closing temporarily for part of January and February, Grumps announced it would permanently close in a Facebook post. While Grumps said it intended to move elsewhere and launched a GoFundMe to raise proceeds, collections have ceased and no updates have been made since May.
March
Latea Bubble Tea Lounge
530 Mass Ave., Suite 180, closed early March
The West Lafayette-based Thai tea lounge opened its Indianapolis location in 2019, but shuttered its Mass Ave lounge in early March, citing pandemic challenges and rising rent costs in a statement to IndyStar.
Naptown Hot Chicken & Orleans Fish Shack
49 W. Maryland St., Circle Center Mall, closed April 19
Owner Dave Brown opened Naptown Hot Chicken in Circle Center Mall in fall 2022 after months of operating it at City Market. In January, Brown opened Orleans Fish Shack in the same third-floor food court. Brown cited a lack of foot traffic stymying business when he shuttered both restaurants in April.
May
Public House
4002 N. Boulevard Place., closed May 9
Owner Sharmaine Cooper gave an impassioned 30-minute monologue via Facebook live to announce the closure of Public House, which she opened in April 2021. Cooper cited staffing challenges and said Public House had outgrown its Butler-Tarkington location.
“This is just not the place for me any longer,” she said. Cooper has not publicly announced any other plans since.
June
Foundation Coffee Company
4565 Marcy Lane, closed June 3
The Patachou Foundation operated Foundation for three and a half years, working to raise proceeds to feed children at Indy-area schools. Foundation did not cite any struggles that led to the closure in its announcement via social media. The announcement said Patachou would repurpose the property as a classroom and training grounds for food and hospitality professionals.
Wine Market & Table
1110 Shelby St., closed June 24
Owners Kris Bowers and Zachary Davis cited staffing difficulties when they closed Wine Market and Table after almost six years in Fountain Square, where the bar and restaurant began as a wine store in 2017.
Mimi Blue Meatballs
8702 Keystone Crossing, closed June 22
Mimi Blue closed its Keystone location this summer after five years, citing operation costs and increased competition. The original Mimi Blue on Mass Ave, which was opened by Zionsville-based developer Kosene & Kosene in partnership with Sangiovese Ristorante proprietor Chris Evans, remains open.
July
Hotel Tango Zionsville
10615 Zionsville Road, Zionsville, closed July 1
Owner Travis Barnes cited COVID-19, inflation and the cost of Indiana’s requirement against self-distribution of liquor when he closed Hotel Tango’s Zionsville location, which opened in 2021. Hotel Tango also closed its Fort Wayne location. Its flagship distillery and bar in Fletcher Place, which opened in 2014, remains open.
Beast
1220 Waterway Blvd. in 16 Tech at the AMP, closed July 6
Beast began as a food truck in 2015 before opening at the AMP in fall 2021. The restaurant did not provide any specific reasons for the closure on its website or social media pages, but catered sporting events, private gatherings and festivals throughout the summer and into the fall.
Hoss Bar & Grill
7870 E. 96th St., Fishers, closed July 18
After the Sahm’s Bar and Grill at 96th Street and Interstate 69 shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, owners and father-son duo Ed and Eddie Sahm opened Hoss. The bar and grill featured a slimmer menu specializing in hamburgers and hot dogs. In a July Facebook post, the Sahms said they believed closing the 96th Street location was best for the long-term success of their company, Sahm’s Hospitality Group, which owns 12 restaurants in central and southern Indiana.
Doughnuts & Dragons
3838 E. 82nd St., closed July 30
Doughnuts and Dragons opened in October 2019, offering alcoholic drinks and quirky donuts in a collaborative space for board and tabletop game enthusiasts. After over three years of interesting twists like tomato and basil, cream soda and butterbeer donuts, Doughnuts and Dragons announced via Facebook post it would close this summer.
September
Rise’n Roll Bakery
107 E. New York St., closed Sept. 16 and 6311 E. Westfield Blvd., closed late October
The Middlebury-based bakery chain cited a decrease in downtown office workers for the closure of its New York Street location. It shuttered the Broad Ripple bakery due to the opening of a new location in nearby Nora. The subsidiary of MCL Restaurant and Bakery operates 15 Rise’n Roll locations throughout Indiana.
October
Three Carrots Fountain Square
920 Virginia Ave., closed Oct. 1
Head chef and owner Ian Phillips operated a counter-service stand in City Market for three years before opening Three Carrots in December 2017, serving plant-based versions of iconic comfort foods. The Fountain Square eatery was one of Indianapolis’ earliest major vegan restaurants. When bills and operating costs piled up, Phillips closed Three Carrots in what he called the hardest decision of his life.
Between the Bun
2222 W. Southport Road, closed Oct. 1
Owner Scott Sims cited multiple road closures and construction on Southport Road when Between the Bun closed. He said the closure didn’t have anything to do with online backlash, which he received in February after a Between the Bun job posting went viral for its sarcastic, arguably condescending tone. It is unclear whether Sims’ ability to find employees “not needing a safe space because you are overwhelmed or have anxiety after toasting a few buns” influenced his business’ trajectory.
Squealers
5515 W. 86th St., closed Oct. 15
Squealers dealt out all things smoked and sauced on the Westside for 20 years before closing in October. The barbecue joint’s Mooresville location remains open.
Dry Bones Mud House
525 S. Meridian St., closed Oct. 31
The downtown coffee shop at Union 525 is no more, but those in New Palestine craving a cup of Joe should stay on the lookout for Dry Bones’ upcoming partnership with Smokin’ Barrell BBQ. Dry Bones announced it would join the barbecue joint to create a new “BBQ and brew” café and restaurant soon.
November
1313 Eatery
4602 E. 10th Street, closed Nov. 8
The home of the Grippo Wingz, 1313 Eatery shut down when a fire destroyed most of its 10th Street building. An outpouring of community support followed, including a $5,000 check from Key Bank presented to chef Ron Gilmore at a Pacers game. Gilmore plans to reopen the restaurant; until then diners can find his soul food at select pop-ups at Trap Café on 5299 E. 38th St.
December
Scarlet Lane Brewing
1702 Bellefontaine St. and 4601 N. College Ave., closed Dec. 9
A combination of operating costs and health issues forced owner and head brewer Eilise Lane to close two of Scarlet Lane’s Indianapolis tap houses this month. Fans of the horror-themed beers can still find them at Scarlet Lane’s Irvington, McCordsville and Beech Grove.
Farmhouse Brunchery
8664 E. 96th St., Fishers, closed Dec. 17
Farmhouse Brunchery said it had struggled to stay open for nearly two years before shuttering this month. While Farmhouse is gone, chef and owner George Watson has hinted at a new concept coming soon to Sheridan, where he previously worked as a chef at AJ’s Café.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @bradleyhohulin.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis area restaurants that closed in 2023
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