The Ultimate Guide to Small Businesses in Downtown Indianapolis

I’ve lived in Indiana nearly all my life and lately have been getting to know the Downtown Indianapolis area since I’ve moved closer. I’ve been delighted to realize there’s a plethora of a host of thriving small businesses that can easily meet your needs and interests.

When COVID-19 began, so many of us watched small businesses we love close their doors, and we were reminded how integral these businesses are in creating the city we call home and how important our support is in keeping them afloat to serve us another day.

This post is my attempt to make it super easy for anyone, local or visitor, to find a small business they can support when they’re in downtown Indianapolis. I relied on this map of Indianapolis neighborhoods to define my boundaries of downtown Indy as:

• South of 18th street
• West of College Avenue or I-65/I-70
• East of the White River
• North of Morris Street and I-65/I-70

MY CRITERIA

To make this list, a small business had to have these criteria:

• Have a brick & mortar store in downtown Indianapolis
• Have no more than 5 brick & mortar locations
• Provide a product or service that a typical tourist might seek (dining, shopping, hotels, tours – not small biz like marketing agencies, religious organizations, or lawn care)

I’ve sorted this post by type of business (restaurant, bar, cafe, shop, etc), and I’ve included a map for each category so you can find something near you at a glance. Because this post is gargantuan already, I am not going in depth about each spot but I’ll be adding future posts that are more zoomed in to share my favorites.

The Small Businesses Key

CAPITALIZED BUSINESSES – Ones that I’ve personally visited and love

Italicized businesses – Businesses with some affiliation to Indiana history (example: a historic building, site of Indiana culture, local establishment that has been in Indianapolis for decades)

* – A business which exceeds 5 locations but I felt important to include anyway

^ – A business that is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 at the time of the last post update

A COVID-19 Disclaimer

Please note that most businesses are experiencing different hours of operation, limited menus or services, or other modifications due to COVID-19. I highly recommend checking with each establishment before a visit to confirm they’re hours of operation. I’ve tried to capture which establishments are temporarily closed, but things are constantly changing.

Additionally, I am not encouraging you to travel to Indiana now if you’re not local, and I urge you all to listen to the guidelines set forth by reputable health organizations like the CDC and WHO. I hope this post is a resource of places you might be able to support during this pandemic instead of bigger corporations, and a resource when travel becomes safe again.

Small Business Restaurants in Downtown Indianapolis

European

Mexican and Latin American

Asian

Soups, Salads & Sandwiches

African

Pizza

American

Burgers, Wings & Pub Food

Seafood and Steakhouse Restaurants in Indianapolis

Breakfast Restaurants in Indianapolis

Patachou Inc

CRG Dining Restaurants:

Small Business Cafes, Bakeries, & Sweet Treats in Downtown Indianapolis

Coffee

Bubble Tea

FroYo, Icecream, & Sweets

Bakery

Cafe

Small Business Bars, Pubs & Clubs in Downtown Indianapolis

Clubs and Lounges

Breweries

Bars, Pubs & Eateries

Wine

Small Business Services in Downtown Indianapolis

Local Indianapolis Hair Salons

Local Indianapolis Barbershops

Salons & Spas

Nail Salons

Tattoo Parlors

Local Indianapolis Gyms & Fitness Studios

Small Business Shops in Downtown Indianapolis

Gifts, Goods & Souvenirs

Art/Hobby Supply Stores

Plants & Gardening Shops

Small Business Events & Attractions in Downtown Indianapolis

Galleries

Activities

Theaters/Shows

Small Business Hotels & Accommodations in Downtown Indianapolis

Thanks for reading!

If you know of a small business in Downtown Indianapolis I missed, please send it my way! I’d love to add it. You can find other posts from me on Indiana below:

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