Indianapolis, IN
For Southern in Indianapolis, the local food press points to Juniper on Main, His Place Eatery - Chicken & Waffles, Ribs & Soul food (30th & Shadeland), and Kountry Kitchen. Picks from Indianapolis Monthly, updated July 2026.
Editor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in Indianapolis Monthly. Updated July 2026.
Juniper on Main · Carmel Arts & Design District
Juniper on Main draws on the coastal cooking of South Carolina and Georgia from a restored house in downtown Carmel. Shrimp and grits, seafood, vegetables, and Low Country seasonings give the menu a clear regional point of view. The gracious rooms and porch-like ease support food that feels personal and coastal rather than broadly labeled comfort fare.
His Place Eatery - Chicken & Waffles, Ribs & Soul food (30th & Shadeland) · Indianapolis
His Place Eatery approaches Southern comfort through family recipes and chef James Jones's own variations. Fried chicken, ribs, smoked meatloaf, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and red velvet waffles create a menu built for substantial meals. James and Shawn Jones place generous hospitality at the center of the Eastside dining room, matching the warmth of the cooking.
Kountry Kitchen · Herron-Morton
Kountry Kitchen's Southern cooking has long made College Avenue a destination for catfish, chicken, pork chops, greens, yams, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread. The restaurant rebuilt on its original site after a fire without abandoning the recipes or communal spirit that shaped it. The new room carries those familiar flavors into another chapter.
What’s your #1 Southern in Indianapolis?
Rank your top five and be the first to set Indianapolis's local ranking.