The Garage – Indy’s Newest Food Hall
If you live in Indy, chances are you’ve heard talk of the Bottleworks District for the past year. The 1920s Coca-Cola bottling factory has been renovated into a chic hotel, movie theatre and food hall. But it really piqued our interest when it helped put Indy on Conde Nast’s Top 21 Places to Travel in 2021 list. With The Garage opening on January 5th, we knew we had to pop over for a quick lunch.
Our First Impressions
The Space:
The industrial layout – exposed pipes, garage vendor stalls and concrete floors- pays homage to the building’s history, but with modern furniture and amenities. It’s a great mix of the old and new and is a space many would expect to see in a popular foodie city like Austin, TX. This huge space is currently home to 18 different vendors, and will soon welcome more.
The Food:
It’s got a little taste of everything. No matter what you’re in the mood for – from Venezuelan arepas to lobsters to cocktails – you can find something that you like. We thought we’d be paying for ambiance and experience, but were pleasantly surprised to find quality food for a reasonable price.
The Vibe:
What’s great is this space draws every kind of person. Having visited the food hall both during a weekday at lunch and on a Friday night, it was nice to see everyone from families to young 20s excited to support the local vendors. Speaking of vendors – everyone we met was awesome! With the hype surrounding Bottleworks, our guess is the space will continue to draw a diverse crowd as the garage walls open for the Summer. Based on first impressions, The Garage makes our list of places to bring out-of-towners.
Tips for your Visit
Parking – There are a few new lots available – one is a covered parking garage and the other is behind the food hall/across from the Living Room movie theatre. Note: you’ll have to pay $5.00 for 0-3 hours. Honestly, you can find cheaper or even free parking right outside of the Bottleworks district.
COVID restrictions – This was a little all over the place…during lunchtime (weekday or weekend) capacity is not policed. But at night or on the weekends, employees are at the door capping the number of people inside. We heard there was a two hour wait at one point. TIP: Avoid peak times so you don’t have to wait to get in the building.
Signage – There really isn’t any. We were surprised to see no signs pointing to the entrances or parking lots. You can either find a main entrance by the outdoor parking lot or farther down the building under a green entryway.
Hard Truth service – The bar is a great addition and by far the most popular spot. Once you order, you’ll be given a number so the bartender can find you. Since this is a food hall, you can technically sit anywhere… We saw the poor bartenders running around and searching through hundreds of people to deliver drinks.
TIP: Stay close to the bar in an open area or find seating close by so your bartender can find you easily and you get your drinks faster!
Seating – With this being Indy’s newest attraction, it’s no surprise that tables are hard to find. Having to coordinate getting in line for food and snagging an open table can be a challenge. We felt creepy at times as we stalked behind a table, ready to pounce. No one likes feeling watched either, so the pressure to finish food fast took away from the experience a bit
Thanks to Bottleworks, we have so many different foods to try, stores to shop in and movies to see this year. Look out for more blogs to come as we give food reviews and learn more about this awesome space that’s bringing life to Indy this winter. Want to check out the city’s other top attractions? Read about our favorites here.
