Find the best burgers in downtown Indianapolis at these restaurants
Between local joints and chains, mouth-watering burgers abound in Indianapolis. And some of the best have a presence downtown.
Even better, they often are paired with the city's best fries.
Here are the top places to grab a burger while in the downtown area.
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Baby’s
2147 N. Talbott St., Indianapolis, 317-600-3559, babysindy.com
The retro-style diner offers smash burgers, boozy milkshakes and cocktails. The heated enclosed patio is dog-friendly.
Bru Burger Bar
410 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, 317-635-4278, bruburgerbar.com
A favorite burger on the menu is the juicy Garlic-Three Cheese option with Swiss, American and mozzarella and soft cloves of garlic and truffle aioli.
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Burgeezy
335 W. 9th St., Suite D, burgeezy.com
Nestled along the east side of the Canal Walk, Burgeezy is a Black-owned counter-service restaurant offering vegan comfort food that looks ripped from your favorite greasy spoon’s menu despite not featuring a single animal product.
Conner's Kitchen and Bar
350 W. Maryland St., connersindy.com
True to its billing as "a higher class of casual," Conner's' lone burger option is a $22 Wagyu cheeseburger. A 1/2 pound brisket blend joins your choice of lettuce, onion, pickles, tomato, American cheese secret sauce, served with fries. If that's not enough, you can add thick-cut bacon for $3.
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The District Tap
141 S. Meridian St., thedistricttap.com
District Tap's robust burger menu features all manner of toppings, from fried jalapeños and pepper jack cream cheese to cherry wood-smoked bacon and onion straws. You can even get something called boom-boom sauce, if you dare.
Fat Dan’s Chicago-style Deli
410 E. Michigan St., Indianapolis, 317-600-3008, fatdansdeli.com
You have to open wide to take in the Fat Burger with American cheese. It comes on a grilled bun and with potato chips.
Flatiron at The Point on Penn
605 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, 317-746-6961, thepointonpenn.com
The eight-ounce Flatiron Burger is made of 21-day aged chuck-brisket topped with cheese, bacon and more. Comes with house-made potato chips.
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Fogo de Chao
117 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, 317-638-4000, fogodechao.com
The Picanha Burger features beef ground in-house and is topped with smoked provolone, Bibb lettuce, tomato, onion and chimichurri aioli on brioche. It's served with a stack of thick crispy Parmesan polenta fries.
Kuma’s Corner
1127 Prospect St., Indianapolis, 317-929-1287, kumascorner.com
This metal-themed spot has huge, 10-ounce patties served on sturdy pretzel buns. (Gluten-free buns are available.) Topping combos include smoked bacon and barbecue pulled pork; herbed goat cheese, poblano sweet corn relish, Cholula lemon vinaigrette and buttermilk breaded deep-fried red onions. Each comes with hand-cut fries or house-made potato chips.
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Loughmiller's Pub
301 W. Washington St., loughmillerspub.com
Located just off the Cultural Trail near the Canal, Loughmiller's serves up burgers and brews in homage to its owners' cigar-smoking, beer-drinking Scotch-Irish ancestor, Joe Loughmiller Stacey. The fare at Loughmiller's features several pub classics, but the burger menu packs plenty of variety on its own. The skillet burger comes doused in chili and cheese atop Texas toast, while a tangle of French's onions and bacon crowns the Loughmiller's cheeseburger. There's even a Wagyu burger for the high rollers.
Shake Shack
231 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, shakeshack.com
This New York brand has a cult following for its smash burgers, chicken sandwiches and hand-spun shakes.
Steak ’n Shake
101 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis, 317-634-8703, steaknshake.com
Still serving up the smash burgers we’ve loved for years, along with shakes and super thin crispy fries.
The Oakmont
323 N. Delaware St., Indianapolis, 463-206-2108, theoakmontindy.com
The juicy O.G. Burger has an eight-ounce chuck/brisket/short rib beef blend with sharp cheddar and thick slices of bacon, garlic aioli, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato and red onion on a brioche bun.
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Turchetti's Delicatessen & Meat Market
1110 Prospect St., Indianapolis, 317-426-3048, turchettis.com
The smash burger stars a four-ounce bacon-blended beef patty with meat sourced from Indiana farms and served on a Leviathan seeded bun. Accompanying fries are cooked in tallow.
The Workingman's Friend Tavern
234 N. Belmont Ave., Indianapolis, 317-636-2067, facebook.com/The-Workingmans-Friend
You need cash if you want the signature Giant Double Cheeseburger — and if you love cheeseburgers, you definitely want this stack of two smash burgers, a middle piece bun, shredded lettuce and tomato. No plastic accepted.
Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter: @cherylvjackson.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: College football championship: Best burgers in downtown Indianapolis
