9 bars and restaurants to visit on Speedway's Main Street
Tacos, smoked wings, a brewery with pizza and a kart track serving burgers are right across the street from the Indy 500
Forget the days when you bypassed Speedway's Main Street during the Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400.
These days, the town's Main Street drag hosts lots of restaurants and cool bars. Find a gastropub, brewery, wine bar and karting track with an attached restaurant. Add those places to popular long-time spots like Dawson's on Main and Charlie Brown's Pancake & Steak House.
With so many cool new places to eat and drink, you'll want to visit these places even when Indianapolis Motor Speedway is quiet.
Tacos & Tequila on Main
1502 Main St., 317-672-4619, tacosandtequilaonmain.com
From the owners of nearby Barbecue & Bourbon, the latest addition to Main Street opened in 2017. You can get a ground beef "gringo" taco here, but taco aficionados go for carnitas, chiorizo, lengua, al pastor and other real-deal Mexican fillings. Burritos, tortas, fajitas and full dinners are available, too.
Liz's pick: When I need a post-Indy 500 walk of shame meal, I'm hitting up chilaquiles with pork, fried eggs and green sauce.
Amy's pick: The sweet, creamy rice milk horchata is perfect for dipping churros rolled in cinnamon sugar.
More tacos:These are the best tacos around Indianapolis
Dawson's on Main
1464 Main St., 317-247-7000, dawsonsonmain.com
Doors opened in 2006, but the place feels like an old standard. The stylish yet comfortable dining room reflects the menu. Steaks and seafood are hot tickets, but pasta, pot roast and old-fashioned meatloaf are options, too. Find salads and sandwiches at lunch.
Liz's pick: The early bird menu offers deals from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. All dinners are $12, and the list includes Dawson's popular, from-scratch beef stroganoff.
Amy's pick: The Main Street martini seems fitting — Captain Morgan, Malibu Rum, Melon Schnapps, blue curacao and pineapple juice.
Barbecue and Bourbon
1414 Main St., 317-241-6940, barbecueandbourbon.com
All wood all the time. Hickory, oak and cherry fill the cooker out back. Ribs, wings, brisket, sausage, pulled pork, pulled beef — the list is long. Meat cooked Memphis-style (meaning no sauce) lands on everything from nachos to sandwiches to platters complete with two sides. Three sauces on the table range from mild to pow!
Liz's pick: Smoked and then deep-fried whole wings. Just-right smoke and crispy skin. These are my favorite wings in Indy.
Amy's pick: Whatever you want. Seriously. They have 61 bourbons, but co-owner David Huff told me that if they don't have it, just ask and they'll get it. "We have some bottles in here that only one person drinks." He prefers Angel's Envy or Blanton's.
Wings, wings, wings:These 21 wings deserve to be famous
O’Reilly’s Irish Pub
1552 Main St. , 317-974-0674, oreillysirishbar.com, @oreillysbar
Irish food, Guinness on tap and plenty of patio seating make this new pub a must-stop for any roving party crowd that’s into racing. Fish and chips, Irish stew, shepherd’s pie, bangers and mash are some of the Irish dishes, but most of the menu is straight-up American with plenty of vegetarian options.
Liz's pick: Tex Mex Rolls are jalapeno tortillas rolled around oven-roasted pulled chicken, caramelized onions, pepperjack cheese and chipotle peppers. Cooks deep-fry the rolls and then drizzle them with cayenne aioli. Apple butter barbecue sauce comes on the side.
Amy's pick: Nothing beats a bar that pours a proper Guinness.
Foyt Wine Vault
1182 Main St., 317-672-4246, foytwines.com
The racing royalty family doesn't depend on its name. These wines are good. Different product lines mean options for everyone — and for every price point. Nibbles include spicy meatballs, smoked salmon dip and charcuterie and cheese plates. Find serious wine here, but no one is snooty. Ask the servers to help you with pairings.
Liz's pick: I am going halfies with Amy on the No. 77 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. Mighty but smooth. Maybe I can talk her into a case.
Amy's pick: Money is no object? Hello No. 77 Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon. At $99 bottle, this is a special occasion red, but it's worth it. It won the Double Gold Medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition two years in a row.
Bella Twins wine:Meet Brie and Nikki at the IndyStar Wine & Food Experience
Daredevil Brewing Co.
1151 Main St., daredevilbeer.com
The Shelbyville production brewery moved its operations to a 10,000-square-foot space here in 2015. Stop in the bar for a pint, flight, 4-pack, growler or "crowler," a monster 32-ounce can filled on the spot.
Liz's pick: Vacation Kolsch. After a hot day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, this crisp refresher is perfect. I like it with a little sprinkle of salt.
Amy's pick: The original — and semi-finalist in the Star's Malt Madness beer bracket tournament — I'll take the Lift Off IPA. The West Coast style IPA is hoppy with a bit of sweetness.
1911 Grill
1067 Main St., 317-731-5031, sikarting.com/1911-grill
Named for the year of the inaugural Indy 500, 1911's some 300 seats overlook two kart tracks, a road course and an oval. Think neighborhood grill and family dining with an American menu, plus a few Irish, Italian and Mexican touches. Nine-time Indianapolis 500 starter and IndyCar Series veteran Sarah Fisher and her husband, Andy O'Gara, own the place.
Liz's pick: I'm a kart nut, so love some friendly competition against Amy — and her buying the beer and burgers when I win.
Amy's pick: Actually when I whip by Liz in my kart, she'll be buying me an O'Gara's Pub favorite, a twist on a Screwdriver. Normally just vodka and orange juice, theirs adds a splash of Sprite and grenadine.
Charlie Browns Pancake & Steak House
1038 Main St., 317-243-2502, www.facebook.com
An old-school diner awash in IndyCar memorabilia. See IndyCar drivers in photos on the walls and sitting in booths and chairs. Just about all of them visit at some point, but don't ask for autographs while they're eating their bacon and eggs. House rules require drivers be left to enjoy meals in peace.
Liz's pick: Pancakes, of course. Malt in the flour gently sweetens the fluffy disks topped with plenty of butter.
Amy's pick: Sign me up for those pancakes.
Big Woods Brewing
1002 Main St., 317-757-3250, bigwoodsrestaurants.com
Big Woods is known for its Quaff ON! craft brews including the porter-like Busted Knuckle and easy-drinking Six Foot Blonde. The restaurant's pulled pork nachos are famous, too. Huge timbers will mark the entryway. The bar is shaped like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's oval. Sit at Turn One, Two, Three or Four.
Liz's pick: Pulled pork on anything. A smoky accent and mild pepper spice puts the tender pork's flavor forward.
Amy's pick: The Yellow Dwarf Dry Hopped American Wheat is my favorite. At 4.5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), it's light enough to sip on all day, but flavorful enough to keep my taste buds awake.
Follow Amy Haneline onTwitter and Instagram @amybhaneline and Facebook. Follow Liz Biro on Twitter @lizbiro, Instagram @lizbiro and Facebook. Call her at (317) 444-6264.