Black-owned restaurants in downtown Indianapolis to try during NBA All-Star Weekend

For basketball fans nationwide, the NBA All-Star Game is a showcase of the absolute best in the game. It can also be a celebration of Black art, music and food. If you're looking to grab a bite within walking distance downtown this weekend, here are some Black-owned restaurants to check out.

Alkaline Electric Goddess

49 W. Maryland St., (317) 662-4498

Circle Centre Mall’s first and only plant-based food stand debuted in summer 2023, bringing a mosaic of colorful menu items such as barbecue jackfruit sandwiches and sea moss smoothies downtown.

Axum Ethiopian

825 N. Pennsylvania St, (317) 493-1139, axum-indy.com

Fragrances of lamb, beef and a mosaic of vegetables simmering in spices fill the dining room at this authentic Ethiopian eatery. The menu has plenty of options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diners as well.

Black Leaf Vegan Café

335 W. 9th St., (317) 560-4222, blackleafvegan.com

Plant-based options abound at this health-forward eatery in the Upper Canal neighborhood. Black Leaf's house-made blend of plant products yields vegan versions of burgers, macaroni and cheese and bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches. You'll also find a variety of hot drinks and smoothies.

BlankUS Luxury Lounge

501 N. College Ave., (317) 734-3161, blankusluxurylounge.com

You'll find breakfast, lunch, dinner and plenty of cocktails at this upscale lounge. The menu is a blend of comfort and luxury, with dishes like shrimp and cheese grits, salmon Florentine and blackened catfish, all of which come with cornbread. Then there's the Lounge's soul rolls, crispy wraps filled with buffalo chicken, Philly cheesesteak or greens and smoked turkey.

The Block Bistro and Grill

115 W. Market St., (317) 932-9200, theblockbistro.com

Owner and executive chef Terry Anthony has called Indianapolis his home since 1997. Since then, he's been a chef for the Pacers, a travel caterer for IndyCar and a tailgate chef for the 2022 College Football National Championship. His Block Bistro menu is heavy on the wings and shrimp, but you'll find everything from flatbread pizza to bread pudding in Anthony's evolved exploration of comfort food.

Burgeezy

335 W. 9^th St., Suite D, burgeezy.com

Few things are better than a burger next to a body of water, and that's exactly what you get at this canal-side joint. Burgeezy serves up vegan comfort food that looks ripped from your favorite greasy spoon’s menu despite not featuring a single animal product.

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Chef Wuan's Kitchen

City Market, 222 E. Market St., indycm.com

Classic food stand fare like tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, loaded fries and more receive a southern twist at this City Market eatery.

Georgia Street Rhythm and Blues Lounge

28 W. Georgia St., (317) 492-1454, georgiastrhythmblueslounge.com

Live music is the bread and butter at Georgia Street, but you can also enjoy southern takes on bar staples like jerk chicken chunks, fried okra, Cajun fries, alligator bites and fried catfish.

Gordon's Milkshake Bar

865 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 453-1360, facebook.com/milkshakeindy

You'll find milkshakes familiar and novel at longtime ice cream vendor and owner Carl Gordon's milkshake joint on Mass Ave. Past limited-release flavors include banana macha, cake and sugar cookie, pumpkin pie and pi?a colada.

Hovito Ultra Lounge

234 S Meridian St, (317) 969-6909, hovitoindy.com

A project from Will Edwards, owner of Havana Cigar Lounge in Fishers, Hovito brings upscale twists on a variety of cuisines and a robust drink selection to downtown Indy. You'll find kabobs, empanadas, buffalo chicken rolls and fish tacos alongside signature cocktails like the spicy pineapple margarita.

The New AJ's Lounge

1118 S. Meridian St., (317) 986-6757, facebook.com/AJs-Lounge

The oldest Black-owned bar in downtown Indianapolis, AJ's offers soulful pub fare including fried okra and mushrooms, fried catfish and chicken wings alongside assorted beers and cocktails.

T Street Eatz

City Market, 222 E. Market St., (317) 800-4436, tsreeteatzindy.com

Self-proclaimed purveyors of elevated comfort food, T Street offers a rotating menu of soul food including chicken wings, fried catfish, shrimp and grits and peach cobbler.

Know a Black-owned restaurant downtown that we missed? Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Black-owned restaurants downtown to try during NBA All-Star Weekend