The hottest fall restaurant openings in Indianapolis

Goodbye, summer. Hello, hot fall restaurant openings in Indianapolis. Attend the IndyStar Food & Wine Experience and you’ll get to try some of these restaurants before or soon after they open. Get tickets at foodandwine.indystar.com.

Super Bowl Pho

5603 E. Washington St., superbowlphowestfield.com

Launched in Westfield in 2013, this real-deal pho shop plans to open its second location in mid-October on Irvington's main drag. Vietnamese owners Tony Nguyen and his uncle, Leo Van, run the shop that has earned high mark from Yelpers. They list it as one of the top Vietnamese restaurants in the United States. Get traditional meat-heavy pho full brisket, meatballs, tripe, tendon and sliced beef, or choose pho with a choice of beef, oxtail, chicken or seafood. Vegetarian pho is also available. The full menu of Vietanamese dishes includes numerous other soups, banh mi sandwiches, noodle dishes, stir-fries, spring rolls and a huge range of Vietanamese beverages like pennywort juice, egg soda and coconut water inside a coconut.

Beholder

1844 E. 10th St., instagram.com/beholderindianapolis

A sexy, fun, energetic and comfortable neighborhood restaurant is how chef Jonathan Brooks defines Beholder, Indy’s most exciting restaurant project of the moment. Eater.com chimed in, naming it among America’s 16 most anticipated fall openings.

Brooks, mastermind behind the city’s nationally acclaimed Milktooth, has been mum on Beholder menu specifics.

At Beholder's Instagram, see him playing with Indiana hanger steak cooked directly on binchō-tan, a Japanese oak charcoal. One shot shows rutabaga roasted in coffee, goat’s milk and Mexican chocolate.

Wine will be a big deal. Brooks' business partner is Josh Mazanowski, former sommelier extraordinaire at SoBro's late Recess. Acclaimed Indianapolis pastry chef Pete Schmutte announced in July that he will leave Cerulean this year to become to pastry chef at Beholder.

Hedge Row

300 block of Massachusetts Avenue, at Vermont Street, hedgerowbistros.com/location/mass-ave

Elon Musk is all about electric cars (Tesla) and rockets to the moon (SpaceX). His brother, Kimbal Musk, focuses on wholesome, local food restaurants, one of which he brings to Mass Ave. and the IndyStar Food & Wine Experience in October. HedgeRow’s regional ingredients and rustic dishes will be cooked in a wood-fired oven. Salsa verde on roasted porchetta sandwiches, burnt marshmallow devil’s food cake and wood roasted lamb meatballs with tomato, feta and mint are some selections. “The short rib with mole is unbelievably good,” chef Brad Gates says. He has worked for famous folks such as Danny Meyer and Wolfgang Puck. See what Gates is cooking for the IndyStar Food & Wine Experience when he joins me at 9:45 a.m. Sept. 12 on Fox 59 Morning. During the broadcast, I’ll give away two tickets to the food and wine event.

Provision

2727 E. 86th St., crgdining.com

Enormous pane glass windows throw light on a grand industrial space where blues, grays and metal sculptures hark back to Indianapolis’ iron- and steel-related industries past and present. When the restaurant opens this month, sit at a bar in front of the kitchen and watch chef Layton Roberts put his imagination to work. Roberts’ creative New American dishes carried Vida to AAA four-diamond fame just eight months after that Lockerbie Square restaurant’s debut. See what Provision will serve at the IndyStar Food & Wine Experience when Roberts joins me at 9:45 a.m. Sept. 28 on Fox 59 Morning. During the broadcast, I’ll give away two tickets to the food and wine event.

Three Carrots

902 Virginia Ave., threecarrotsindy.com

Fountain Square finally gets its vegan restaurant in mid- to late September when chef Ian Phillips opens his meatless comfort-food haven. You won't miss the meat in Phillips' "chicken" and dumplings, in his breaded "tenderloin" sandwich or in his country-friend "chicken" with mashed potatoes and gravy. Three Carrots, where the slogan is "vegetarian cuisine from the heart(land)," started in 2014 at Indianapolis City Market and continues to operate there.

The Inferno Room

902 Virginia Ave., instagram.com/theinfernoroom

Walk deep in this jungle where tribal masks hide headhunters and tropical fruit hangs heavy and you may never walk out, likely because you want to stay. Expect the drinks to be that good at this genuine tiki bar from rum and tiki devotee Ed Rudisell, his wife Sasatorn Rudisell and their business partner Chris Coy. Rudisell, who’s also behind Rook and Black Market, plans a classic mai tai as well as contemporary takes on tiki-era drinks. Artists near and far have crafted items for the Fountain Square lounge, including a giant hand-carved wooden mask. Palm trees will help keep you swaying while plenty of red prompts thoughts of fire. Rook’s Asian fusion master chef Carlos Salazar is developing The Inferno Room’s Polynesian menu. Everything harks back to Polynesian-themed clubs and restaurants popular in America from the mid-1930s to the late 1960s.

Crispy Bird

115 E. 49th St., instagram.com/crispybirdchix

The “really brined, really Southern-style, really crispy fried chicken where the chicken is super moist” that owner Martha Hoover plans is sure to give the duck-fat-fried chicken at her Petit Chou bistro some competition. Tasting Table listed Crispy Bird as one of the hottest U.S. restaurants opening this fall. Natural wood paneling went up at Crispy Bird in late August. The restaurant stands across from Hoover’s other new concept, cushy Bar One Fourteen. Her son, David Hoover, is the chef at both spots. These are not matters of Mom indulging her kid. Check David Hoover’s crazy flaky biscuits on Crispy Bird’s Instagram. If you have any other doubts, try his Fancy AF Burger with shaved truffles at Bar One Fourteen. At Crispy Bird, the chef will use local GMO- and antibiotic-free chicken. Find gluten-free chicken and plenty of vegetarian offerings among comfort food sides.

Ukiyo

4907 N. College Ave., nealbrownhospitality.com/ukiyo

Pizzolgy founder chef Neal Brown has opening events in the works, and continues to test recipes for this "Japanese farmhouse" sushi restaurant he originally planned in Fountain Square. Opening day happens by 2017’s end, maybe as early as November. Peek Ukiyo’s Instagram to see what Brown’s been menu testing, salmon lately. One composition shows the fish with nasturtium petals and shaved cucumber and candy stripe beets. Ukiyo means “the floating world” in Japanese.

Burger Study

28 W. Georgia St. in Circle Centre mall, burgerstudy.com

Earn your beef degree at this Ivy League-themed burger restaurant for adults from the owners of Indy’s famous St. Elmo Steak House. The Doctorate features a dry-aged beef burger topped with foie gras, triple-crème whipped brie, arugula, Dijon mustard and caramelized onions on a sesame seeded brioche bun. The Walk of Fame puts a fried egg and bacon on a coffee rub-seasoned burger. The restaurant opens at September’s end.

Portillo’s

9201 E. 116th St., Fishers, portillos.com

Not every hot restaurant opening is about big-name chefs. Judging by huge public interest, this is the Indy area’s most-anticipated restaurant. The 9,000-square-foot, Prohibition-themed place famous for Italian beef and Chicago dogs opens 10:30 a.m. Sept. 26. Portillo's will have indoor and outdoor seating for 200 customers and drive-thru service. The chain started in 1963 in Chicago as hot dog stand named The Dog House. Founder Dick Portillo renamed it Portillo’s in 1967.

Ikea Swedish Restaurant & Kitchen

11400 Ikea Way, Fishers, ikea.com

The cafe's Swedish meatballs are about as popular as the furniture, but the menu has much more. Swedish waffles, salmon with lemon dill sauce, pasta, breakfast and kids meals (they eat free on Tuesdays) are served, too. The Fishers store, which is the size of five football fields, stages a grand opening Oct. 11.

Next Door American Eatery

4565 N. College Ave., nextdooreatery.com/location/indianapolis/

Many of the quick-service, healthy meals cost $10 or less at this Kimbal Musk brand going inside the old Meridian-Kessler Double 8 Foods store. Opening in November, the restaurant is dedicated to to environmentally friendly practices such as composting, wind power, ecofriendly packaging and recycling. Musk looks to local and regional farmers to supply ingredients for dishes like chicken and quinoa soup; chorizo-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates; and coriander-crusted shrimp in tacos with pineapple slaw.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, Facebook and Pinterest. Call her at (317) 444-6264.

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