Mass Ave. restaurant Stella closes in Indianapolis, chef has new project

Year-old Stella on Mass Ave. ended service Feb. 24 as its owner, chef Neal Brown, develops a new upscale restaurant in an old 38th Street bank.

Brown's forthcoming Midtown Brasserie is scheduled to open in September at the art deco-style bank building, 215 E. 38th St., between Central and Meridian streets.

“First of all, that building is amazing and I’m beyond excited about the possibilities it offers,” Brown said in a press release.

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Constructed in 1947, the building most previously hosted Chase Bank. Former Angie's List CEO Bill Oesterle and his business partner, Ed Sherman, bought the stone structure in August 2017 with plans to make it a "grand destination."

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Much of the original art deco touches remain in what started as Indiana National Bank. Midtown Brasserie will incorporate original architecture, vaults and safety deposit box areas. The drive-thru awning will shade the patio. The property includes 72 parking spaces.

Expect some Stella dishes at Midtown. Stella's menu highlighted southern European coastal cuisine and wine. Many offerings incorporated local ingredients and were cooked in a wood-fired oven.

Stella was previously home to Brown's Pizzology pizzeria, which he closed Feb. 19, 2017, after three years in business, to make way for Stella. Pizzology continues to operate in Carmel.

Brown limited his comments about Stella to the press release, but both Stella and Pizzology faced new competition on Mass Ave.

Stella's closing came a month before Hedge Row American Bistro is scheduled to open just four blocks away. Hedge Row owner Kimbal Musk, brother of Tesla entrepreneur Elon Musk, plans locally grown, “honest food," much of it cooked in a wood-fired oven.

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Brown shuttered Pizzology and opened Stella to help his staff evolve, he wrote in a February 2017 text message to IndyStar. "As much as we have loved having Pizzology on Mass Ave., we also thrive on challenging ourselves and providing growth opportunities for our team," Brown said.

But there too, Brown was facing competition. Two months after Pizzology on Mass Ave. closed, new Goodfellas pizzeria debuted less than a block away. Bazbeaux pizzeria was already on the avenue.

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Brown's Libertine Liquor Bar remains on Mass Ave., where competition is intense among some 40 eating and drinking places on and around the eight-block stretch. Many restaurants have opened in the past three years. Recent newbies include Love Handle, Petra, Fat Dan's and Peace Water Winery. A massive food hall is planned at the Coca-Cola bottling plant in 2019.

Mass Ave. has lost other restaurants and bars recently. Fifteen year-old, fine-dining spot R. Bistro closed in 2016, but was soon replaced by casual Rooster's Kitchen. The Owner's Wife ended a three-month run in mid-2017. Hoaglin To Go Café & Market closed in January, as did Broken Beaker Distillery and Old Point Tavern. A new restaurant is scheduled to open at former Old Point in 2018.

Stella gift cards will be honored at any Neal Brown Hospitality Group location. See the group's restaurants at nealbrownhospitality.com.

Brown also recently launched Japanese restaurant Ukiyo, which houses the sidebar lunchtime cafe Moon Rabbit Ramen, on College Avenue, at 49th Street.

He abandoned plans in 2015 for a Fletcher Place Mexican restaurant named Juanita, but has since rolled the menu into a Juanita pop-up at Libertine.

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