Broad Ripple Back in the Day- photo from SmallBox offices
Greetings Super Bowl 46 visitors, welcome to our fair city of Indianapolis! Once you have settled in and checked out all that downtown has to offer, and I realize that is no small task, I respectfully request that you wander north a few miles and give Broad Ripple Village a visit. Broad Ripple was once its own town before being consumed by Indy. Interested in learning more? Here’s Broad Ripple’s Wikipedia page.
The Broad Ripple of today is a little schizophrenic. Wow, I just spelled that correctly without spellcheck! Totally winged it, must be my lucky day. Anyway, Broad Ripple is one place during the day and another at night. Since I recently turned 40, I have to admit I fall more on the day side of things at this point. But it’s a blast at night as well so you can’t go wrong no matter when you visit.
Here’s some of my favorite spots and things to do:
Indy CD Vinyl: I’m a huge vinyl collector, some might call it a habit, I consider it an investment and so far my wife seems to be buying it, so all’s good. I stop by Indy CD & Vinyl almost every day. Rick, the owner, is a great guy, knows a ton about vinyl and always looks out for stuff he knows I like. Getting to pick through the stacks of vinyl before they go on the floor is one of the highlights of my week. If you have any interest in getting into vinyl collecting or adding to your collection then stop by and see Rick, Annie, Mike and the gang. They will take great care of you.
India Garden: I remember the first time I had the lunch buffet at India Garden. It was a life changing experience. According to some touring bands coming through Indy, India Garden’s buffet is the best in the country. I can believe it. So good. Funny thing, I have never been there for dinner. Might totally suck but I seriously doubt it.
Audio Solutions: if you stop by our SmallBox offices you may note the awesome stereo we have procured for the break room. All we had to do was walk down the street to Audio Solutions, who hooked us up with everything for a great price. They know their stuff. If you want a great home stereo/theater set up go see them. The place is filled with mouth-dropping gear. Ask for Graham.
Monon Coffee, Starbucks and Hubbards & Cravens: I have to admit I am pretty hooked on Starbucks these days but if you want to have an authentic Broad Ripple coffee shop experience then go to Monon. Great baristas, excellent espresso drinks and usually the coolest music around outside of Indy CD & Vinyl. The Starbucks here is one of the best around. How Starbucks finds people with these amazing memories is beyond me. They usually have my drink ready before I can even speak. Great place to meet for business as well. Hubbards & Cravens is a little out of my normal path but they are a solid local coffee shop, more upscale vibe than Monon but great wifi and excellent coffee. There is also Perk Up off the Monon trail that some friends swear by but I never seem to make it over there. Regardless, you will not be lacking for coffee in Broad Ripple .
Wellington: having a bar directly across the street that feels, and looks, like a real English pub is a beautiful thing. There’s always great music, incredible beer on tap and a cool staff – a recipe for…awesomeness! The Wellington can be hard to find, even when standing in front of it, and is about the size of a postage stamp but well worth a visit.
Monon Trail and White River: when it’s nice out I usually find my way to the Monon Trail for a walk. I particularly love the overhangs on the bridge across the White River. I just wish there was a way to see the Broad Ripple dam from the trail but unfortunately it is obscured from all views unless you’re standing in the woods or on a boat. A real shame since the river is a major, and often overlooked, asset to the city and Broad Ripple. Wish I could see that damn dam!
Short list of other cool places to check out:
Brugge (Belgian beer and food), Petite Chou (awesome food and great place to work in the mornings) Bungalow (great for gifts), Good Earth (a real health food/vitamins store), LaPiedad (the fastest, if not the best, Mexican food ever), Marigold (gifts for the ladies in your life), Broad Ripple Brew Pub (the original microbrew bar in Indy), Naked Tchopstix (best sushi in town), Just Pop In (their Indy Mix of cheddar and carmel is addictive) and Union Jacks (love their personal pub pizza for lunch, also great for beer). I know I’m missing some here…
Oh, did I mention our SmallBox offices? We are in the middle of Broad Ripple, overlooking Westfield and Guilford. Personally I think our offices are the best bar in town when we decide to throw parties- planned or impromptu. But I may be a little biased.
Mostly I would encourage you to get out and explore for yourself. The only place I would recommend you avoid is Brothers. That place just bums me out. Wish it would pack up and leave so a better bar/restaurant could take its place.
