IU Food and Beverage Tour : Pride of IU Stories: My IU: Indiana University

Ever wondered if the city you’re visiting has an IU alumni-owned restaurant or bar? Alums from coast to coast—many of whom were inspired to open their businesses while studying at IU—are hard at work serving their communities.

So, the next time you’re in Westfield, Ind., swing by Urban Vines for a Hoosier Pilsner. Headed west? Grab a slice of Hoosier Pie at Crêpe Bar in Tempe, Ariz. And who knows, maybe you’ll run into “The Bachelor,” Ben Higgins, BS’12, at Generous Coffee in Denver or Murder By Death’s Adam Turla, ’03, and Sarah Balliet, ’04, at Pizza LUPO in Louisville.

Keep reading for our running list of alumni establishments.

Andrew Thomas and his wife, Devin, also own Bear’s Place in Bloomington, Ind. Photo courtesy of Andrew Thomas.

816 Pint & Slice

pintandslice.com
816 S. Calhoun St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Owners: Andrew Thomas, BS’93, and Devin Thomas, BA’06

Against the Grain

atgbrewery.com
401 E. Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202
(Flagship location)

Owner: Sam Cruz, ’01

Did anything about your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
SC: While I attended school, I worked at Pizza Express (now Pizza X) on campus. I worked with some great people in that organization, including owner Jeff Mease, ’84. I was really inspired by his approach to entrepreneurship. At that time, I didn’t realize that I was headed toward starting and owning my own company, but it really gave me the vision for how a local business can become connected to a community and the positive impact that can have. I’d also be lying if I didn’t mention the great microbreweries in Bloomington that afforded me my first tastes of craft beer. Bloomington Brewing Co. and Upland Brewing were my first loves when it comes to locally brewed artisan beer.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
SC: If you’re coming to our flagship location in downtown Louisville, I highly recommend ordering our smoked brisket and a cup of burgoo (a traditional Kentucky stew), and washing it down with my favorite house-made beer, A Beer—our super American premium lager.

Arcademie

arcademiebar.com
22 NW 6th St.
Evansville, IN 47708

Owner: Jessica Jeffries, BS’02, MD’06

Caleb Blackerby stands in front of small airplane propeller — Blackerby’s Hangar 5, located in the main terminal at Columbus Municipal Airport, offers patrons the chance to watch planes land while dining. *Photo courtesy of Caleb Blackerby*.

Blackerby’s Hangar 5

blackerbyshangar5.com
4770 Ray Boll Blvd. Suite 3
Columbus, IN 47203

Owner: Caleb Blackerby, ’14

Big Woods

bigwoodsrestaurants.com
12 Indiana locations

Owner: Ed Ryan, BS’86

What do you recommend people order when they visit a Big Woods location?
ER: Our Hoosier Red beer and, naturally, the world-famous nachos.

Bluebeard opened in 2012. In its first year, it became a James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in America. Photo courtesy of Edward and Thomas Battista.

Bluebeard

bluebeardindy.com
653 Virginia Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46203

Amelia’s

ameliasbread.com
(Same address as Bluebeard)

Owners: Edward Battista, BS’09, JD’14, and Thomas Battista, BA’74

Braxton Brewing Co.

braxtonbrewing.com
2 Kentucky locations
1 Ohio location

Owner: Jake Rouse, BS’11

Brian Slucker smiles alongside wife and two kids — Are you an IU alum living in the Jacksonville, Fla., area? You’ll often find fellow IU fans at Brewz on game days. *Photo courtesy of Brian Slucker*.

Brewz

brewz.beer
3 Florida locations

Owner: Brian Slucker, BGS’01

Do you have any IU-related drinks?
BS: There are no drinks that are IU related, but we do buy a bunch of beer from Upland in Bloomington.

Have any famous alums visited your bars?
BS: The only famous alum that I know of is Jammie Kirlew, BS’09—a former IU football player.

In fall 2018, the IU Alumni Association launched a private label wine program–the 1820 Collection–to celebrate the IU Bicentennial. The wine is produced by IU alumnus David Brutocao and his family. Left to right: Steve, Len, and David Brutocao. *Photo courtesy of Brutocao Family Vineyards*.

Brutocao Family Vineyards

brutocaocellars.com
13500 S. Hwy 101
Hopland, CA 95449

Owner: David Brutocao, MBA’83
Read about the IU Alumni Association’s wine collaboration with the Brutocao family.

Martha Hoover dips ice cream from machine — Cafe Patachou—known for their cinnamon toast—celebrated 30 years of business in 2019. *Photo courtesy of Martha Hoover.*

Cafe Patachou

cafepatachou.com
5 Indiana locations

Napolese

napolesepizzeria.com
2 Indiana locations

Bar One Fourteen

baronefourteen.com
114 E. 49th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46205

Petite Chou Bistro and Champagne Bar

petitechoubistro.com
823 E. Westfield Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46220

Public Greens

publicgreensurbankitchen.com
3 Indiana locations

Owner: Martha Hoover, BA’77, JD’80

What do you recommend people order when they visit your establishments?
MH: You can’t [go wrong] with cinnamon toast and our namesake omelet at Cafe Patachou, the Hamaker’s pie at Napolese, duck fat pommes frites and onion soup gratinee at Petite Chou Bistro, a refreshing grain bowl and cinnamon bomb at Public Greens, or the Fancy AF burger at Bar One Fourteen.

Steve Bradley smiles while holding plate of burger and fries — Clutch Burger is known for their “Shut the Clutch Up” burger challenge. Those who attempt the challenge have to eat six Wagyu beef patties covered in cheese, two onion rings, a brioche bun, a pound of steak fries, and a milkshake. Amateurs get 15 minutes to complete the challenge, while the pros are only allotted 10. Winners of the challenge get a free Clutch burger every month for a year. *Photo courtesy of Steve Bradley*.

Clutch Burger

clutchburger.com
146 Giralda Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134

Owner: Steve Bradley, BS’07

Jeff Kraus reads a magazine — Jeff Kraus competed on season 38 of the Food Network’s “Chopped.” *Photo courtesy of Jeff Kraus*.

Crêpe Bar

crepe-bar.com
7520 S. Rural Road
Tempe, AZ 85283

Owner: Jeff Kraus, BGS’05

Did your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
JK: The main influence came from being a regular at Nick’s, Dagwood’s, Kilroy’s, and Mother Bears Pizza. These restaurants offered something for everyone. The food was good and affordable. The atmosphere was lively and diverse.

Do you have any IU-related food/drinks?
JK: Yes, the Hoosier Pie. The base is a buttery pie crust, and the filling is a custard.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
JK: If they are food enthusiasts and adventurous, then the Grand Prix is a must. It’s a coffee crêpe with crispy pork belly, an over easy egg, and espresso maple syrup. If they’re looking for more of a classic, then [I recommend] the Papa K. It’s a crêpe filled with locally raised ham, soft scrambled eggs, roasted mushrooms, and mixed farm greens. [I also recommend] the First Time, which is filled with Nutella, brûléed banana, banana chips, and Nutella crumble.

Davis Estates

davisestates.com
4060 Silverado Trail N.
Calistoga, CA 94515

Owner: Michael Davis, BS’76

Kleiner’s franchise location opened in the fall of 2020. Photo courtesy of Lee Kleiner.

Garbanzo

eatgarbanzo.com
1340 E. 86th St. #56
Indianapolis, IN 46240

Owner: Lee Kleiner, BS’98

Did anything about your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
LK: When I started school, I was a kid with big dreams and when I left, I was a young adult with the tools to achieve those dreams. As a Hoosier, you’re surrounded by a group of tremendous people who push you to become a better version of yourself. I’d always wanted to own my own business, and my time at IU gave me the knowledge, resources, and connections to do so.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
LK: If it’s your first time, you definitely have to try a pita. Our sauces are top tier—try the signature red sauce (if you can handle the spice) or the creamy, garlic white sauce. Add on a side of falafel, and you’ll be set!

Generous Coffee

generousmovement.com
701 12th St.
Golden, CO 80401
(inside Tributary Food Hall & Drinkery)

Owner: Ben Higgins, BS’12

Can customers ever expect to see you sipping a cup of coffee at Generous?
BH: I was just in there this morning! When I’m in Denver, I will definitely be going into our shops.

Did anything about your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
BH: It gave me the confidence to at least try. I saw so many people from IU pursuing dreams and discussing solutions to world problems that could come in the form of business or philanthropy or both. IU has had a massive impact on my life.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
BH: Our Honduran Latte and Haitian Latte are two tremendous drinks. They taste good, and a percentage of the sale goes toward injustice projects in both countries.

Michael Gomez holds huge chunk of meat above his head — *Zagat* named Gomez BBQ one of the “Hottest Indianapolis Restaurants” in 2017. *Photo courtesy of Michael Gomez*.

Gomez BBQ

gomezbbq.com
2827 E. 10th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46201

Owner: Michael Gomez, BA’07

Jason Tapp and Michael Harvey stand together with arms crossed — Jason Tapp (right) runs Greek’s Pizzeria & Tapp Room with co-owner Michael Harvey (left). *Photo courtesy of* *Erin Feldmeyer.*

Greek’s Pizzeria & Tapp Room

greekspizzatapproom.com
2 Indiana locations

Owner: Jason Tapp, BS’01

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
JT: Our biggest seller is our Greek’s Special—a loaded supreme pizza.

Have any famous alums visited Greek’s?
JT: I suppose my claim to fame is when [Vice President] Mike Pence, JD’86, made a campaign stop at my Franklin store during his vice presidential run with President Trump.

Guardian Brewing Company

guardianbrewingco.com
3657 63rd St.
Saugatuck, MI 49453

Owners: Kimberly Collins, BS’03, MS’08, and Kate Bishop, PhD’12

Do you have any IU-related décor at Guardian Brewing?
K&K: Our IU degrees hang in our brewery. Reminders of Kim’s time with the IU women’s rugby club are found around the brewery as well.

Do you have any IU-related drinks?
K&K: Not yet, but an IU-themed beer is in the works!

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
K&K: We highly recommend the beer cheese, as it’s the best in west Michigan. Our most popular beers are Gator Bait Golden Ale and Ness Imperial IPA.

Greg Percifield sits behind candy table — Heritage Candy has been open since 1973. *Photo courtesy of Greg Percifield*.

Heritage Candy Store

41 S. Van Buren St.
Nashville, IN 47448

Owner: Greg Percifield, BS’76

Paula Haney sits at table with two pies — The first Hoosier Mama Pie location opened in 2009. *Photo courtesy of Paula Haney*.

Hoosier Mama Pie Company

hoosiermamapie.com
2 Chicago-area locations

Owner: Paula Haney, BAJ’90

Matthew Logsdon holds bottle of hand sanitizer — In April 2020, in response to a shortage, Logsdon led IWC’s pivot from making small-batch whiskey to producing hand sanitizer. Roughly 8,000 gallons were bottled. *Photo courtesy of Matthew Logsdon.*

The Indiana Whiskey Company

inwhiskey.com
1115 W. Sample St.
South Bend, IN 46619

Owner: Matthew Logsdon, MD’22

Bill Miller and wife stand at J. Carver bar and hold drinks — J. Carver was founded in 2013. Photo courtesy of Bill Miller.

J. Carver Distillery

jcarverdistillery.com
1320 Mill Lane
Waconia, MN 55387

Owners: Bill Miller, BS’82, MBA’83, and Lana (Lamb) Miller, BS’83

Did anything about your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
BM: My education at the Kelley School of Business is the primary source of all my success in life. Really. Plus, I met my wife there!

Do you have any IU-related décor?
BM: No IU décor, but we do sneak IU ice cubes into our drinks whenever we see anyone wearing hats from other Big Ten schools.

Courtney Cowan opened Milk Jar Cookies in 2013. Photo courtesy of Courtney Cowan.

Milk Jar Cookies

milkjarcookies.com
5466 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Owner: Courtney Cowan, BS’00

George Leach, a former IU men’s basketball player, founded OooWee in 2011. Photo courtesy of George Leach.

Ooowee BBQ

facebook.com/eatOooWeeBbq
Charlotte, N.C.
(Food truck, location varies)

Owner: George Leach, BGS’09

Mike Baran and wife sit at a table — Prior to purchasing Parky’s in 2018, Mike was the interim CFO for Upland Brewing Company. *Photo courtesy of Mike Baran.*

Parky’s Smokehouse

parkyssmokehouse.com
2479 N. Lebanon St.
Lebanon, IN 46052

Owners: Mike Baran, MBA’03, and Melanie (Cobb) Baran, BA’97

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
MB: Everything. We make our own sides, sauces, desserts, soups, dressings, toppings, rubs, etc. in our scratch kitchen. But to narrow it down, [I recommend our] hickory-smoked baby back ribs and the beef brisket.

Adam Turla is the lead singer for Murder By Death, while his wife and business partner, Sarah Balliet, plays the cello. Photo courtesy of Adam Turla.

Pizza LUPO

pizzalupo.com
1540 Frankfort Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206

Owners: Adam Turla, ’03, and Sarah Balliet, ’04

Did your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
AT: All the ethnic restaurants in Bloomington really opened my mind to cuisines I had never tried before, and [Sarah and I] would try practically every place that opened up in town. I think going to all those mom and pop restaurants definitely informed our choice to open one.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
AT: Our most unique things are handmade pastas, which we often use very old techniques to make, and our pizza dough is definitely next level. It’s the kind of place where you’re definitely supposed to eat the crust.

Have any famous alums visited Pizza LUPO?
AT: A lot of great bands have come in. The first few that come to mind that we’ve fed are Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Gogol Bordello, Modest Mouse, and Iron & Wine.

Caleb Schiff smiles while tossing pizza dough — Pizzicletta opened in 2011. *Photo courtesy of Caleb Schiff*.

Pizzicletta

pizzicletta.com
203 W. Phoenix Ave.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Owner: Caleb Schiff, BS’05

Anthony Maieron founded Revel in 2017. *Photo courtesy of Revel*.

Revel OTR Urban Winery

revelotr.com
111 E. 12th St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Owner: Anthony Maieron, BS’96

Brian Shapiro and his wife, Sally, stand outside the original Shapiro's Deli — Brian Shapiro and his wife, Sally (Keck) Shapiro, ’83, pose in front of the original Shapiro’s Deli, which has been family-owned for more than 110 years. *Photo courtesy of Sam Greene and* The Cincinnati Enquirer.

Shapiro’s Delicatessen

shapiros.com
2 Indiana locations

Owner: Brian Shapiro, BS’81, JD’84

How would you say your time at IU influenced your career?
BS: My Kelley and Maurer degrees prepared me to take over the family business after my great uncle passed away in the fall of 1984. My law school and business school connections have continuously helped me guide the business, especially in these pandemic conditions.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
BS: A Rueben and a piece of cheesecake.

Brian Morin stands behind bar — “While living in Bloomington for eight years, I got very into homebrewing. I was a member of the Bloomington Hop Jockeys (the local homebrew club), and I spent a lot of time at the Butler Winery homebrew supply store,” Morin says. *Photo courtesy of Brian Morin.*

Sister Lakes Brewing Company

sisterlakesbrewing.com
92500 County Road 690
Dowagiac, MI 49047

Owner: Brian Morin, MS’09

Do you have any IU-related décor?
BM: Not specifically, but when building my brewhouse, I chose white walls and a red ceiling in honor of my alma mater.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
BM: One of our flagship beers is the Dewey Lake Monster Double IPA, named in honor of the local ‘Bigfoot’ legend. This beer has medaled twice in international beer competitions and is a must-try when visiting our taproom. It pairs perfectly with our Michigan Pork Nachos.

Something Blue opened in December 2011. Photo courtesy of Makenzie Kus.

Something Blue

somethingbluebakery.com
918 Main St.
Lafayette, IN 47901

Owner: Makenzie Kus, BA’07

Did anything about your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
MK: I graduated with a degree in theatre and drama to become a scenic artist. I worked at the Jacobs School of Music for several years after college, painting sets and creating props. In a lot of ways, it greatly helped my cake skills—they have a lot of overlapping similarities and techniques. One is just edible!

Have you created any custom IU cakes?
MK: We [make] quite a few IU graduation cakes in May and December. Parents often pick them up on their way through Indiana down to Bloomington or Indianapolis.

What do you recommend people order when they visit the bakery?
MK: I especially love [the flavor] chocolate bliss (chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream, chocolate ganache, and mini chocolate chips). Another favorite, especially for summer, is the [flavor] strawberry lemonade (lemon cake, lemon curd filling, and strawberry buttercream). All our flavors are available as both cake and cupcakes.

Nicole Stipp pours drink behind bar — Trouble Bar is 100 percent female-owned. The bar opened in 2019. *Photo courtesy of Nicole Stipp*.

Trouble Bar

matsongilman.com/trouble-bar
1149 S. Shelby St.
Louisville, KY 40203

Owner: Nicole Stipp, BS’07

Do you have any IU-related décor at Trouble Bar? Or any IU-related food/drinks?
NS: Our menu does pay homage to my alma mater with lots of Indiana-based distilleries. Trouble Bar has a fairly minimalist design style, so you won’t see too much IU swag around, but you’ll usually catch me behind the bar in an IU hat or a Little 500 sweatshirt.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
NS: We are famous for our seasonal Old-Fashioned, so if you’re new to bourbon or whiskey, I recommend ordering one of those. If you’re an aficionado, you can try one of our 20-plus custom whiskey flights where you can sample rare single barrel picks or dive into global whiskies for something new. All our bartenders are Executive Bourbon Stewards, so they can help guide you through if you don’t know what to pick from our 200-plus whiskey list.

Ross Bailey holds bottle of wine — Tastings has more than 200 wines available for sampling. Photo courtesy of Ross Bailey.

Tastings

tastingsbar.com
50 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Owner: Ross Bailey, BS’07

Did your time at IU influence your decision to have your own business?
RB: The campus has certainly changed since I graduated in 2007, and the business school is hardly recognizable from my time there, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the quality education. It takes a lot of long hours and sometimes sleepless nights to start a business, and the habits I learned at IU certainly gave me the perseverance needed to pursue running my own business in a competitive industry.

What do you recommend people order when they visit?
RB: The Tastings concept is built to showcase wine from regions all over the world. We have the largest by-the-glass wine list in the city of Indianapolis, so we encourage anyone interested in learning about wine to come visit the wine bar. We also have a really great tapas-style menu that is perfect for sharing with friends.

Have any famous alums visited Tastings?
RB: We see our fair share of celebrities come through Tastings when they’re in Indianapolis, but I think the most notable IU alum to visit was Mark Cuban, BS’81. I also had a wild experience talking to the nicest gentleman during his visit to Tastings. We were discussing Bloomington and all things IU for about half an hour before one of his friends approached and revealed that the man I was speaking with was Ed Sample, MS’71. Not only is he one of the most generous donors to Indiana University, he was a genuinely kind individual and a pleasure to speak with. The Sample Gates are such an iconic, huge part of IU. It was a great experience to meet the man behind the generous contribution.

Louis Jordan and his wife, Lynda, planted their California vineyard in 2003. Photo courtesy of Louis Jordan.

Tympany Vineyards

tympanyvineyards.com
185 Spur Ridge Ct.
Healdsburg, CA 95448

Owner: Louis Jordan, MBA’80

Noah Herron smiles next to wife and two kids — Noah Herron met his wife, Emily (Micinski), BS’08, while attending IU. *Photo courtesy of Noah Herron*.

Urban Vines

urban-vines.com
303 E. 161st St.
Westfield, IN 46074

Owner: Noah Herron, BA’06

Do you have any IU-related décor at Urban Vines?
NH: We live in an area where we have fans of IU, Butler, and Purdue. We try not to show any bias … now my house is a different story!

Do you have any IU-related drinks?
NH: We are not only a winery, but we are a brewery as well. We started brewing about a year ago. One of the first beers we released was our Hoosier Pilsner. We try to keep this on tap year-round.

Rick and Kathy Black opened Wildcat Creek Winery in 2007. Photo courtesy of Rick and Kathy Black.

Wildcat Creek Winery

wildcatcreekwinery.com
3233 E. 200 N.
Lafayette, IN 47905

Owners: Kathy (Murray), BS’75, and Rick Black, MBA’80

Susan Tirikos holds two cups of frozen yogurt — Y’OPA, is a combination of the words yogurt and opa (a common Greek emotional expression used in times of celebrations). *Photo courtesy of Susan Tirikos*.

Y’OPA

yopafrozenyogurt.com
165 W. Centre Ave.
Portage, MI 49024

Owners: Michael Tirikos, BA’10, and Susan (Forgas), BGS’13

A number of Bloomington, Ind., establishments—many of which have become community staples—are owned and operated by IU alumni.

Baked!

bakedofbloomington.com
Owner: Jared Schneider, BS’08

Bear’s Place

bearsplacebar.com
Owners: Andrew Thomas, BS’93, and Devin Thomas, BA’06

One World Enterprises

Bloomington Brewing Co.
bloomingtonbrew.com

Hive
hivebloomington.com

Lennie’s
lenniesbloomington.com

Pizza X
pizzaxbloomington.com
Owners: Helen “Lennie” Busch, BS’82, and Jeff Mease, ’84

Butler Winery

butlerwinery.com
Owners: Susan (Curl) Butler, BA’72, and Jim Butler, BS’73

Cardinal Spirits

cardinalspirits.com
Owners: Jason Katz, BS’03, and Jeff Wuslich, BA’04

C3

c3bloomington.com
Owner: Eric Stolberg, BS’70, MS’75

DeAngelo’s

deangelosbloomington.com
Owners: Mark Miller, BA’08, and Sarah (Carrell) Miller, BAJ’10

Eric Gordon’s Greek’s Pizzeria

greekspizzeria.com
Owner: Eric Gordon, ’08

Friendly Beasts Cider Company

friendlybeastscider.com
Owners: Fatima Carson, MPA’10, and Ben Romlein, MPA’12, MIS’12

Janko’s Little Zagreb

littlezagreb.com
Owner: Mark Conlin, ’80

Le Petit Café

facebook.com/LePetitCafeBloomington
Owner: Patrick Fiore, BM’82

Nick’s English Hut

nicksenglishhut.com
Owner: Gregg Rago,’80

Orbit Room

facebook.com/orbitroombtown
Owners: Michael Klinge, BA’01, and Katherine Novotny, BS’07

Rush Bowls

rushbowls.com/bloomington
Owner: Ethan White, BS’18

Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar

Iheartsoma.com
Owners: Bob Costello, BA’95, and Kari (Pace) Costello, BS’87

Small Favors

www.smallfavorsbar.com
Owner: Nick Detrich, ’07

Switchyard Brewing Company

switchyardbrewing.com
Owners: Jeff Hall, ’08, and Kristin Cummings, MS’14, Eds’14

The Village Deli

Villagedeli.biz
Owners: Bob Costello, BA’95, and Kari (Pace) Costello, BS’87

Uptown Cafe

the-uptown.com
Owner: Michael Cassady, BA’73

Do you know of an IU alumni-owned restaurant or bar not listed above? Email us at iueditor@iu.edu.

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