Dining

Designed by Brazilian architect Daniela Kohl of Kohl Interiors, Carmel’s two-story Sonata Cafe Bar and Art (31 E. Main St., Carmel) will feature large bay windows, an open-area bar and atrium, hardwood floors, and an open-air counter for window service to passersby on the street. Co-owned by Magdalena Segovia (who also owns the Magdalena Gallery and runs the Carmel Academy of the Arts), the restaurant with the Italian piazza-style atmosphere comes complete with live music from

The gourmet popsicle trend might finally be edging out the cupcake cafes and food trucks to get a toehold in Indianapolis. Nothing against fondant and street tacos, but you can’t get much more adorable than Pop Cycle, spotted pedaling “mostly organic” frozen treats on the Monon last week.

Downtown’s ethnic dining scene gets a new addition this fall in the form of Ali Baba’s Cafe, which has  set up shop at The Block building in the spot previously occupied by Tea Cozy. Slated to open late September, the family-owned and -operated restaurant will seat up to 50 diners and serve Greek and Middle Eastern dishes for lunch ($7-$10) and dinner ($15+). In the evening hours, the restaurant devotes itself entirely to hookah.

Owner Mamduh Almaaitah says he

In October, former Oceanaire Seafood Room executive chef Ryan Nelson will open his new restaurant in The Shoppes of River Crossing (Next to Old Navy). Late Harvest Kitchen, will feature New American cuisine at prices ranging from the high-teens to mid-twenties. “If I had to boil down the concept, there’s a great tradition of fine dining chefs that do food in a more casual setting,” Nelson says. “I want to make my food available to everyone, not j

Hungry downtown dwellers and Northside commuters who have passed the darkened home of short-lived Bonjour Cafe and Bakery at 24th & Meridian, your wait for some new victuals is (nearly) over!   After last summer’s rumors that a Dunkin Donuts and a Baskin-Robbins were taking over the spot never panned out, it looked as though it might be another blight on the Meridian corridor. But a banner has gone up announcing that

The Guinness chocolate cupcake at Creation Cafe (337 W. 11th St., 317-955-2389), rich (but not too), with a perfectly piped cap of semi-sweet chocolate icing. The trifle-style tiramisu at Iozzo’s Garden of Italy (946 S. Meridian St., 317-974-1100

The Star does a very nice job today, on its front page, of reporting on the latest spate of restaurant closures … though they were singing

The mostly deserted curb next to a torn-up lot at 14th and Meridian didn’t seem a very promising spot for a lunchtime food truck. But soon enough, fans and Facebook followers of Fat Sammies Ciao Wagon started trickling in, hungry for a Sicilian lunch. This relative newcomer onto Indy’s growing food-truck scene prides itself on being a quality “taste” truck with Italian-style subs and sandwiches that won’t weigh you down when you head back to work.

The official name of former Oceanaire chef Ryan Nelson’s new restaurant at The Shoppes of River Crossing

Yesterday marked the first day of Devour Downtown, and we have a lot of work to do. Among the restaurants participating in this summer’s $30/three-course eating frenzy (which runs through Aug. 21), we have our eyes on . . .

The Rathskeller Restaurant (401 E. Michigan St., 317-636-0

In late July, Indianapolis couple and Indy Cigar Bar (3357 E. 86th St., 317-202-0720) owners Laura and Corey Johnston were featured on NBC’s The Marriage Ref, a cross between reality TV and a game show in which A-listers act as judge and jury for couples who a

1.    Shrimp nachos at El Puerto de San Blas (3564 Lafayette Rd., 317-291-2800): Huge pieces of shrimp, chunky cilantro-laced guacamole, and plenty of melted cheese on housemade chips.

2.    The Chinese basil, eggplant, and garlic chicken at Naisa Pan-Asian Cafe (1025 Virginia Ave., 317-602-3708), a seasonal special.

3.    Deep-fried breaded jalapeno ri

The backyard chicken coop craze is catching on from Carmel to Irvington. Here is everything you need to know to join the flock.   Feed Store:

The only chicken feed store inside the I-465 loop, Backyard Birds (2374 E. 54th St., 317-255-7333) also hosts classes on raising them.

Required Reading: Established in 1914,

You never know who you’ll end up rubbing elbows and swapping plates with downtown.   A friend who works in radio invited me to have a drink with his cohorts at Harry & Izzy’s (153 S. Illinois St., 317-635-9594) last Monday night. He himself didn’t know it would turn into dinner, and lo and behold, former Colts backup quarterback

A friendly hostess at Napoli Villa (758 Main St., Beech Grove,