Milktooth
The most remarkable thing about Milktooth, which grabbed Indy by the Dutch baby pancakes in 2014, is that it shows no signs of atrophy. Nearly four years after opening, it’s as imaginative and popular as ever, with a stream of national accolades and weekend crowds that stretch out the door. Chef and owner Jonathan Brooks gives all the credit to his culinary team, including pastry chef Zoë Taylor and chef de cuisine Josh Kline, whose creativity kept the restaurant in forward motion during a year that saw lots of professional travel for Brooks (such is the life of a chef in the spotlight). Brooks’s stamp is still all over the menu, from the latkes with seasonal butters to the raclette grilled cheese with black truffle honey and sunny-side-up duck egg. But you can see flourishes of Kline’s ingenuity in the peameal bacon, a variation of Canadian bacon rendered as slices of Indiana pork loin coated in dried peas, then fried. And Taylor continues to be a draw for her pastries that are both classic (chocolate croissants) and quirky (vegan cranberry-coconut pop tarts).
NEW THIS YEAR
Night Sister, twice-monthly evening parties at Milktooth run by bar manager Amy Sawyer, with cocktails, small plates, and a rotating roster of musical and visual artists.
INSIDER TIP
“People think we’re always full and on a long wait, but if you come between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. during the week, you’ll almost always be able to get a table right away.” — Jonathan Brooks, chef and owner
534 Virginia Ave., 317-986-5131
