Napolese

Happy Halloweekend to all. Plus, an “open letter,” tweeted, from the Indiana Pacers and more.

At the Meridian-Kessler location, an intimate, dimly lit, dining room is built around an exposed hearth oven, and the pizza gods shine a heavenly spotlight on executive chef Tyler Herald as he puts on a master class in pizza perfection.

See the full tasting-hour and sit-down dinner menus from our April 24 event celebrating many of the city’s top chefs and restaurants.

Their salads aren’t just greenery on the side of a pizza—filled with substantial elements such as Brussels sprouts or roasted cauliflower, they easily make a hearty meal.

Including Indiana State Fair (fried) food porn, a celebrity’s surprise visit at a downtown eatery, a buzzworthy drink prepared 10 different ways, and much more.

Seven local dishes you probably haven’t had, but should.

About local-favorite Long’s Bakery, Stewart tells IM, “They let me go in the back and photograph the entire doughnut-making process. We ate so many of them.”

She enjoyed buffalo margherita pizza, vegetarian double chopped salad, and dessert at the downtown location of Indy’s own Martha Hoover’s Neapolitan-style pie spot.

Take a front-row seat to some of the best kitchen acts in town.

That third course and others over the course of the night, as well as the prior tasting time, saw delectable plates of food paired with choice wines, beers, and cocktails.

Including Taste Cafe & Marketplace’s grilled bacon chop.

To Patachou Inc.’s 32-year-old executive chef, Tyler Herald, they’re not just diners seeking sustenance—they’re fans gathering before his live rock concert–esque performance.

A salad of fregula tossed with peas, black walnuts, roasted fennel, and pea tendrils shot through with nibs of Traders Point Creamery’s cheese—served on a plate dotted with sweet carrot vinaigrette at Napolese downtown.

He has free reign over the menu at Napolese, a pizza empire that grows by one more when Martha Hoover opens the restaurant’s third incarnation this month at Keystone at the Crossing. But success has not diminished chef Tyler Herald‘s sense of adventure. Here, the Portland-trained chef with the locavorian spirit reflects on his growing season.

From The Libertine to Recess and Oakleys to Bluebeard, Korean to Latin and sushi to steak, our critics chose the cream of Indy’s dining crop,. Who’s at the head of the table? Read on to find out.