10 Outfits to Wear to Indy Restaurants this Summer

Get excited! Summer is coming, which means that you can wear whatever your heart desires without worrying about if your legs will freeze off or if your outfit compliments your huge puffy winter jacket. Now that you can’t use the weather as an excuse to not leave your house anymore,  go outside and celebrate the end of your seasonal depression by throwing on some cute clothes and hitting up some of Indy’s coolest restaurants. Don’t know where to start? PATTERN has ten epic outfits and restaurants for you!

It’s time to ditch the PJs and the thermos of Barefoot wine, so you can commemorate the end of the work day in style. Maialina is a classy and polished Italian restaurant with the best pasta in Fountain Square, and the perfect place to treat yourself and your friends or family. PATTERN’s secret style recipe for Mailalina calls for a white shirt that shows off your personality, a pair of black formal pants, your favorite pair of black shoes, and white accessories.

If it’s not on your summer bucket list already, you HAVE to add hanging out on BODHI’s outdoor patio to the list. Both gorgeous on the inside and out, BODHI’s Thai cuisine, craft cocktails, and amazing atmosphere live in the minds of PATTERN rent-free. A place as awesome as this, calls for an outfit that is just amazing. Dig through your closet for your most whimsical blue or green top, neutral colored bottoms, and some sandals with a bit of height, and be sure to take the cutest pictures for Instagram.

Easy Rider is a diner of this decade. With southwest flavors, Easy Rider has a contemporary take on traditional American comfort food that everyone is raving about. This place has potential to become THE brunch spot for you and your friends. Look hot as hell during the day-after-debrief in a form fitting white top, colorful patterned skirt, and a fun pair of shoes.

If you were to walk into a cider lover’s dream, it would be Ash & Elm. The local Indianapolis craft cider company has a restaurant with a rotating selection of fourteen ciders, which pair amazingly with their mouth-watering menu. Try your favorite all-natural cider in an outfit that radiates main character energy with a raglan quarter sleeve, jeans or denim skirt, your well-loved sneakers, and some dainty jewelry.

If you don’t know about St. Elmo’s, you’ve been living under a rock, and if you haven’t had their very spicy cocktail sauce, your sinuses are thankful. St. Elmo Steak House is one of the classiest establishments in Indianapolis, considering that it’s both a steakhouse and a landmark, and it also has a speak-easy style lounge above it. The 1933 Lounge has a late 1800’s restored vintage bar back and exudes bourgeois. Capture the attention of the whole room as you enjoy the infamous St. Elmo’s shrimp cocktail in an elegant velvet dress, tan overcoat, and simple nude heels. Maybe throw on some pearls too, just for clutching.

Mama Carolla’s is where romance meets Italian food. Hidden on the fringes of downtown Broad Ripple, Mama Carolla’s has a delicious variety of authentic Italian dishes and beautifully cozy decor that makes you feel like you’re the lead in a rom-com. Lean into the role and wear a flowy sundress that is perfect for running across a field towards a long-lost lover and a comfy pair of sandals.

Big Lug Canteen has it all: fantastic food, great brews, and a wonderful view. Summer wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a nice cold drink and fried cheese curds on Big Lug’s patio that overlooks the Monon Trail. To match the brewery’s chill vibes, break out your favorite graphic tee, a pair of ripped jeans, and the coolest sneakers you have.

As a tiki bar, The Inferno Room has provided Indy with summer vibes all year round. Known for their DisneyLand level of decor and fun drink menu, The Inferno Room is a great place to shake your weekend routine with a date or friends. Dress for the tropics and wear your brightest color top, your iconic summer shorts, sandals or flip flops, and top it all off with a colorful and creative makeup look.

Feeling moody or pensive? Or maybe summer is just not your jam and you long for cold winter days next to the fireplace? Nevermore Union Station is an Edgar Allen Poe themed restaurant and bar with almost every amenity one could ask for. Play a round of duckpin bowling with friends, curl up next to the fireplace in the library with a good book, or order a bloody mary at their craft cocktail bar and lounge. Brood in style by layering a patterned dress over a black top and wearing your “I’ll kick you in the shins if you talk to me” boots.

If you are dying to spruce up your Instagram feed, Baby’s is the place to go. They have mastered the pink diner aesthetic to a whole other level, making every square-foot of the restaurant photogenic. Outside of the really cool decor, Baby’s has a fun menu with not-your-traditional burgers and sandwiches which pair nicely with their spiked milkshakes. Match the aesthetic by wearing a pink or white monochrome outfit and a retro pair of shoes.