It’s patio season, which means taking advantage of these long days and warm nights in Indianapolis by dining outdoors. Here’s a round-up of some family-friendly, must-try restaurants that feature great outdoor dining.
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Fun Restaurants Near Indianapolis Where Families Can Dine Outside This Summer:
Baby’s
2147 N. Talbott St., Indianapolis
You’ll find kid-approved smash burgers, fried chicken and milkshakes on the menu, but the best part of Baby’s (from a kid’s perspective) is the fantastic kids play area on the patio. They also offer magnet tiles for little ones to play with while you’re waiting for your food!
Daniel’s Vineyard
9061 N 700 W, McCordsville
Daniel’s Vineyard is a Geist hidden gem—the ultimate family destination. There are 22 acres of vines in their front yard and plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the view. Enjoy pizzas, wines, and beers while your kids play games such as chess, bocce, cornhole, or just run around at the giant hill. The winery also hosts many weekly events such as concerts, line dancing lessons, and karaoke nights.
Field Brewing
303 E Main Street, Westfield
Sometimes, parents just need a great restaurant with great food and drinks, where their children can play close by. That’s Field Brewing in a nutshell. This Westfield brewery has an amazing garden and outdoor patio seating, with an area where visitors can play bocce ball, giant Jenga, and just hang out on the artificial turf.
Ford’s Garage
13193 Levinson Lane, Noblesville
Car lovers will get a kick out of Ford’s Garage, a decked out restaurant with Ford car parts and memorabilia. There are even real cars inside the restaurant! After your meal, walk outside of the restaurant and make a right, and you’ll see an outdoor play area for kids, which is part of the Hamilton Town Center outdoor shopping mall.
Fork + Ale House
350 Veterans Way, Carmel
Fork + Ale House serves all the kid favorites: chicken tenders, burgers, and white mac and cheese. But it really shines because it’s situated right in the center of Carmel’s Midtown Plaza. During nice weather, choose to sit on Fork + Ale House’s patio, and you’ll be near the outdoor ping pong tables, pool tables and giant LED TV screen. Parents can enjoy their meal while the kids play!
Half Liter BBQ
5301 Winthrop Ave., Indianapolis
Half Liter BBQ is a great place to bring your half-pints. Not only does this Broad Ripple restaurant serve up some of the best barbecue in Indianapolis, but there is a large outdoor seating area that is open, casual, and family-friendly. You can even play a game of cornhole while you’re waiting for your food! And don’t forget to get dessert after your meal, as Half Liter serves two kid favorite: Dippin’ Dots and Rice Krispie Treats!
Iozzo’s Garden of Italy
946 S. Meridian St., Indianapolis
A good restaurant for older kids, Iozzo’s Garden of Italy has been serving up Italian-American classics in Indy for years. Iozzo’s patio is magical around dinner time, when the twinkling lights sparkle, making the gorgeous fountain in the garden shimmer. Italian music softly playing adds to the ambiance.
Lou Malnati’s Broad Ripple
6320 Ferguson St., Indianapolis
The only Lou Malnati’s in Indy with a dine-in eatery, this Chicago-based deep-dish pizza restaurant also has a large outdoor patio overlooking the Broad Ripple Canal. Lou’s features an extensive kids menu and a fun circus theme throughout the restaurant — including fun wacky mirrors that make you feel like you’re in a fun house!
Traders Point Creamery
9101 Moore Road, Zionsville
Traders Point Creamery is a working dairy farm that offers local ingredients at their farm-to-table restaurant. From April through October, visitors can take a self-guided tour of the farm property and visit with some of the Traders Point Creamery cows, chickens and other animals that call the Zionsville farm their home. And for dessert, kids will especially love that there’s a Dairy Bar on site, where you can order freshly made ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and floats, which you can enjoy inside the restaurant or outdoors on the big patio.
