Launched in November 2014, the Indie Indy Foodie Tours is the brainchild of food expert and entrepreneur, Karen Kennedy. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant and event planning industry, Karen knows her stuff. After moving to Carmel, IN a couple of years ago, her inner “foodie” got to work.
“My inspiration for the foodie tours started almost as soon as I moved to Carmel in March of 2013. Everywhere I went, I would ask people what their favorite restaurant was. Invariably, they would list a chain restaurant right down the street. When I asked them about restaurants I had read about in Broad Ripple or Fountain Square, they would look at me like I was crazy and say, “Oh, we don’t ever get down that way. It’s too far and you can’t park.” So I thought, what if we put 12-16 people on a limo bus and drove them to these places? We could let the owners market to their audience directly, tell their stories and show off their food. That’s what our mission is all about – celebrating the local restaurant owner!” said Kennedy. And with that, the Indie Indy Foodie Tours were born, offering diners the opportunity to try independently owned restaurants throughout the Indianapolis area.
Mike and I went into our inaugural tour excited and blind. We weren’t quite sure what to expect! After meeting the group and enjoying appetizers at the first restaurant in Broad Ripple, we boarded a luxury limo bus and took off to the 2nd of 4 restaurant destinations. Stop after stop, we were pleasantly surprised with the generous food portions, charming dining atmospheres and personal time with the chef. Prior to the evening, we had never been to a single one of the restaurants we visited! “Even a dedicated Indianapolis foodie can expect to visit one place that she or he has not tried before or sample a dish they’ve never had. We had a guy on one tour who announced at the start that we couldn’t possibly take him to any restaurant in Indianapolis that he hadn’t already been to, and we got him on three out of the four stops! He couldn’t believe it,” said Karen.
When our tour came to an end, we went home with full bellies and full hearts. Not only did we get to try some of Indy’s best eats, we met some incredible people along the way. We left with a deeper appreciation for all of the local chefs and entrepreneurs in this city we call home.
Next time you’re looking for a night of fun, make reservations for the Indie Indy Foodie Tour! Perfect for company outings, bridal parties or just a fun night on the town with friends, this is the new Indy trend you’ll want to jump on board with! For more info on April tours, please check out:Â www.smallpotatoesindy.com
Better yet, enter to WIN a pair of foodie tour tickets on the Hamilton County Family Magazine Facebook page:Â www.facebook.com/hamiltoncountyfamily
