Near Eastside - Indianapolis, IN Area Guide

The state capital of Indianapolis was established in 1820 on the banks of the White River. The founders were betting the river would act as a major transport hub, when in fact it was too sandy to support heavy boat traffic. This didn’t prevent the town from growing into the largest city in the state, however.

The Eastside area includes the historic neighborhood of Irvington. Originally planned as a suburb in 1870, 80 percent of homes found here were built prior to 1960. The annual Historic Irvington Halloween Festival, attracts thousands of residents to the neighborhood for Halloween-themed activities.

Near Eastside's Irving Theater hosts live music and open mic events throughout the year. The Indianapolis Museum of Art, located downtown, gives residents the opportunity to view a permanent collection of African, American, Asian and contemporary art as well as regularly scheduled exhibits.

While there may not be a single concentration of dining and drinking establishments in the neighborhood, several options can be found relatively close together.

In the heart of the Near Eastside area, the Tick Tock Lounge dive-bar-turned-pub features a great selection of locally brewed beer, a menu of better-than-average bar food and mean bloody Marys loaded with garnishes. If you’re not on a health kick and you’re just looking for a slice of pizza, Polly’s Big Slice won’t disappoint. Buckets of fries and gooey melted ham and cheese subs all come in large portions at affordable prices.

The Near Eastside neighborhood offers several options for good Mexican food. Tlaolli, though small, creates an inviting atmosphere and features an outdoor patio for warm-weather eating. Tamales, carnitas and quesadillas hit the spot, and vegetarians appreciate the menu's soy chorizo and vegan options. Javier’s Hacienda provides an expansive menu of Mexican cuisine in a more upscale setting. With signature dishes from different parts of Mexico, such as Yucatan, Veracruz and Oaxaca, Javier’s serves slow-roasted pork dinners (cochinita pibil), braised lamb shank (mixiote borrego) and grilled skirt steak (carne asada) that satisfies hungry customers.

The Black Acre Brewing Company brews small batches of craft beer for an ever-changing menu of IPAs, saisons, porters and stouts that it proudly serves in the brewery’s tap room. The Black Acre also features a menu of small-plate items and sandwiches. Beer lovers appreciate the array of choices on tap at Tomlinson Tap Room. The only alcohol served here is beer, and the only beer served has been brewed in the state of Indiana.

For live bluegrass music, take a trip west to the Wellington Pub to hear a hootenanny or a hoedown in a cozy atmosphere.

Most residents in the area rely on their cars for transportation, and free public parking can be found on residential streets. IndyGo, run by the Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, features 31 local bus routes through the area. All but four routes converge downtown. Uber ride sharing is available in Indianapolis, and several options exist for taxi service. Calling for a taxi in advance in the Near Eastside area tends to be more efficient.

Walking and bicycling make for good options on the Near Eastside, although caution should be used when traveling through high-traffic areas. The Indianapolis Cultural Trail features a series of connected trail segments that residents use to travel around the Near Eastside and to downtown. The trail links museums, theaters and shops. The city also features several streets with designated bike lanes.

Interstate 70 runs though the north part of the Near Eastside, allowing for travel west to Terre Haute and east to Dayton, and access to I69 and I65 enable travel north to Fort Wayne and Lafayette.

Brookside Park on the Near Eastside provides residents with over 100 acres of green space along Pogue’s Run, a tributary of the White River. Baseball and soccer fields, a disc golf course, basketball courts and a large community center enable a variety of activities for all age groups in this free public park.

Ellenberger Park also provides many choices for outdoor activities for kids and adults. This city-run park features a playground, a public pool for summer fun and an indoor ice rink to help chase away the winter blues. The park’s Ornithology Center regularly teaches classes on local bird life. The Indianapolis Symphony also gives free performances here as part of their Symphony in the Park free concert series.

Paul Ruster Park features an enclosed area for dogs to run off-leash, and the city park system also has Canine Companion Zones in other parks where dogs can run off-leash. Taking advantage of these zones requires a “pooch pass,” available for purchase at parks across the city.

The Monon Trail can be accessed from the Near Eastside area, providing over 18 miles of asphalt and crushed stone pathways for residents to use for biking, hiking and rollerblading as well as cross country skiing in the winter.

The cost of living on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis falls in line with the rest of the city, which comes in below the national average. A one-bedroom apartment rents for an average of $670 a month. A draft of domestic beer at a local bar costs about $3, with an import priced at about $5, and a single ride on an IndyGo bus to downtown costs $1.75 for adults. Gas prices in the area typically fall about 5 percent below the national average.

A visit to a larger shopping center requires a short trip west to the Circle Centre. Expect to find the usual options, such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Banana Republic. For smaller shops and boutiques, however, plenty of options can be found within the Near Eastside neighborhood. The Little Green Bean Boutique focuses on affordable clothing for kids. The shop features gently used apparel and consignment pieces from local artists and designers. For upscale men's clothing, J. Benzal provides a great selection of shirts, suits, ties, cuff links and other accessories to keep men looking sharp. The Midland Arts & Antique Market sells antique furniture and decorative art pieces from over 200 antique dealers from around the Midwest. Residents of the Near Eastside can travel just a bit west for a choice of grocery stores. Fresh Market has a location near downtown and features good deals on produce and canned goods, and Wildwood Market sells a variety of meats, cheeses and baked goods. The Irvington Farmer's Market sets up in nearby Ellenberger Park the second Sunday of every month, June through October. Over 70 vendors converge here to sell locally grown produce and handmade goods.