Who wants $15 unlimited brunch? The best new brunch menus at Indianapolis restaurants

Liz Biro
IndyStar

The best brunch is the one where you don't have to wait in line, and the Indianapolis area is growing so many brunch menus that I almost feel like the no-wait brunch can't be far off.

These five new brunches from Fountain Square to Broad Ripple, Carmel and Westfield put cool spins on the mid-morning meal, but they also include classics. You'll find steak and eggs, fried chicken biscuits, buttermilk pancakes, new dishes by creative chefs and an unbelievable all-you-can-eat deal.

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Mimosas are, of course, on tap, but one is made with passionfruit. Another incorporates fresh-squeezed orange juice. Snack attack bloody mary and michelada garnishes before you ever take the first sip. 

Cholita

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 1001 Broad Ripple Ave., 317-389-5555, cholitatacos.com

When you wake up starving in the morning, hit this Mexican spot for the $15 unlimited brunch menu that started Dec. 1. Tacos are Cholita’s specialty, but brunch serves various scrambles, including one with suadero beef, a thinly sliced cut from near the belly, onions, charred peppers and serrano chilies. Vanilla custard and dulce de leche cover the Mexican chocolate waffle served with a split banana.

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On cold days, consider brisket stew with bacon, beans and avocado in tomatillo broth. Brunch’s one taco is adobo chicken tucked with cilantro, onion and salsa in a fresh corn tortilla. Drinks aren’t included in the all-you-can-eat price, but don’t let that sway you from sipping a passionfruit mimosa or the loaded michelada garnished with shrimp, celery, cucumber and hot sauce.

Cholita chef Maxi Cortez Sierra hails from Sonora, Mexico and has clocked time at Mass Ave.'s Livery restaurant. Cholita Mexican restaurant opened Nov. 9, 2018, at 1001 Broad Ripple Ave., Indianapolis. Weekend brunch service began Dec. 1, 2018.

LouVino Mass Ave.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 530 Massachusetts Ave., 317-744-9955, louvino.com/massave

Fans of LouVino's Fishers location adore Instagramable brunches there. Brunch has started at the Mass Ave. location that opened in March 2019. Dishes riffing on Southern cooking are fun share, even better with $2 mimosas. Fried green tomatoes and cheddar  go on the BLT, to which you can add fried chicken. Breakfast “corndogs” are sausage links dipped in pancake batter and deep-fried. Drizzle them with spicy maple aioli. The biscuit board lets you build your own fluffy brunch dreams with counry ham, pepper jelly, pimento cheese and honey butter. 

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Turchetti’s Salumeria

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 1106 Prospect St., 317-426-3048, turchettis.com

If steak and eggs are your thing, there’s no better place to get them than at this Fountain Sqaure meatery’s café where weekend brunch service began Dec. 7. Owner George Turkette saddles a half-pound, dry-aged steak -- sometimes rib-eye, sometimes strip, sometimes filet -- and two sunny eggs over thin, crispy french fries. Breaded pork tenderloins replace English muffins in eggs benedict sporting sage hollandaise and prosciutto cotto on a bed of radicchio.

Weekend brunch brings dry-aged steak and with sunny eggs on a bed of crispy fries at Turchetti's Salumeria's deli cafe next door to the business' meat market in the Fountain Square neighborhood, Indianapolis.

The French toast is a monster slab with jam, maple-sweetened mascarpone and candied bacon. Meat master Turkette, also a chef on Forbes' 2019 list of "30 under 30" entrepreneurs, is devoted to sourcing humanely raised livestock from small Indiana family farms. He and his team butcher and cure all meats. The bar squeezes fresh orange juice for mimosas and dolls up bloody marys with enough charcuterie to constitute a snack.

Brunch also brings chicken skin chilaquiles with a poached egg, heirloom field peas, shaved onion, toasted pumpkin seeds, cilantro, cotija cheese and salsa. Shaved black truffles crown the elegant Japanese rolled omelette on sourdough toast.

Rosie’s Place

8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Friday, 111 W. Main St., Suite 100, Carmel, 317-688-7350, rosiesplace.net/carmel

This solid café that started in Noblesville in 2010 just opened its Carmel location. Breakfast eases into lunch, allowing you to set your own brunch style. The holiday season brings eggnog French toast.

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Eggs Blackstone is grilled cornbread smothered with bacon, roasted tomatoes, two poached eggs, avocado and hollandaise sauce. Buttermilk pancakes, corned beef hash and a la carte bacon and eggs are among standards. Lunch rolls out hearty salads and sandwiches. The turkey artichoke melt dons creamy spinach, roasted red pepper spread and Monterey jack cheese on grilled multi-grain bread. Homemade soups are available daily.

Cinnamon rolls, cakes, cookies and other baked goods tempt you for brunch as soon as you walk inside Rosie's new location in Carmel. The breakfast/brunch/lunch spot is at 1111 W. Main St., Suite 100.

Field Brewing

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, 303 E. Main St., Westfield, 317-804-9780, fieldbrewing.com

Simple, thoughtful and delicious describe former Cerulean chef Alan Sternberg’s menus at this new brewery and restaurant. Brunch, introduced Nov. 25, is no different. Gruyere and spicy honey elevate the bacon-and-egg sandwich on sourdough. Burnt cinnamon, cranberry compote and spiced pecans are swirled into oatmeal. Marcona almonds, whipped cream and blueberry lemon compote top ricotta pancakes.

Not in the mood for breakfast food? Try roasted salmon with madras curry butter or spicy garlic grilled chicken wings with parmesan ranch dipping sauce.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, and on Facebook. Call her at 317-444-6264.