Eat cheap at Indy's best restaurants during 7 weeks of summer menu deals

If burgers on the grill and smoothies in the blender are about all the cooking you want to do this summer, Indianapolis restaurants have you covered with six weeks of menu deals to jump on right now.

Four separate restaurant week events -- Savor Midtown, Savor Downtown and Devour Indy Summerfest and Black Restaurant Week -- get you cheap eats at nearly 300 restaurants from Carmel to Broad Ripple and down to the south side.

Eat everywhere that matters:Follow Liz Biro for restaurant openings and specials

Restaurants offer mostly three-course meals at reduced prices, some known to be as low as $10 or $20 per person during Savor Midtown in June, Savor Downtown in July and Devour Indy Summerfest in August. Each of the three lasts for two weeks. Black Restaurant Week highlights 15 black-owned businesses offering specials July 21-28.

Broad Ripple restaurant deals

Start now with Savor Midtown, June 17-30. Eleven participating restaurants in and beyond Broad Ripple include new Half Liter BBQ & Beer Hall and the new Hoagies & Hops location in Butler Tarkington.

At Half Liter, near Broad Ripple, two people share a $30 barbecue feast that includes a choice of two meats -- brisket, ribs and pulled pork among options -- as well as two sides. You'll share an appetizer, like Rancho Nachos loaded with chili, beans and chipotle nacho cheese, and a dessert, say Half Liter's signature chocolate oatmeal cream pie. See more Savor Midtown menus at savormidtown.com.

3 courses for $15

Other restaurants on the Savor Midtown list are Jazz Kitchen, where the $25, three-course menu includes crab cakes and blackened salmon. Delicia's $28 menu offers roasted shrimp in Brazilian coconut stew over rice.

Two people eat for $30 at Big Lug Canteen. You and your date spilt an appetizer: poutine, fried cheese curds or hot Nashville-style wings. You each get a beer and a monster sandwich. If you're a vegetarian, consider the Impossible Burger meatless meatball sub. Also find deals at Sahm's Ale House next door.

Downtown Indy deals

Follow up with Savor Downtown July 17-30. More than 50 downtown-area restaurants are expected to participate and will be listed soon at savordowntownindy.com, organizer Susan Decker said.

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During Savor Downtown Indy 2018, big names like Bluebeard, Tinker Street, Beholder and Hyde Park Prime steakhouse were on the list.

Pay it forward: Carmel to Greenwood

Founded in Houston in 2016, Black Restaurant Week happens in eight cities across America. This year is the campaign's first stop in Indianapolis. 

Restaurants offering specials include Comida at the former Plow & Anchor and Michael's Soul Kitchen, both new in downtown Indy, and old favorites Kountry Kitchen and Maxine's Chicken & Waffles.

Learn more::Indy's first Black Restaurant Week celebrates black-owned businesses

Wind up summer with deals at more than 200 restaurants during Devour Indy Summerfest Aug. 19 to Sept. 1. This is the granddaddy of discounts covering the entire metro area.

Food and drink specials happen in Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, the west side, the east side, Broad Ripple, Meridian-Kessler and Downtown. Top restaurants such as St. Elmo Steak House, Nesso, Ukiyo, Beholder, Prime 47, Lou Vino, Peterson's, Oakley's Bistro and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse have taken part in the past.

Plus, you can contribute to a good cause. While dining at Devour Indy restaurants, you may donate to Riley Children’s Foundation. In 2018, Devour Indy raised more than $100,000 for the cause.

The list of participating restaurants is coming soon to devourindy.com.

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