Plow and Anchor

So so so great! Came here on a weekday evening and got right in. The food was amazing. I had the burger which might have been one of the best burgers I’ve had in the city. The other person I was with got the soft shell crab salad and loved it. That should mean a lot coming from someone from the East Coast! The service was great and the drink selection was pretty good!

When my wife loves a grilled cheese and claims it is the best she has ever had…
and that is how the whole lunch meal went. The waitress was good enough to take the menu back to the kitchen to see what was gluten-​free (I can’t eat wheat). So I got the fresh oysters to start and clams for lunch. My wife got the fried brussels sprouts (in chili bean paste and garlic) to start and the grilled cheese. And she loved the brussels sprouts enough that I may try and fry some up at home (it had soy sauce in it which typically contains wheat here) and I’ll use tamarind instead.
Their signature cocktail was bright, tasty and refreshing.
For our wedding anniversary lunch it was worth every penny.

I was very excited to try this place since I absolutely love seafood; however, I was quite disappointed with my experience. I started with the oysters on the half shell which were not properly cleaned and full of grit. I informed the waitress who didn’t even muster up an apology. I then had the mussels which is actually quite delicious and the broth is very flavorful. For the entrée, I got the cod which tasted SO fishy. I’m not sure if it wasn’t fresh or something but it was not a pleasant taste.

We had a beautiful dinner here. Fresh oysters, salad with asparagus and soft boiled egg, incredible sea bass perfectly seared and placed on top of a little island of zucchini in a thin broth with tiny bubbles of chili oil in it. So good! We weren’t as crazy about the other fish we ordered but it was solid. Crème brulée for desert was excellent. Nice atmosphere, music, light.

Staff was friendly and prompt. Atmosphere is clean and modern. My trout was ok as was my wife’s meal. Nothing blew me away. To be honest, I really felt like our meals were over-​priced for what we got. Nice stop for dinner, but a few more blocks will get you more for this price.

I enjoy a meal where I walk away sated but not miserably full. Maybe we just ordered spectacularly well, but everything was light but filling and the perfect size.
Start with the tuna poke. Marinated raw tuna with just enough sauce that includes barrel-​aged shoyu (soy sauce with wheat). Here’s the place where in many instances I start my rant about using fancy or trendy ingredients just for the sake of being fancy or trendy. No rant today, my friend. This fancy, trendy old soy sauce was exactly what the dish needed. The type of fish was rich enough to handle the barrel-​aged depth and strength of the shoyu, but the raw preparation kept the dish from being too heavy.
Onto the Brussels sprouts. Again, the preparation was simple, I believe they were just wok fried with soy sauce and chili paste. They were pleasantly warm, with a heat that kept building through the meal.
Finally the burger. The dinner burger (different than the lunch burger) includes everton cheese, caper aioli, arugula, and pickle. It was a perfect mélange of flavors. I should have asked for more caper aioli to dip my chips. It was heavenly and just the right saltiness. A rarity, I wolfed down my half of the burger while hubbers still had most of his left. It was just that good.
Oh, I almost forgot the drink. THE DRINK. I had their signature cocktail with basil, lime, strawberry, simple syrup and cava. Fresh and perfect for spring/​summer, this cocktail is dangerous stuff. It tastes like 7up on steroids. I could totally drink a 2-​liter of it!
My one complaint, and it’s a biggie — no kiddos allowed! I get places being adults only if they are super fancy or there’s a real bar scene, but from the ambiance I witnessed, well behaved children (yes, there are such a thing) would not be out of place. I loved going here, but unfortunately we will only be able to return on one of our rare kid-​free date nights.

This is a true diamond in the rough. If it was located anywhere more ‘hip’ (i.e. Mass Ave, Fountain Square/​Fletcher Place, Warehouse District), this place would be packed to the gills. As it is, it’s located kind of in a black hole. There’s a pizza place across the street and an Ethiopian restaurant a block away. The Central Library is just around the corner. Otherwise, that’s about it. It’s located on a pretty busy street (Pennsylvania Avenue) that goes downtown, but I bet most morning commuters don’t even know there’s a restaurant on the first floor of this apartment building.
This location has been a couple things in my day. It was supposed to be a Cajun/​Creole place by the founder of Yat’s, but plans with his partner fell through and it became The Bar at The Ambassador. That didn’t last too long and then it was some kind of fancy Mexican restaurant (which was even more short-​lived). Now it is the Plow & Anchor. I had heard good things about the place when it opened, but then it kind of fell off my radar.
I came early on a Thursday evening (I’m in this part of town to watch amateur boxing from early March through late April) and other than a guy on his laptop at the bar and a couple at one table in the dining room I was the only customer. There was no hostess working so I asked the bartender if I could sit in the dining room as I was meeting someone for dinner (and she doesn’t like sitting on backless bar stools). The guy at the bar looked up from his laptop and said «I’ve got this.»? I guess he knew the bartender or worked here.
He grabbed a couple menus and took me to the dining room and asked if I wanted a four-​top so we would have more room. I asked if that was OK because I didn’t want to take up more seating than necessary if they were going to be busy later. He just laughed and said no.
He brought a drink menu and asked what I wanted. I looked it over and noticed that they had a draft beer from Bent Rail Brewery. I thought that was unusual because the last time I was at Bent Rail, they didn’t have any of their house beers ready (they were pouring beers from other local microbreweries). The guy then went into a lengthy explanation of the brewing process there and had intimate knowledge of the facility. Maybe he’s just a beer aficionado? There’s something familiar about this guy.
Then it dawned on me. He’s the chef/​owner and was involved at Bent Rail (and The Local in Westfield). I’ve seen his picture in countless magazines and newspaper articles. He’s kind of a celebrity chef in this town.
My dining companion arrived shortly therafter and our waitress promptly took our order. We started with the tuna poke and split the burger and brussel sprouts. The tuna was sublime. It was a very simple raw preparation with white sesame seeds and shoyu (soy sauce), but it was just about perfect. They use barrel-​aged shoyu which makes all the difference in the world.
There’s only one burger on the menu and with good reason: it’s the only burger you’ll ever want to have. It’s just ground beef, everton cheese (an Indiana cheese made in Connersville which is similar to a gruyère). If you order this, please don’t put ketchup on this burger because the caper aioli adds just the right amount of saltiness and moisture to every bite.
The brussel sprouts also had an Asian twist to them as they are fried with chili paste and soy sauce.
If you have been to The Local, you also know that it is very gastropubby. It has a distinct warehouse feel (tall unfinished ceilings, exposed support columns/​beams and concrete floors). The Plow & Anchor can also only be classified as a gastropub, but in a completely different way. Think ‘upscale’ without being snooty. You would feel as comfortable dining here in jeans and a T-​shirt as you would wearing a 3-​piece suit.
It’s a shame that my annual boxing ritual is ending in a couple weeks as I have just discovered this place for my pre-​fight watering hole. Perhaps I’ll just have to make the trip downtown more often.

Hidden away in plain sight on the corner of 9^th and Pen, this little gem is waiting to satisfy your foodie cravings. I came for lunch today and couldn’t be happier with the experience. The menu was simple, but far from boring. Enough options to satisfy differing palates but not overwhelm you with choices. The atmosphere is bright, airy, modern, open, and yet still manages to feel cozy at the same time. The server was on top of it and made sure we were taken care of at all times. The Plancha burger put me into a food coma as promised, but I have no regrets. My sister had the equally satisfying Johnny Bronx. When I received my bill, I was shocked at how low it was! For this level of culinary excellence and creativity, I would expect to have paid double; I would have done so happily!

We had a mediocre experience at Plow and Anchor where previously I remember having a much better meal. We tried both the tuna poke and the scallop crudo — both had a lack of flavor and complexity, I didn’t not taste a fraction of the components listed on the menu.
As with any restaurant… I HATE paying for bread unless it’s spectacular. This was bread, basic bread with not enough salt. For our entrée we decided to split the burger because we were unsatisfied with the first course. We asked for medium rare and the burger was well done and also lacked flavor with the other components on the burger.
Best part of the experience was the music and the attentive staff. Unfortunately we won’t be returning anytime soon.

Solidly impressed tonight. The meal was delicious. They still have the berres Riesling and it’s absolutely yummy (note to self, must buy, 2013!). Opted for their small bread & butter with the beet butter (pink and sweet). And got the crab salad with citrus. It was all very good! Service was impeccable tonight, friendly but not overbearing (Taylor). Thank you so much!

Easily in my top 5 places to eat in Indianapolis. The food is a curated list of modern classics, made with super fresh, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Today’s lunch was a crispy cod sandwich with a charred cabbage and cheddar. Yummy. The rest of our table had a decadent tower of a burger, and creole shrimp as big as your thumb. Everything was delicious and the service was delightful as always.

The overall experience was great. The baked cod was very good but wished it came with some sort of side. I was not a big fan of the oysters. The chocolate dessert was very delicious. However all in and all I thought this place was overpriced for the food– it was trendy, different and worth a try. Do not go if on a budget between two people we had spent $ 150 with drinks.

Went during devour but ended up ordering off the menu. While I loved our entrees, I had whole porgy and he had the ribeye. Both were really good but my favorite part is the raw bar. Oyster selection was outstanding. Unique types that I’ve never tried. Their crudo and beet cured trout were amazingly good. I love when chefs add such depth in flavor on raw product. It takes a great deal of creativity. I also had a champagne cocktail which was really good as well. One of my favorite places in Indy for sure!

We came here with a gift card that we’d been putting off using. Neither of us is a big seafood eater, but at the time of our visit, most of the menu was non-​fish anyway, so it worked out. We came in on a Friday night with absolutely no trouble sans-​reservation. I ended up ordering the «French Onion Ditalini», which the waiter described to me as «vegetarian French onion soup with noodles». The dish wasn’t bad, but it was weird. It was a shallow dish with tons of ditalini, a few tablespoons of salty broth (definitely not enough to even cover the noodles), a few chunks of pearl onion, and some haphazardly melted cheese. It tasted good, but because of the presentation, price, and overall portion, I would not order it again. My husband ordered a steak which, upon trying, I thought was pretty tasty. He ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked appropriately. It came with mashed potatoes (yum) and some delicious, pesto-​ish butter (also yum). We split an order of fried brussels sprouts which were delicious, but honestly only included 5 – 6 whole sprouts.
In an effort to spend the whole gift card, we knew we were going to order dessert, but when we did the math, we discovered that we should probably just go ahead and order everything on the dessert menu (no guilt). My favorite was definitely the bête noire (super rich), my husband’s favorite was the coffee cake (yummy cider sauce), and we also both liked the smoked chocolate chip cookie (which was literally as big as my face and covered in roasted marshmallow). This level of dessert adventure was new for me, but I accepted the challenge and succeeded.
The service was definitely below average. Our waiter was a little weird throughout and not particularly responsive, especially at the end of the meal when we were trying to pay. Feeling a little rough about giving this a 3, but it is what it is. I feel like we sampled enough of the menu and stayed long enough to get a feel for the food and environment. I think the price point doesn’t match what the customer receives. I probably wouldn’t seek out P&A on my own again, but I wouldn’t be sad to go back either!

My first plow and anchor experience was a three back in August, tonight it was a five. This evening we had a large group for supper club and the service and food were outstanding. They even take reservations. I had the ricotta agnolotti coupled with the Brussels sprouts and the flavors were fantastic. (If you’re looking for Hoosier sized portions, you might be disappointed…) I tried many of the desserts and I will be thinking about the Rosemary cookie for awhile.

Been here twice now and definitely think it is deserving of five stars. The food is stellar and the service is impeccable.
For lunch I had the charcuterie which is dubbed the plowmans special or something equally as fitting and it is a very ample spread — perfect for sharing. Lunch was on par with any farm to table experience. If you have tried blue beard and like it you will enjoy a very similar experience.
For dinner I would actually say it evolves from hipster to urban farm to table. One could easily be in Denver, Austin or DC with the quality of the experience, service and vibe.
We were very impressed and the bill was reasonable! $ 130 for two full entrees, appetizer, 4 glasses of great wine and dessert.
Kudos to the newer chef as he is executing very well!

Sometimes I sit and dream about how much I want the world in my hand… one bite at a time.
Plow and Anchor, you are amazing.
We went during devour downtown, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made at 5pm. When I walked in, I immediately thought of some small spot in Boston or NY, that isn’t dim enough to actually be on the east coast– yet too eclectic to be Midwest?
My brain could not comprehend how this little place has managed to restore your faith in the power of food. And, I loooove the fact that Indy is embracing more on the edge cooking. We are also accepting the fact that we got some pretty damn good product growing right in our own backyard (I’m talking about swine and wine, and possibly pot for some of y’all crazies) — home grown and ready to be consumed. How did Plow and Anchor not come to my attention any sooner?
I am in love with the sweetcorn carbonara. Little golden kernels embedded with small chunks of smoked beef cheek, and sprinkled with pecorino. Over (rice?) noodles… This was my absolute favorite.
Royce had the flank steak and it was juicy to say the least, grilled and seasoned perfectly — I ate half of his cuz I’m greedy. We shared a bottle of moscato and that delicious bread that comes assorted. Thumbs all the way up Plow and Anchor this was the first time here but definitely not the last.
Parking is on the street. Water is free. Conversation and knowledgable staff is plentiful. Everyone here is polite, friendly, well kept, and laid back. The space is very intimate, the mood is relaxing, and the food is sooo good.
Go here and prepare to have your life handed to you on a plate.
What to try: The chef’s handmade jams
How to make Plow and Anchor healthy: Most everything here seemed made with a home style type of love that has plenty of hidden carbs, fats, or sugars so just talk to them! Tell them what you can and can’t have, the staff is very nice and understanding (very much appreciated) they will totally help you!!!

It may have been because it was race weekend (but we were nowhere near the Speedway, though?), but this place was really loud. Many of the tables had parties of 8+ yammering and hootin’ and hollerin’ away like it was Brooklyn or another stereotypical city where the people are way too loud. And these were all well-​dressed yuppies, for the record. Lay off the rosé. There are starving kids who can’t afford to shop at Whole Foods that would like that stuff.
Apart from this, the décor is very minimalist, which works well for them. For my meal, I had a Moscato that tasted like grape juice (well, more like grape juice than Moscato typically does), the ramp sope, and the silky snapper. I’d really like to know what they did to the avocado in the ramp sope, because it tasted really great and the pork cheek was very tender. The snapper was also very lovely and silky as its name implied. There was even a jumbo shrimp hidden within the pilaf that was probably the best shrimp I’ve ever eaten in my life.
For dessert, I had the peanut butter semifreddo, which was drizzled in caramel and topped with pretzels, and chocolate crumbs.
Our waiter apologized for the noise that night, so I’ll just assume that the place wasn’t as cacophonous as it was when we went.

After deliberating on which eatery to have an impromptu date night, we decided on Plow and Anchor. We didn’t really know what to expect outside of Unilocal reviews because neither of us had heard of it.
In a nutshell, it was a fun, different, revolving menu, fresh ingredients, small portions, very delicious and a little pricey. We shared the charcuterie as an appetizer. It was very good — high quality. My husband ordered the arctic char as his main entreé, but due to a waitstaff snafu, he ended up with the halibut which was still awesome. I ordered the halibut ceviche which was light, lovely and delicious. I didn’t want it to end. For dessert, we shared the most delicious crème bruleé that I’ve ever had and the base was sweet pea!
I’d say if you’re looking for a fancy-​ish dinner with an adventurous menu, then this is the place for you. However, if you’re dining on a budget and have a picky palate, you may wanna skip it. We, on the other hand, will likely be back.

Had this place bookmarked for awhile and finally got to cross it off my list over the weekend!
Hubby and I set out for sushi that night and realized the place we had in mind was completely booked up. For fear of having to wait until midnight to eat a meal, we ventured out for something new. My husband immediately said, «What about that Plow and Anchor place you told me about?» Plow and Anchor it is! We called on our way to make sure there was space and the receptionist mentioned that there was plenty of space at the bar.
Walking in, the atmosphere is very inviting, warm. We were seated at the bar right in front of all the action. I loved that they had hooks for purses and coats within the bar so that you could enjoy yourself and not worry about holding on to your belongings. The menu items are ever-​changing and since we hadn’t tried oysters before, we thought we’d try them that night. With advice from the waiter, we ordered two east coast oysters and two west coast oysters. They were so good that we ordered four more. The oysters are $ 3/​ea and they have a different daily selection each time. It’s great to sit at the bar because they have all their oysters labeled by name and by location making it easy to remember which ones you had. You can also watch all the other appetizers being prepared and make a mental list of items you’re going to try at your next visit :)
We ordered the Grilled Octopus as well and I believe this was on buttered semolina toast. It was so good! The octopus was cooked to perfection and the sauce was very flavorful. For the main event, my husband ordered the Char and I ordered the Scallops. I can’t speak for his Char, but my Scallops quickly became one of the top 5 meals I’ve ever had in Indy! The scallops were perfection — like butter. They sat atop potato soup and when you had a bite of scallop with a spoonful of the soup, it was just the perfect bite. I think I was in a world all my own as I enjoyed this dish. It will be very difficult for me to choose another main course on my next visit other than the Scallops. If it’s on the menu when you go, you have to get this…
And, since the evening was going so well and everything was delicious, we couldn’t stop there. Dessert was next and the Beignet dessert was calling out to us. The beignets came in triangle form and sat on top of an apple peanut butter mixture and a jelly concoction. It was like gourmet PB&J! Perfect bite to end the night.
We will definitely be back! The staff was informative, polite, and focused. The kitchen is a well-​oiled machine. Whatever they’re doing, they’re doing it right! Visit Plow and Anchor for your next evening out. You won’t be disappointed!