Earlier this week I found a hidden gem along 52nd Street and Winthrop Avenue, sitting right off the Monon Trail, which used to house railroad tracks: Bent Rail Brewery, open since February. The 12,000-square-foot building is misplaced, off in the cut and surrounded by many homes, but that didn’t stop my exploration.
The building didn’t look much like a restaurant at all, except for the nameplate and lit “open” sign. Although I was a bit turned off initially by the odd first impression, I decided to go inside anyway and was instantly greeted with a wide-open floor plan, not a wall in sight beside the structure’s foundation. Really odd.
I was welcomed with a friendly smile by the employee who would later be my server, who instructed me to find a seat. Lots of metal chairs and tables covered with brown paper occupied the massive floor plan, and the bar area was sectioned off by a silver metal railing. Through my own research I discovered many of the furnishings in the restaurant were made from repurposed materials found lying around the property. I also learned the 1947 building sat vacant for almost 10 years before Bent Rail called it home.
I took a seat away from the door, as I could often feel the day’s cool breeze blow in as customers joined the eatery for lunch. The menu was simple with a twist and offered many fresh-made items such as salads, sandwiches and soups. The small plates (or appetizers) menu offers choices like hot pretzels, pickled eggs, chips and salsa and hummus. House Caesar, beet and goat cheese and heirloom tomato salads were available, as well as a variety of sandwiches served with kettle chips.
The Turkey Rachel with roasted turkey breast, sauerkraut, house-made dressing and swiss on rye sounded good, but the sauerkraut threw off my vibe. I narrowed down my choices to the Three Amigos Meatball Sandwich — with bison, pork and beef meatballs, tomato sauce, mozzarella curd, pepperoncinis and oregano dust — and the Whole Roasted Chicken Salad with rosemary garlic aioli, celery, onion, tomato, bacon and avocado. I decided to go with the meatball sub.
As I waited for my food, I glanced around and saw large vats used for brewing beer and a glass container filled with … crayons on my table. Crayons? Bent Rail may not seem to be a place one would expect to find crayons, but owners Derek Means and chef Craig Baker both have families and wanted to ensure their establishment supported a family-friendly environment.
Once my food arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find the sub as large as it was. I had to cut the sandwich into three sections just to eat it! I can’t remember the last time I’d enjoyed a meatball sub, but Bent Rail’s had a little spicy kick to it, which I loved.
Other available sandwiches include: the Baked Italian Hoagie, Roast Beef Brisket, Hot Ham & Cheese, Meatloaf Sandwich, Pork Belly Cuban, Pulled Pork, Hummus Smash and Pork Belly Bahn Mi.
Bent Rail also offers daily specials such as the fried fish burrito, foot-long hotdogs and duck tacos. On-the-go customers can order sandwiches and specials at the deli counter.
Don’t let Bent Rail’s odd location steer you away from a hidden gem.
Bent Rail Brewery
5301 N. Winthrop Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46220
Open daily at 11 a.m.
(317) 737-2698
