New Modern Seafood Shack Opens Restaurant Inside Broccoli Bill’s Grocery Store
Photographer / Ellie Sophia Photography
To hear co-owner Mark Weghorst tell it, Slapfish restaurant on Gray Road, located inside Broccoli Bill’s grocery store, is much more than just another northside eatery – it’s an extension of the kind of food culture that Weghorst’s father Bill built through the years as owner and operator of the 25-year-old grocery.
“Slapfish is very much building on Broccoli Bill’s concept of fresh, quality food,” says Weghorst, a former pro golfer who worked for his father off and on at the grocery and its satellite cafe locations around the city starting in 2013 before officially opening Slapfish in July. “The idea is that you can come in here and get a fresh, healthy meal with a lot of variety, at a friendly price point. It’s that middle-of-the-road option for people who don’t want fast-food seafood and don’t necessarily want fine dining.”
When Bill decided to renovate and enlarge Broccoli Bill’s four years ago after observing the growth and development occurring throughout Hamilton County, Weghorst began considering the benefits of incorporating an eatery with an all fresh, scratch-made menu as part of that expansion.
A year-long renovation process ensued, including new Slapfish kitchen space and dine-in seating, and Mark says the concept has caught on quickly with locals since his grand opening celebration on July 20 that included an appearance by Mayor John Ditslear and members of the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce as well as free lobster rolls for the first 100 guests in line.
“I knew Slapfish would be a good fit — it’s something that’s a little different, and the healthy version of fast-casual seafood isn’t really found anywhere in Indiana,” says Weghorst, who owns and operates the restaurant with his wife Lauren. “The healthier things like the salads and poké bowls really trend well here, and that’s where it meets up with Broccoli Bill’s too. So it was a good marriage and they work well together.”
Slapfish at Broccoli Bill’s is the first location in the midwest for the California-based chain, and patrons can choose from a variety of starters, rolls, bowls and salads, as well as specialty items like the Epic Shrimp Burrito, packed with tomato, rice, salsa, pickled onion and shrimp, and the Clobster Grilled Cheese, which comes with a mix of lobster, crab and creamy herb sauce.
“Nothing comes in pre-made here – we do absolutely everything in-house,” Weghorst explains, adding that the Power Bowl, with brown rice, veggies, avocado and mixed seafood, has been one of his customer favorites so far in addition to the Traditional Lobster Roll. “All the sauces and ingredients are as fresh as possible. It can be a challenge and it’s very labor intensive, but we’re finding our stride as far as knowing what to expect with volume and preparing each day. I’m sure in the coming months we’ll continue to smooth that part of it out even more.”
Kids menu items are also offered, and catering with boxed lunch, taco bar, lobster roll kit, and fish-and-chip bar options is available. Kids eat free on Sunday nights currently, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (each kid can pick one menu item), and Slapfish will soon be incorporating beer and wine into its regular menu
Founded as a food truck concept in 2011, Slapfish currently includes more than 20 locations around the U.S. and one location in England.
“Our goal is to offer the best-tasting meals we can, with the best ingredients possible,” Weghorst says. “When you walk in, the first thing you see is a sign that says where our rotating fish of the day comes from and what certification it is, and that’s something that Slapfish is very passionate about – fresh, quality ingredients with no shortcuts.
Slapfish is located inside Broccoli Bill’s grocery store at 15009 Gray Road in Noblesville. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Call 317-580-1517 or visit slapfishrestaurant.com/restaurant/carmel-in for more info including a full menu and catering details.
