New Bar Opens At the Springhill Suites Hotel In Westfield
Photographer / Ryan Woodall
There’s a new place to go for craft beer, wine and high-end spirits in Westfield. Some might be surprised to find out where it’s located too.
Cozily tucked away in Westfield’s newly opened SpringHill Suites Hotel, the Oak Bar offers customers a relaxing refuge from the outside world. Unlike your average hotel watering hole, the Oak Bar carries a unique selection of high-end spirits and specialty cocktails, along with craft beer, a rotating wine selection and a carefully curated menu of small plates.
With 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Roxanna Castillo moved to Indiana from Houston with her family to serve as the general manager of SpringHill Suites Westfield. Managed by White Lodging, SpringHill Suites Westfield is owned by KPM Hotel Group, who ultimately decided they wanted to put a unique bar space like the Oak Bar inside of the Westfield hotel.
“For the owners, it was very important to provide something that nobody else in Westfield was providing, so that local people looking for this type of environment didn’t have to go outside of Westfield,” Castillo says of the Oak Bar’s conception. “Our goal is to not only serve our guests, but that the people in Westfield hear about us and are able to enjoy the spirits, beer and wine selection that we have, as well as the small plates that we serve.”
As Castillo points out, the Oak Bar really is something that’s truly unique to Westfield’s SpringHill Suites.
“Not all of our SpringHill Suites have bars, and the ones that do have small bars are part of the lobby,” she says. “They [the owners] really wanted to set themselves apart and create a comfortable environment with high-end spirits and local beers that you wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.”
With their spirits, Castillo says that the Oak Bar offers a great selection of high-end bourbons and whiskeys.
“With our Irish whiskey, the high-end is Yellow Spot,” she says. “For rye whiskey, we have Russell’s Reserve 6 Year. We also have WhistlePig Farmstock, and Triple Smoke Malt. We have more selections with our bourbon as well.”
To accompany their selection of high-end spirits, the Oak Bar also offers up some specialty cocktails too. In their Tequila Daisy, for example, the Oak Bar uses Olmeca Altos Tequila, organic agave and lime. And in their Stormy and Dark, the Oak Bar uses citrus, ginger beer and Danny Boy spiced rum, which is made at a local distillery in Carmel.
In keeping it local, the Oak Bar also carries local and regional craft beers from 3 Floyds Brewing Co., Bell’s Brewery and Upland Brewing Co. As for wine, Oak Bar visitors can find a rotating selection on hand.
“With the wine selection, we do a rotational, so we don’t really have a select brand,” Castillo says. “We work with our vendors to see what’s in, what’s selling and what’s new, and then we rotate it to have a different selection for our guests.”
When it comes to their food menu, the Oak Bar serves up a selection of small plates primarily consisting of flatbreads, paninis and charcuterie boards.
“The focus is very much about quality food,” Castillo says. “We worked with the F&B team in our corporate office to make sure what we were serving was made with quality. So we have a very selective menu.
“We wanted the plates that we served to be a good meal versus just having a lot of stuff on our menu,” she adds.
To this point, the Oak Bar has gotten a solid reception from the Westfield community.
“With the locals that have come out here, it’s been great,” Castillo says. “They’ve said, ‘Wow. We didn’t even know this was in here. It’s quiet, inviting and cozy, and it’s not too far from my house.’”
In an effort to get more Westfield residents familiar with the Oak Bar, Castillo says they’ve been teaming up with local businesses and inviting them in for a gathering.
“We want to try and get some of the local companies to come out, so we’ll do a company or business night,” she says.
All in all, the Oak Bar simply hopes to offer Westfield residents with a uniquely soothing place for delicious eats and drinks.
“If you’re looking for a place to relax and unwind, with a great environment and great service, you should come and try us,” Castillo says. “We also have a great selection of high-end spirits, and we serve food as well. You can stop by on your way home from work just to get away.”
The Oak Bar is located in Westfield’s SpringHill Suites hotel, located at 19317 Westmore Lane. You can reach them via phone at 317-763-2088 or visit their Facebook page for updates on specials.
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