Fountain of Flavor

The Fountain Room Adds a Touch of Nostalgia to the Bottleworks District

Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing
Photographer / Amy Payne

Many people would agree that downtown Indy’s Mass Ave just keeps getting better. Not only is the five-block area full of shops, theaters, restaurants, bookstores and art galleries, but with the creation of the Bottleworks District, the public has even more opportunities to engage in fun artistic endeavors, awesome shopping experiences and tasty fare.

The Bottleworks Hotel was recently ranked by Tripadvisor as one of the hottest new hotels in the world. The Bottleworks District also has the Garage Food Hall, which features 20 different fast-casual restaurants. Though the existing food selections are delicious, one thing that was decidedly missing from the mix was an option for nice, sit-down dining. That’s where The Fountain Room comes in.

“I think people are super excited to have another sit-down choice in that area,” says Blake Fogelsong, owner and director of operations for Clancy’s Inc.

Although there is Modita, a Cunningham Restaurant Group concept that offers Asian fare with a unique spin, The Fountain Room offers a wide variety of upper-scale American cuisine.

“The Fountain Room is a great addition that I think is going to fit in really well,” Fogelsong says.

Located on the lower level next to the hotel entrance, The Fountain Room offers steaks, seafood and burgers. The steakhouse-style menu also includes sandwiches, salads and sliders, as well as delicious entrees like meatball Manhattan, and fried chicken and dumplings. At The Fountain Room every item is taken up a notch to elevate one’s palate. The Wagyu burger, for instance, features an eight-ounce patty with pimento cheese, Nueske’s slab bacon, bread-and-butter pickles, lettuce, tomato, onion jam and house-cut bacon.

Appetizers include brie brûlée, Swedish meatballs, pimento poppers, tuna ceviche and shrimp cocktail, to name a few. Guests are invited to enjoy mouth-watering desserts including a banana split, sticky date cake and grasshopper pie, as well as after-dinner drinks like espresso martinis.

The bar menu is equally exciting. Everyday specials include Bourbon and Cola (Woodford Reserve and Coca-Cola), the Cape Codder (Wheatley vodka and cranberry) and the G&T (Fords gin and Q tonic). They also sell beer and wine.

Inspiration for The Fountain Room stems from visions of a retro supper-club vibe. The building, originally constructed in 1920, was designed in an Art Deco style. Local architecture firm PHANOMEN Design followed suit when designing The Fountain Room and selecting all of the finishes.

“Repetitive geometric patterns and timeless millwork details are paired with texture and color combinations that are meant to give visitors a sense of nostalgia for times past,” says Brandi Haney, a designer with Phanomen Design. “Think of a traditional Art Deco dining establishment that also functions as a social club. High class, yet affordable. Formal, yet still relaxed.”

The name was inspired by the building’s space, where Coca-Cola products were made back in the 1930s when the location served as the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Indianapolis, the largest Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world.

“We felt like coming out of the pandemic, there would be this big pent-up demand for an elegant dining experience like this, so we wanted to create a 1920s-style concept,” Fogelsong says.

The restaurant seats 160. They also put in a mezzanine level that will seat up to 55, making it ideal for private events like banquets and rehearsal dinners. Since so many couples are opting to tie the knot at the Bottleworks, the mezzanine level will provide a perfect spot for celebrations. They offer catering as well.

Fogelsong is the director of operations for Clancy’s, owners of the local Grindstone restaurants and Michaelangelo’s Italian Bistro. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and all the turmoil it caused for restaurants everywhere, he’s been pleased that, through the past several years, they have opened one new restaurant per year. He understands how excited people get when new concepts and flavors enter an area. The grand opening is scheduled for July 18, and he and his team are eager to welcome the community with open arms.

“People are super excited about this concept in particular,” says Fogelsong, who is proud of his team of employees who always do a great job of making guests feel at home. “I’m just so happy that coming out of the pandemic, we are operating stronger as a company than ever before. To get through COVID and be able to offer a new restaurant like this is really exciting.”

The Fountain Room is located at 830 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 1480 in Indianapolis. For more information, call 463-238-3800 or visit thefountainroom.com.