96th Street Burgers - 4715 E. 96th St. 317-844-6351. Numerous winner of best fast food burger and best fries and shakes. Indy's local take on the fast food joint - serving up tasty steak burgers, fresh cut skinny french fries and delectable fresh handdipped shakes. A super cool retro decor makes this the hippest looking fast food place in probably the Midwest.

Au Bon Pain - 901 Indiana Ave. 317 624-9123. Located just off campus at IUPUI, Au Bon Pain is a chain that offers tasty sandwiches, soups, salads and pastries. A simple and modern decor with mediocre service offers up a help yourself section and a 'made to order' section. Take your choice of countless pastries - muffins, scones, croissants and so forth. Sandwiches are good and the beverage choices even include organic drinks. After 4pm they offer a "half off" baked goods deal that allows to eat great pastries for cheap! Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy your carbs. Vegan friendly.

Badaboomz - 15 E. Marlyand St. 317-522-2666. Once a BW-3's the owner took this and changed it into his own creation. Morphing it into an "upscale sports bar," it's cozy, clean and not full of typical frat guys chugging beers and wings. They tossed out the wing based menu to introduce gourmet hamburgers and healthier eats. Lots of tv's, and they still have tv trivia for playing. A nice jukebox, and when we were visiting they were playing a great alternative muzak channel that pumped out The Cure and Sonic Youth, much to our surprise. The staff was friendly, the entire place was clean (bathrooms could use a bit of work), and they have a HUGE beer selection (on tap and bottled). Their wings aren't the best...but their homemade chips and voodoo burger are tasty.

Bazbeaux Pizza - multiple locations, see below. Indy's finest gourmet pizza! Established in 1986, Bazbeaux is a local favorite. Downtown is perfect for that pre-theater or concert eat, and Broad Ripple is located snugly along the White River. Both locations offer indoor/outdoor dining. Art students and hip kids serve your eats - don't be surprised to see mohawk or two in the kitchen. I haven't been to the Carmel location! Their chicken BBQ pizza is amazing - BBQ sauce instead of tomato, and their Greek pizza is to die for. Vegan friendly. Broad Ripple - 811 E. Westfield Blvd. 317-255-5711. Downtown - 334 Mass Ave. 317-636-7662. Carmel - 111 W. Main St. 317-848-4488.

Buffalo Wild Wings - multiple locations, see below. This country-wide chain has great wings and boneless wings. Specials vary, and all locations have extensive beer on tap and bottled. Televisions slather the walls showing every sporting game going on, and you can also play trivia/poker/etc on the tele, which is quite fun. Broad Ripple - 6235 Guilford Ave. 317-257-2999. 86th & Township Line - 2514 Lake Circle Dr. 317-872-9464.

Chocolate Cafe - 30 Monument Circle. 317-951-4816. Enjoy Indiana's favorite chocolate from the South Bend Chocolate Company at their Circle-side cafe. Yes, they serve only chocolate, sweets, coffees and sweet drinks. Check out the wall of celebrities who've indulged, and get educated on chocolate by the helpful and friendly staff. Watch fudge get made, sample the goods and enjoy the best hot chocolate in town. Vegetarian friendly.

Donut Shop - 5527 N. Keystone Ave. 317 255-3836. Indy's best donut shop. Our favorite joint to grab a fried disc of dough and hot bitter coffee. Breakfast and lunch is cheap and good - cheap biscuits and gravy, pancakes and eggs, and don't forget a freshly baked donut. One of Indy's favorite hang over and breakfast stops! 36 types of donuts.

Fountain Diner - 1105 Prospect St. 317 685-1959. Originally a Woolworth built in 1959, it's been revitalized amongst the rebirth of Fountain Square. Pop a squat on a stool at and check out old photographs of Indy and retro art, grab a hand dipped milkshake and and a burger and fries as you step back into time. You can also dine in the Fountain Room, which has a stage for performances, retro arcade games and huge vintage B-movie posters decking the walls. Those grilled cheeses are just as good as when you were little.

Greek Islands - 906 S. Meridian St. 317-636-0700. Opening in the late 80s by the Stergiopoulos (is that Greek enough for you?) family, Greek Islands offers great Greek dining in a small, cozy atmosphere featuring art, pictures and a feeling of being right at home with the family. Everything is freshly prepared by the family everyday and they have belly dancers! Vegetarian friendly.

Heidelburg Haus - 7625 Pendleton Pike 317-547-1230. Enjoy this German bakery's treats and sweets. German-born owners who have served great German eats since the 60s here in Indy. Real Black Forest Cake, sausages, potato salad, and more. Check out the gift shop with great German beer-lover gifts. The decor is filled with antiques and German decor. Authentic as hell and a great destination for simple basic German eats. Vegetarian friendly.

Iaria's - 317 S. College. 317-638-7706. An Indiana tradition, Iaria's is where you go when you're craving moms homemade Italian. Since 1933 the Iaria's have owned this Italian gem. With it's amazing building - neon lights greet you in and out, mirrored walls and teeny bathrooms - have been a staple in the city. This is the place joints like Buca Di Beppo base their restaurant on. Family style portions, the biggest "wall of celeb photos" in the city, and the biggest and best meatballs available outside of mom's kitchen. Vegetarian friendly.

Indianapolis City Market - 222 E. Market St. 317-634-9266. Indy's favorite historical landmark to dine at! Open only for breakfast and lunch stop by here for a great cheap meal. From Cajun to Greek, gourmet potatoes and roast beef sandwiches. Tons of restaurants and merchants make this a multi-level historical edible experience. Dine outside to enjoy the historical area and watch the locals buzz around on their lunch breaks.

Mug-N-Bun Drive-In - 5211 W. 10th St. 317-244-5669. One of Indy's only surviving drive-in's that doesn't have the word "Sonic" in it. Serving up an award winning pork tenderloin and a world famous "bacon cheeseburger on toast" this is a destination for all greasy food loving Hoosiers. Employees arrive at 7am to start preparing the root beer that lures people from all over the state. Famous racecar drivers are known for making an appearance here during race season. A must visit! Cash only.

Peppy Grill - 1004 Virginia Ave. 317-637-1158. An institution in 24 hour feasting. Greasy spoon is an understatement. Take a seat at the Peppy, try to sit in the main room, where you sit next to the tiny open kitchenette where tattooed ladies serve up piping hot "sour cream fries" and burgers. Great cheap as hell breakfast lunch and dinner to serve a hangover. Good pie too. Regulars involve cops, drunk gays and artists, hungover hipsters and local folk. Good country jukebox with lots of old school tunes.

Red Eye Cafe - 250 S. Meridian St. 317-972-1500. One of the few non-chain 24-hour restaurants downtown. A haven for alternative types during the weekend "party fest" of downtown Indy. Board games are offered at every table, beer and wine is available. The food varies from breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sandwiches and great fries. Sit back with free wi-fi and watch drunks stumble in from the street and cops chug coffee next to you. Quite a place to people watch in the evening! Vegetarian friendly.

Rene's Bakery - 6524 Cornell Ave. 317-251-2253 One of the premier bakeries in Indianapolis, in a little house in North Broad Ripple and owned by a pastry chef named Rene! With an expansive menu that is freshly baked and changes daily based on seasonal availability and Chef Rene's own mood - you'll find so many lovely treats! Scones, croissants, muffins, cookies, truffles, eclairs, tortes, tarts and breads in many flavors! Great place for a quick snack or to pick up a lovely breakfast. It's just a bakery - no seating, but when the weather is nice you can sit outside or relax on one of the many benches on the Monon Trail.

Ripple Bagel & Deli - 850 Broad Ripple Ave. 317-257-8326. Broad Ripple's only locally owned deli - with the only steamed bagel sandwich in town. Hippies work the counter and the bagels are fresh. Look for the giant bagel clock over the door! Vegan friendly.

Shalimar - 1043 Broad Ripple Ave. 317-465-1100. One of Indy's finest Indian restaurants featuring a great affordable buffet. Chock full of yuppies and Broad Ripple hipsters. Vegan friendly.

Side Wok Cafe - 1087 Broad Ripple Ave. 317-722-1090. Good, affordable Chinese located in Broad Ripple. Clean, friendly and basic good food. Vegan friendly.

Three Sisters Cafe - 6360 Guilford Ave. 317-257-5556. Three Sisters has withstood the changes of Broad Ripple. Offering vegan friendly breakfasts - from classics eggs and sausage to tofu treats and omelettes. Located in a lovely old home just off Broad Ripple's main drag, enjoy outdoor dining for breakfast and lunch in warm months and a relaxing and quaint indoor dining experience, featuring local art and nice folk tunes through the speakers. Great for an affordable, healthy bite to eat. Vegan friendly.

Yats - two locations, see below. Indy's top restaurant for Cajun food. Sharing two locations, owned by a New Orleans native transplant, you'll feel like you're in the Cresent City. Large quantities of limited meals are offered up each day - and each is so tasty you'll be content. Pig out on great Cajun eats in a fun artsy environment. Vegan food available too! Hipsters and punks serve up your meals and sodas are refillable and mere $1. A great deal for a lot of enjoyable food. One word: Jambalaya. Cash only. Vegan friendly. Broad Ripple - 5363 N. College. 317-253-8817. Downtown - 659 Mass Ave. 317-686-6380.