Game Day in Indianapolis: 7 Reasons to Make The Garage FOOD HALL Your Football Headquarters

There are two ways to spend game day.

You've got tickets, the jersey is on, and your group is counting down the minutes until it's time to head to the stadium. Or you've got no intention of going anywhere near a stadium. You just want a big screen, good food, cold drinks, and a room full of people who understand why that third-down conversion was such a big deal.

Good news. The Garage Food Hall works for both.

Located in downtown Indianapolis' Bottleworks District, The Garage can be your pre-game meeting spot, your place to settle in and watch the action, or your post-game destination when nobody's quite ready to call it a day.

Football season is better with a crowd. Here's why The Garage belongs in your game-day rotation.

1. Start Game Day Before Kickoff

The best game days start long before the opening whistle. If you're in Indianapolis for a football game, make The Garage your first stop. Meet up with the rest of your crew, grab something to eat, order a round, and soak up the energy of a football weekend downtown before heading to the game.

It's especially convenient when nobody can agree on what's for lunch. With 20+ food and drink vendors under one roof, one person can grab a burger while somebody else goes for tacos, pizza, chicken, sushi, or something completely unexpected. Everyone orders what they want and meets back at the same table.

No splitting the group between restaurants. No lengthy debate in the group chat. Just get here and get game day started.

2. Or Stay and Catch the Action

No tickets? No problem. Settle in and catch the biggest games on The Garage's big projector screen and TVs throughout the food hall. Grab a table with your crew, get your food, and settle in for kickoff.

Watching from the couch has its perks, but there's something different about seeing a huge play unfold with a room full of fellow fans. The cheers get louder. The bad calls get more questionable. And suddenly you're celebrating with people at the next table you've never met before.

That's the kind of energy game day is supposed to have.

3. Build Your Ultimate Game Day Lineup

There may be no bigger game-day debate than what to eat. Luckily, you don't have to choose just one thing.

Build your own spread from kitchens throughout The Garage. Grab a burger from Clancy's Hamburgers, where the classic Clancy's Topper stacks two beef patties with American cheese, shredded lettuce, and Clancy's Sauce on a double-decker sesame seed bun.

Then keep building. One person wants pizza. Someone else is thinking tacos. The friend who skipped breakfast is already looking for chicken, while somebody at the other end of the table has decided fish and chips are obviously football food.

They're all right.

With more than 20 food and drink vendors throughout The Garage, everyone in the crew can build their own version of the perfect game-day spread. Then meet back at the table and start negotiating trades.

We'll leave the play calling to you.

4. Don't Forget the Drinks

Food is only half the starting lineup. Axle's Garage Tap has the cold beer covered with rotating taps, making it an easy stop before kickoff, between drives, or before you head downtown for the game.

More of a cocktail person? Pull up a seat beneath the signature red glow at Great Legs Wine + Spirits for wine or a handcrafted cocktail. Hard Truth Distilling Co. gives the spirits crowd another stop inside the food hall.

Beer, wine, cocktails, or something spirit-free. Everybody has options. Just make sure somebody keeps an eye on the screen while you're getting the next round.

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5. Game Day Is Better With Fellow Fans

Food gets you through the door. The crowd makes you stay.

The Garage was built to be a community gathering place, and football season fits right in. Think jerseys around the food hall. Friends meeting up before heading downtown. Out-of-town fans getting their first taste of Indy. Groups settling in around the big screen. A whole room reacting when the game suddenly changes.

You don't even need everyone around you cheering for the same team. You just need people who understand that when there are two minutes left in the fourth quarter, side conversations can wait.

That's game day.

6. The Final Whistle Doesn't Have to End the Day

Tickets in hand? The Garage isn't just for pre-game. Come back when it's over.

A win calls for another round and something to eat. A loss might call for exactly the same thing.

Either way, The Garage gives your group somewhere to regroup, compare notes on the game, grab whatever food you've been thinking about since the fourth quarter, and keep the energy going instead of heading straight home or back to the hotel.

It's especially useful when you're visiting Indianapolis for a game and aren't ready for the weekend to end the second you leave the stadium. No complicated post-game plan required. Just meet back at The Garage.

7. Make The Garage Your Home Base For Game Day in Indianapolis

That's really the play. Heading to the game? Start here. Watching with fellow fans? Stay awhile. Meeting everyone afterward? Come back.

If it's your first visit, our First Timer's Guide to The Garage Food Hall can help you get the lay of the land before game day.

Bringing an even bigger group? The Bottling Room inside The Garage offers private event space for up to 65 guests while keeping the food hall's lineup of vendors right at your fingertips. Fill out the form to start planning your watch party with our team today!

However you do football season, there's room in the game plan for The Garage.

Game Day At The Garage: FrequeNtly Asked Questions

Where can I watch football in downtown Indianapolis?

The Garage Food Hall in downtown Indianapolis shows games on its large projector screen and screens throughout the food hall, giving fans a place to watch while choosing from 20+ food and drink vendors. It's located in Bottleworks District on Mass Ave, making it an option for NFL, college football, and other big game days.

Where should I eat before a football game in Indianapolis?

The Garage is a convenient pre-game option for groups because everyone can order from a different vendor and still eat together. More than 20 food and drink concepts offer options ranging from burgers, pizza, tacos, chicken, and sushi to beer, wine, and cocktails. Meet your group at The Garage, fuel up, and head to the game together.

Is The Garage Food Hall a good place to watch football with a group?

Yes. The Garage offers communal, first-come, first-served seating throughout the food hall, food and drink from more than 20 vendors, and games shown on screens throughout the space. Larger groups interested in a private gathering should explore The Bottling Room, an event space inside The Garage that accommodates up to 65 guests.

Can I go to The Garage before or after a Colts game?

Yes. The Garage Food Hall can be part of your Indianapolis game-day plans before or after attending a Colts game. Meet friends for food and drinks before heading to the stadium, or regroup afterward to keep the day going.

What are The Garage Food Hall's hours during football season?

The Garage Food Hall is open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Early start? 4 Birds Bakery opens daily at 8am, while Twenty-Two Juice Bar opens daily at 9am, so you can fuel up before a day of cheering.