Diavola

Prime 47 is a dependable, California-forward steakhouse list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence — not because it takes risks, but because it executes the classics reliably and keeps the Cabs flowing. Send a friend here if they want a good bottle with a great steak; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.

Vida is the kind of wine program that makes you wish more mid-sized American cities had a Jared May running their lists — deep Burgundy, serious California, and a dining concept that actually justifies both. Yes, you'll pay for it, but this is a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner for real reasons.

St. Elmo is the rare steakhouse that earns its Best of Award of Excellence without feeling like it's trying to impress anyone — the list is deep, the wines are real, and Monday half-price night is genuinely one of the best deals in Indianapolis. The markups can sting, but the bones of this program are excellent.

Tinker Street is the wine list that Indianapolis shouldn't have yet somehow does — globally curious, genuinely deep in spots, and anchored by a few pours that would feel at home at a serious wine bar in any major city. The markups on entry-level bottles keep it from being a full Rager, but the ambition earns a trip.

The Eagle is a genuinely great place to eat fried chicken — the wine list, however, is an afterthought dressed up in a menu. Drink the beer, order the bubbles if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates.

Cerulean is exactly what a serious restaurant in a mid-sized American city should be doing with wine — real producers, fair pours, a sommelier who actually knows the list. Send your friends here, especially if they're doing the tasting menu.