On today's Dopest we're covering:

Thanks for reading!

-Hillary

🍺 The Dopest New Spot — Big Lug Filling Station

When Garfield Brewery announced it was closing earlier this year after nearly a decade, the neighborhood felt it. That patio on Shelby Street wasn't just a bar — it was a neighborhood space, a gathering spot, a destination people Garfield Park residents loved. So when Sahm's Hospitality Group announced they were swooping in to reopen it as Big Lug Filling Station, Garfield Park collectively exhaled.

The name nods to the historic Texaco station that once stood on the property, and the mission is simple: feed the community. Big Lug's locally brewed craft beer is still on tap, the beloved patio is back open, and the kitchen is serving a full menu of comfort food done right — including "The Tommy," a garlic butter pizza with mozzarella, asiago, dill pickles, and ranch that sounds unhinged and is probably incredible. There's also the Garfield's Chicken LGBTQ sandwich (chicken, bacon, lettuce, roasted tomato, guacamole, mozzarella on ciabatta) which earns points for the name alone.

The patio is family and pet friendly, live music happens regularly, and happy hour runs Monday through Friday 4–6pm and weekends 2–4pm. No reservations — first come, first served, just like it should be.

📍 2310 Shelby St · Daily 11AM–10PM · biglugfillingstation.com

The Dopest Tip: The weekday lunch special — individual pizza, a side, and a fountain drink for $9.99 — is one of the best deals in the neighborhood. Monday through Friday, 11am to 3pm. Go.

☕ The Dopest New Community Spot — Lille Bønne

Fletcher Place has a new living room and it used to be a church. Lille Bønne — pronounced lil-uh bun-uh, in case you were about to attempt the Danish — has just opened inside a historic Danish church with vaulted ceilings and original stained glass still intact. It is exactly as beautiful as that sounds.

The concept is part café, part community hub, and entirely the kind of place Indy needs more of. Coffee, food, and drinks from local vendors. Yoga classes. Group art workshops. A space designed around the radical idea that people should actually spend time together — not near each other on their phones, but actually together, talking, making things, breaking bread.

The building was originally a gathering place for immigrant families and neighbors. That legacy didn't go anywhere — it just got a new chapter. If you've been feeling like Indy needs more spaces that actually bring people together, Lille Bønne is your answer. They've been doing pop-ups and open houses for a while now. They're finally open for real. Go say hello.

📍 Fletcher Place · lillebonne.com

The Dopest Tip: Check their schedule before you go — yoga classes, art workshops, and community events fill up. This is a place worth committing to, not just stopping into once.

Sponsored By Trevor St. Aubin with @Properties

Trevor bought his first home in downtown Indy 11 years ago — in a neighborhood that wasn't exactly on anyone's radar. That house is now his biggest asset. He believed in this city before it was easy to, and he's been helping other people do the same ever since.

He's worked with clients from Brownsburg to Fishers to Greenwood to downtown Indy and everywhere in between. He went full time in real estate in 2020 but don't expect a stiff suit and a rehearsed pitch. Trevor shows up as himself, which turns out to be exactly what people need when they're making the biggest financial decision of their lives. Interested in learning more? Reach out! Trevor is the least sales bro guy we know. (Thank goodness)

He believes home buying is for everyone. We believe him.

🛼 The Dopest Night Out — Naptown Roller Derby

Ten dollars. That's what it costs to watch some of the most athletic, fierce, and genuinely thrilling live sports action in Indianapolis. Naptown Roller Derby has been doing it’s thing since 2006 and if you haven't been yet, that's a personal failing we're here to help you correct.

NRD is a skater-owned, WFTDA-member league with three travel teams — the Tornado Sirens, the Warning Bells, and the Third Alarm. The Tornado Sirens have medaled in international championships. These are serious athletes doing serious things on skates and it is wildly entertaining to watch in person.

General admission is $10 presale, $15 at the door, and kids 6 and under are free. If you want to live dangerously, crash zone seating puts you right at track level — no chairs, 18 and up, and paramedics are on standby just in case. It's that kind of night. Bring a fan because the venue gets warm, bring a chair for general seating, and bring as much energy as you've got. The crowd is half the experience.

📍 Indianapolis · Tickets  · $10 presale / $15 door · Kids 6 & under free

The Dopest Tip: Buy presale — online tickets cut off around 10pm the night before the bout. Don't be the person who shows up and pays $15 when you could have paid $10 from your couch.

Dopest Events This Week:

Indianapolis Speedrome | Friday | 7pm

Bottleworks Market | Saturday | 11-7pm

Porches | Saturday | Hifi | 9pm

Spark! Fishers | Friday and Saturday

Indy is always up to something. So are we.

See you next week! — Indy's Dopest