Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis-area restaurants that opened and closed in July
August’s arrival marks the end of summer vacation and the start of a new school year. The ever-churning cycle of endings and beginnings is nothing new to Indy’s dining scene, which welcomed a fresh crop of eateries while saying good-bye to others last month.
For the third consecutive month, a beloved neighborhood spot said farewell after a 20-plus-year run. Meanwhile, regional chains expanded throughout the Circle City and the North Perry neighborhood received an infusion of Filipino flavor. Here are the restaurants that came and went in July — plus one to kick off August.
Restaurants that opened in July
Mambo’s Cheesesteak Grill, Salesforce Tower
111 Monument Circle Suite 120, mamboscheesesteakgrill.com, opened July 9
While the closure of City Market shuttered the original Mambo’s, the cheesesteak outfit has maintained booths at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and The AMP at 16 Tech. Last week it opened a new brick-and-mortar location in Salesforce Tower. Situated next to the recently closed Yolk location, Mambo’s brings its renowned cheesesteaks and other sandwiches to the corner of Pennsylvania and Ohio streets.
His Place Eatery
1411 W. 86th St., (317) 7990-3406, hisplaceeatery.com, opened July 10
The popular Arlington Woods soul food spot opened its second location at the corner of Ditch Road and West 86th Street in St. Vincent-Greenbriar. The menu at His Place is stuffed with smoked meats, fried fish and classic comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, candied yams and mashed potatoes.
Kyuramen x TBaar Mass Ave
530 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 961-8888, kyuramen.com, opened July 10
Kyuramen, a New York-based chain with nearly 40 locations nationally, opened its first Indiana restaurant on Mass Ave. The Japanese-American eatery sells ramen, omurice and tempura among other Asian-inspired dishes. Joining Kyruamen in the space is TBaar, a bubble tea chain with over 40 United States locations.
Yollie’s Filipino American Kitchen
4141 S. East St., (317) 455-5123, yolliekitchen.com, opened July 23
The flagship restaurant of Indianapolis’ Philippine Cultural Community Center, Yollie’s brings traditional Filipino flavors to the Circle City. Dishes like tangy chicken adobo, peanut butter-stewed kare kare and banana blossoms in coconut milk offer familiar flavors to Hoosier Filipinos and a chance for others try something new.
Wing Zone on Keystone
5527 N. Keystone Ave., (317) 419-3604, wingzone.com, opened July 24
The Gainesville, Florida-based chicken joint opened its first Indiana location on Keystone Avenue in Millersville. Wing Zone, which sells fried chicken, sandwiches and salads in addition to wings, has nearly 30 locations nationwide.
Java House, Simon Building
225 W. Washington St., javahouse.com, opened July 25
The Carmel-based coffee shop’s twelfth café opened on the ground floor of the Simon Building. Java House offers a variety of sweet signature lattes alongside juice, lemonade, tea, black coffee and select food items.
More coverage: Java House bringing another coffee shop to downtown Indianapolis
California Burger
2831 E. 38th St., (317) 426-3021, californiaburgerinc.com
Speedway-based California Burger’s third location opened in the Meadows neighborhood Aug. 1, serving free ice cream cones for its first six hours of operation. The smashed-patty purveyor also has a location in Castleton, which opened in summer 2021.
Restaurants that closed in July
MOTW Coffee Castleton
6706 E. 82nd St., closed early July
Carmel-based MOTW (Muslims of the World) Coffee announced the closure of its Castleton location with a note posted to the shop’s front door. The note from the MOTW staff attributed the closure to the end of the store’s lease and said the location would move to Illinois. On June 23, MOTW announced on Facebook the opening of its Naperville, Illinois location, the chain’s second in the Prairie State. MOTW still has three Indiana locations: Eagledale, Fishers and Carmel.
Rene’s Bakery
6524 Cornell Ave, closed July 14
After more than 20 years in Broad Ripple, this beloved bakery announced it “will most likely be closed indefinitely” amid owner Albert Rene Trevino’s ongoing health concerns. Rene’s opened on Cornell Avenue in 2004 and sold a variety of pastries while amassing a loyal customer base throughout its neighborhood and beyond. That community showed out in full force when Trevino’s daughter Olivia launched a GoFundMe to help pay for her father’s medical bills — the fundraiser has netted more than $85,000.
Full story: Rene’s Bakery ‘most likely’ closed after 20 years
Did we miss an opening or closing in your neighborhood? Contactdining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Twitter/X @bradleyhohulin.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis-area restaurants that opened and closed in July 2024
Indianapolis, IN
Colts fans react to Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen keeping their jobs: ‘What an embarrassing joke’
The Indianapolis Colts have decided to keep general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen, though the Colts lost their last seven games of the 2025 season missed the AFC playoffs for the fifth consecutive year.
The Colts do not hold a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after sending their next two first-rounders to the New York Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner, so new leadership would have a limited impact in the short term.
Shane Steichen coaching record
- Shane Steichen: 3 seasons, 25-26 record, 0 playoff appearances. The Colts went 9-8 in 2023 and 8-9 in both ’24 and ’25. He is 2-10 vs. Houston and Jacksonville.
Chris Ballard record as Indianapolis Colts general manager
- Chris Ballard: 9 seasons, 70-78-1 record, 2 playoff appearances. The Colts went 11-5 in 2020 and 10-6 in ’18.
Reaction to Indianapolis Colts keeping general manager Chris Ballard, coach Shane Steichen
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
Indianapolis, IN
IMPD: 68-year-old woman missing from Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — UPDATE: IMPD detectives with the Missing Persons Division have safely located Zohott.
Original Story
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating 68-year-old Mari Zohott.
Zohott is described as standing five feet five inches tall, weighing 115 pounds, and having brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 3 on foot in the 9200 block of E. 10th Street. Zohott was last seen wearing hot pink pants and a black hoodie. Detectives are looking into the possibility that Mari got on a bus.
According to her family, Zohott is believed to have symptoms of undiagnosed early onset dementia. She may be in need of medical attention.
Investigators ask that anyone with information on Zohott’s whereabouts call 911, contact the IMPD Missing Persons Unit at 317-327-6160, or call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS).
Indianapolis, IN
Police recover body of missing teen, RJ Williams, in White River
Robert “RJ” Williams Jr.’s aunt speaks after his body recovered in White River
Patricia Madison, who identified herself as Robert “RJ” Williams’ aunt, speaks to media near where her nephew was recovered from the White River on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Broad Ripple.
Police recovered the body of a missing 16-year-old with autism Jan. 3 in the White River, a few hundred feet from the Broad Ripple McDonald’s, where he was last seen.
Emergency personnel loaded the body of Robert “RJ” Williams Jr., shielded by baby blue sheets, into the coroner’s van Saturday afternoon. Family members stood nearby, grasping each other in hugs. A ‘missing’ poster for Williams was taped to the wooden steps leading down to the water where his body was found.
“RJ was a good kid. He didn’t bother nobody,” Williams’ aunt Patricia Madison said through tears. “He loved his family, and now he’s gone.”
Police had been searching for Williams after he was last seen between a McDonald’s and a bus stop on Dec. 17 in the 1100 block of Broad Ripple Avenue, according to a missing person’s flyer. It also stated that he suffered from mood disorders and had a history of psychosis. The flier also said he had the “mentality of a 10 or 11-year-old.”
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Capt. William Carter said they do not suspect any foul play. Cameras in the area caught footage of Williams walking toward the river dock, he said. They also obtained the last message he sent, he said, where he said he was walking on the ice and sent a picture.
Around 1 p.m. on Jan. 3, an officer identified what looked to be a person under the water’s surface while conducting a drone search. A dive team and first responders then recovered the body, and family members identified him as Williams.
Capt. William Carter speaks after Robert “RJ” Williams Jr. found in White River
Capt. William Carter speaks on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in Broad Ripple.
“That’s obviously a heartbreaking development in a case that has deeply affected our community. It’s not the outcome we had hoped for,” Carter said. “We do extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The discovery ended over three weeks of police and community search efforts. On Jan. 2, IMPD confirmed it was shifting to a recovery process, believing he fell into the river. Detectives and IMPD’s K9s searched the area and located a backpack and gym bag belonging to the teen on a dock along White River, police said previously.
Steps away from the river, Madison said it was difficult to know they had been searching for weeks, but he was so close. She said he loved video games and was close with her son. She stressed how close she and Williams were, being both his caregiver and basketball coach, and how she was more than an aunt.
“RJ was loving, caring, and he would do anything for anybody. He didn’t like people to be bullied,” she said. “He loved his dad and his mom and his sisters, all his family very much. RJ was loved by everybody that he came in contact with.”
Now, with closure that he was found, Madison said his family will try to move on. She asked that people with relatives who have mental disabilities keep them close and make sure they are aware of their surroundings.
The case rallied many in the community. Dozens of neighbors have gathered on multiple occasions to search the area and put up posters.
“It means a lot to us because people just came out of nowhere asking to help look for him,” she said. “People we didn’t even know, never met, that was willing to help. They have literally been helping us every single day, looking for him.”
Several of those who sought to find Williams showed up to pray and give support Saturday as police retrieved his body. Debra Porter, who knew the family through school, said the neighborhood came out to uplift the family, and she said she hopes this tragedy brings the community closer.
“Our heart goes out to another mother. Our heart goes out to another family. Our hearts go out to those that are suffering. That’s where our hearts are,” she said. “We come together as one another, just embracing one another and supporting.”
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Have a story to tell? Reach Cate Charron by email at ccharron@indystar.com, on X at @CateCharron or Signal at @cate.charron.28.
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