Remember sliding a plastic tray down a metal rail while picking out mashed potatoes, a dinner roll, and a slice of pie? A lot of Indiana’s classic cafeterias have faded away, but the tray line is not finished yet.
Around Indianapolis, a handful of spots still let you point, choose, and carry your whole meal to the table yourself. One is a deli that has been feeding the city for generations, and the rest belong to MCL, an Indiana cafeteria name that dates back to 1950.
These places matter because they serve home-style food without fuss, and you can see exactly what you are getting before it hits your plate. If you miss the days of choosing between cherry pie and coconut cream at the end of the line, this list is for you.
Grab a tray, and let’s look at five places still doing it the old way.
1. Shapiro’s Delicatessen, Indianapolis, IN
Big appetites tend to meet their match on South Meridian Street. Shapiro’s serves kosher-style deli classics cafeteria style, and the portions are famously generous.
You grab a tray, step into line, and load up as you go. Hot entrees, fresh salads, deli sandwiches, and massive slices of cake all wait along the way.
The sandwich lineup reads like a deli lover’s checklist. Think brisket, rare roast beef, and a pastrami Reuben, with a Nova lox platter for anyone leaning toward the classic smoked salmon route.
Save room for dessert, because the case is a big part of the appeal. Slices of Arlene’s carrot cake, cannoli, and an eclair so large it calls for a fork and knife have helped make this place a dessert stop as much as a lunch stop.
The room has an easygoing, old-school style that recalls the 1960s, and the staff are known for being warm and personable. Expect to spend around $20 to $30 per person.
Hours run 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekends. Free parking is available, including a lot and garage, and Monday mornings tend to be the calmest time to visit.
2. MCL Restaurant & Bakery Avon, Avon, IN
MCL has been around since 1950, which makes it one of the longest-running cafeteria names in the state. The Avon location brings that tradition out to the west side suburbs.
Here the format is simple. You move down the line, pick your hot dishes and baked goods, and the staff behind the counter dish it up, often with a friendly greeting.
Comfort food leads the way. Roast beef, macaroni and cheese, and coconut pie are regular favorites, and pumpkin pie shows up on the dessert lineup too.
I like this stop for a low-stress weeknight meal. The dining room is clean and quiet, there is a kids’ menu with high chairs, and a full vegetarian menu gives non-meat eaters real choices.
Most meals land in the $10 to $20 range. The cafeteria opens at 11 a.m. daily and closes at 8 p.m.
Monday through Saturday and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Sunday afternoon and Friday evening draw the biggest crowds. Parking is free and usually easy to find.
3. MCL Restaurant & Bakery Castleton, Indianapolis, IN
Thursday is liver and onions day at this Castleton spot. The Blue Plate Special pairs it with two sides and bread, which is about as classic Hoosier cafeteria as it gets.
The rest of the week offers plenty of old-school choices. Beef Manhattan, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, cornbread, and a Reuben all fit the home-cooked theme.
Pies deserve their own planning session. Coconut cream, apple, cherry, and pecan are all part of the bakery side here.
The line moves like a well-run assembly, so this is a fast option for a lunch break. Some first-timers find the setup a little different from a sit-down restaurant, and that is exactly the point.
A vegan vegetable soup and full vegan and vegetarian menus widen the options. There is also a private dining room for groups.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Plan on $10 to $20 per person, and bring cash if you want to leave a tip.
4. MCL Restaurant & Bakery Township Line, Indianapolis, IN
Short lines and a calm dining room make the 86th Street MCL a favorite for anyone who wants a quiet meal. On many weekday mornings and evenings, you can walk right up to the counter.
The serving area is known for being spotless, with fresh food filling the line. Chicken pot pie, liver and onions, roast beef, and a BBQ chicken quarter are among the options.
This location also has a salad bar, which sets it apart from some of the others. A vegan vegetable soup and full vegan and vegetarian menus round things out.
For dessert, the choices get tough fast. Coconut cream pie, strawberry shortcake, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie are all on the menu.
Longtime cafeteria fans often compare the food to the old K and W style, which says plenty about the home-cooked approach. Expect $10 to $20 per person, free parking, and hours from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. most days, closing at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
5. MCL Restaurant & Bakery Southside, Indianapolis, IN
Families on the south side have a solid reason to keep this one on speed dial. On certain days, kids eat free with an adult entree purchase.
The menu leans on scratch-made home-style cooking. Baked fish, poultry, vegetables, and fruit share space with richer comfort food, so it is easy to build a lighter plate or a hearty one.
Fresh-baked pies, cakes, and dinner rolls are a big draw. The dinner rolls alone make a good case for sliding your tray a little slower.
Staff here are known for keeping up with busy families, and high chairs and a kids’ menu are available. A private dining room works for group gatherings, and catering is offered too.
Prices stay in the $10 to $20 range. The doors open at 11 a.m. daily, closing at 8 p.m.
Monday through Saturday and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Sunday afternoons are the busiest stretch, so a weekday lunch is the easier pick. However you time it, this is a place where you leave full.
Whether it is a deli eclair downtown or a slice of coconut cream pie in the suburbs, these five spots prove the tray line still has a home in Indiana. Pick one, grab a tray, and enjoy a meal the way many Hoosiers grew up eating it.
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