Sun King Names Restaurants For Carmel Distillery

The tap room and distillery is expected to open July 2.

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Indianapolis-based Sun King Brewing Co. says it is on pace to open its $4 million Carmel tap room and distillery in July. The craft brewery also says it has selected four local restaurants to provide offerings inside a food hall planned for the new facility.

Sun King says the food hall will include four, 100-square-foot food stalls, each of which will house a small kitchen, service counter and menu boards. The restaurants to fill those spots are BEAST, La Margarita, Oca and Pi. 

• BEAST: This will be the first brick-and-mortar location for BEAST, which previously operated as a food truck. The restaurant will offer gourmet burgers and handcut fries using locally-sourced ingredients. 
• La Margarita: The restaurant currently operates a location in Indianapolis’ Fountain Square neighborhood and will offer Mexican food including tacos, salads, burritos, homemade salsas and daily specials.
• Oca: This will be the second Oca restaurant inside a Sun King Tap Room. The restaurant currently has a location inside the brewery’s Indianapolis tap room. The Carmel location will include sandwiches and sausages, along with snacks including soft Bavarian pretzels with pimento beer cheese.
• Pi: The restaurant will offer brick-oven pizza and seasonal salads. Pi currently operates as a food truck.

Each restaurant also plans to include offerings that pair well with Sun King’s craft beer and signature cocktail menu. Sun King says the food stalls are designed to "invoke the spirit of the Monon Railway inside the 15,000-square-foot tap room."

"Food halls are a growing trend throughout the U.S., where the number of them grew by nearly 40 percent in 2016," said Clay Robinson, co-founder of Sun King Brewery. "Think of our new food hall like a food court in the mall – but totally modernized with local, independent restaurants serving diverse, fresh food quickly. The entire experience is meant to provide a destination where friends can gather to enjoy fresh, handcrafted beers and cocktails paired with fresh, handcrafted meals."

Sun King unveiled plans for the distillery in August. The brewery says the new location is projected to open July 2.