The Workingman's Friend • 1918

Macedonian immigrant Louis Stamatkin opened this legendary burger joint in 1918 as The Belmont Lunch, slinging food to Indianapolis railroad workers who needed something hot and filling. The smashed burgers — thin, crispy-edged patties that hit the griddle with authority — have barely changed in over a century, served alongside bowls of chili in a no-frills, 21-and-over bar. Come hungry for a burger that tastes like Indianapolis history.