Best Seafood in Indianapolis
Where to find real seafood in Indianapolis, and what makes it worth the trip.
Where to find real seafood in Indianapolis, and what makes it worth the trip.
Local guide · 2026-06-25
Indianapolis is 700 miles from the nearest ocean, so most "fresh fish" in town is anything but. The best seafood in Indy comes from the handful of places that treat sourcing as the whole game, and for three years running, Hoosiers voted Caplinger's Fresh Catch the #1 restaurant in Indiana. Here's a local's guide to eating and buying the real thing.
Truly fresh fish has clear, bright eyes, a clean briny smell (never fishy or like ammonia), firm flesh that springs back, and bright pink-red gills. A real seafood market ices its case and turns it daily, and will tell you exactly what's wild and what's farm-raised. If you can't get a straight answer, walk away.
For the deepest counter in the city, head to Caplinger's fresh-fish counter at the Shadeland or Southside markets, salmon, cod, catfish, perch, halibut, tilapia and more, filleted to order. Want it cooked? They'll fry it golden right there.
For a feast, nothing beats colossal king crab legs by the pound or live Maine lobster with one day’s notice. Hosting? A fresh oyster raw bar is the move. And if you want something Indy almost never sees, try real Alligator.
Indiana runs on the Friday fish fry. Catfish, perch and whiting fry up best, hand-breaded and golden. Caplinger's has been doing it since 2013, and it's a big reason they keep winning #1.
Two full markets and restaurants (Shadeland, Southside) and two Seafood Kitchens (Pendleton Pike, The AMP downtown) mean fresh seafood is close wherever you are, from Fishers to Greenwood. With 4,800+ Google reviews, it's how Indy does seafood.