Charleston’s: Fine foods, family friendly
“Our biggest advertisement is our food,” said proprietor Bob Taylor. “We just put out the best food we can with the best service we can provide every day, and let the customers take it from there.”
Truer words were never spoken, and to use that analogy, the prime Delmonico steak (pictured right) has the impact of a billboard in Times Square, eliciting “wows” all around when it arrived at the table. And every other dish on the menu is presented with the same painstaking care. 
Charleston’s is old school fine dining. The gracious and knowledgeable staff moves carefully and purposefully through the cavernous, 250-seat dining room, which is dimly lit and decorated in dark hues.
Fresh fish is flown in daily, (Halibut with Mango-Tomato Relish is pictured below left) and while selections rotate, the Short Smoked Salmon is a standard on the menu, and is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
The Castleton location has been a fixture for nearly 30 years, while the Carmel/Westfield location has been on the scene since 1999. The latter has sometimes been tricky to get to– fronting the strip mall that houses Best Buy and Barnes and Noble, it’s easy to spot from the highway, but it’s not always so easy to end up in the right parking lot! After several years of US 31 construction, there are finally direct access ramps off of both US 31 and 151st Street, which makes it much more convenient to slip in and enjoy delicious food, at either lunch or dinner time.
Everything is made from scratch, and according to Taylor, the same employee has been making their sauces and dressings since they opened the doors 16 years ago. Charleston’s is famous for their house-smoked Barbeque Baby Back Ribs and there aren’t too many places anymore where you can get a really good Oven Roasted Half Chicken or Slow Roasted Prime Rib.
This is a great place for a business lunch or dinner. But lest you think that Charleston’s is too upscale for the whole family, rest assured that youngsters are welco
me, portions are generous, everything on the menu is incredibly reasonably priced and the desserts are phenomenal. Visitors from Grand Park are finding that it’s a perfect spot for a post-game celebration.
Charleston’s has a great bar for appetizers and drinks, and a small wine list with carefully selected boutique wines, again, very reasonably priced. Standouts on the list on our last visit included Angeline Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudline Pinot Noir and Catena Malbec, all amazing values in the $30.00 per bottle range. Tap beers include locals Sun King and Upland.
Charleston’s is open for lunch and dinner seven days, as follows:
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Call ahead seating and reservations through Open Table are available.
Carmel/Westfield:
14636 N. U.S. 31; 317-846-5965
Indianapolis:
6815 E. 82nd Street; 317-841-0442
Written by Karen Kennedy
