St. Elmo Steak House is a restaurant in the Wholesale District[1] of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest steakhouse in Indianapolis. Its specialty shrimp cocktail has earned wide recognition in the American culinary scene.[3] In 2020, it was among the 25 highest-grossing independent restaurants in the U.S. with annual sales exceeding $21 million.[2]
History
St. Elmo opened at the Braden's Block, or the Braden Building, in the Wholesale District of downtown Indianapolis in 1902.[1] Founder Joe Stahr named the restaurant after Erasmus of Formia (or St. Elmo), patron saint of sailors. In 1947, Stahr sold the business to local tavern operator Burt Condon. Condon's ownership was brief, selling the restaurant six months later to brothers Harry, Sam, and Ike Roth in 1948.[3]
In 1956, Sam and Ike Roth left the business to their brother, Harry, and new partner, Isadore "Izzy" Rosen. Roth and Rosen co-owned the establishment until 1986 when St. Elmo was sold to local entrepreneurs Stephen "Steve" Huse (founder of Noble Roman's) and Jeff Dunaway for US$2.5 million.[4] Steve Huse's son, Craig Huse, joined as a minority-owner in 1997 and operates the restaurant.[5] In 1998, Dunaway sold his 49-percent stake in ownership.[4]
A US$2 million renovation in 1997 refreshed the wine cellar, kitchen, and two dining rooms. In commemoration of the restaurant's 100th anniversary in 2002, exterior renovations were undertaken, including the installation of an awning, façade lighting, and decorative brick pavers.[6] In 2011, renovations to the restaurant's second floor converted 3,000 square feet (280 m2) into a bar, 1933 Lounge—a homage to the year prohibition ended.[4][7]
Since 2013, St. Elmo has partnered with the Indiana Sports Corp and Major League Eating to host an annual competitive eating event.[8]Joey Chestnut has remained undefeated since the inaugural competition[9] and holds the world record for consuming 18 lb 9.6 oz (8.44 kg) of the restaurant's shrimp cocktail in eight minutes at the 2018 contest.[10]
St. Elmo Foods LLC was established in 2018 to oversee the restaurant's portfolio of retail products, including cocktail sauce, steak sauce, seasoning, horseradish, salad dressing, bourbon whiskey, and hard soda.[11][12]
Building and site
Left to right: Braden's Block, Reinhardt, and Louis G. Deschler Company buildings, c. 1990
Since its establishment in 1902, St. Elmo has been located in the Braden's Block building.[4] Initially, the business occupied a small footprint on the building's ground-floor (the current front room and bar).[13] Beginning in the 1970s, St. Elmo expanded into the neighboring Reinhardt and Louis G. Deschler Company buildings to the south.[4] Despite extensive interior modifications, each building has maintained its unique historic façade.
Completed in 1875, Braden's Block (127–131 S. Illinois St.) is distinctive for its beveled northwestern bay and ornamental stone cornice.[14] The Braden's façade was extensively rehabilitated in 2016.[5] The Italianate-style Reinhardt Building (133 S. Illinois St.) is notable as the oldest surviving building on Illinois St. in the Mile Square, completed in 1864.[15] The Louis G. Deschler Company Building (135 S. Illinois St.) was built in the German Renaissance Revival-style in 1907. The three buildings are faced with brick and number three stories.[14] They are contributing structures to the Indianapolis Union Station-Wholesale District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.[16]
Le Méridien Indianapolis Hotel is sited immediately north of St. Elmo, across a small service drive (formerly W. Chesapeake St.). Completed in 1995, Circle Centre Mall was constructed on the east and south sides of the three buildings.
Cuisine
The shrimp cocktail at St. Elmo Steak House
St. Elmo's lone appetizer, a shrimp cocktail, consists of four jumbo shrimp and a dollop of its signature spicy cocktail sauce. According to reporting by Indianapolis Monthly, the restaurant orders four tons of horseradish,[17] 48,600 pounds of shrimp, and 3,800 gallons of sauce for more than 100,000 servings of the popular dish each year. In 2012, St. Elmo began bottling and selling its signature sauce via regional grocers.[18]
Navy bean soup and Red Gold tomato juice are the two available starter options, per tradition. Entrées are served with a choice of sides, either green beans or three varieties of potatoes (fries, baked, or redskin-mashed). Besides steak, other notable dishes include locally-sourced Amish chicken, king crab mac 'n' cheese, and wedge salad.[19]
The restaurant's basement wine cellar contains 20,000 bottles, including a bottle of 1902 Château Lafite Rothschild.[20] The restaurant's signature cocktail and most popular beverage, the Elmo Cola, consists of Maker's Mark bourbon infused with Luxardo cherries and Madagascar vanilla beans served alongside a classic bottle of Coca-Cola.[11][21]
^ abMarkisohn, Deborah B. (2021) [1994]. "St. Elmo Steak House". Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indianapolis Public Library. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
^Lovely, Lori (July 2003). "Veteran's Day". Indianapolis Monthly | 2003 Downtown Living Guide. Emmis Communications. pp. 7–8. ISSN0899-0328. Now encompassing three buildings, the landmark eatery has undergone numerous changes and renovations, one of the most recent being what [Craig] Huse calls a $2 million 'reinvestment in the building' in 1997. Two dining rooms, a large kitchen open to the original tiger-oak back-bar, and an award-winning 20,000-bottle wine cellar were all part of the '97 makeover. For the building's 100th anniversary last year, Huse spruced up the exterior with lights, an awning and brick pavers.
^Kightlinger, Cathy (September 25, 2011). "St. Elmo lounge recalls dry times". The Indianapolis Star. p. G6. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. That's because they used Dec. 5, 1933 — the day the ban on alcohol in the United States ended — as a theme for the new 1933 Lounge. (...) Located on St. Elmo's second floor, and decorated by proprietor Craig Huse's interior designer wife, Jill, the lounge opened Sept. 16.
^Kightlinger, Cathy (February 3, 2012). "That's rich: 4 unique experiences". The Indianapolis Star. p. X17. Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. St. Elmo also offers an intimate dining experience in its wine cellar. Privacy there is enhanced because customers are surrounded by 20,000 bottles of wine. (...) St. Elmo's crown jewel is a bottle of 1902 Château Lafite Rothschild.
^Biro, Liz (November 7, 2019). "St. Elmo just got into the bourbon business". The Indianapolis Star. p. 3H. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. 'In fact, it may be more consistent than what we do in the restaurant,' Huse said, referring to the Makers Mark bourbon St. Elmo bartenders infuse with Luxardo cherries and Madagascar vanilla beans. The Elmo Cola is a glass of the bourbon served alongside a little, classic bottle of Coke.
^Guyett, Susan (September 13, 2002). "Venerable St. Elmo deserves its reputation". The Indianapolis Star. p. 28. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. When it comes to dining in Indianapolis, St. Elmo Steak House is more than a restaurant; it's an institution. (...) Though same may not agree, it's St. Elmo – more than any other local eatery – that put Indianapolis on the national restaurant map.
^ abKetzenberger, Jolene (July 13, 2012). "St. Elmo Steak House on Forbes' list of 10 classic restaurants". The Indianapolis Star. p. D6. Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. St. Elmo Steak House, established in 1902, was recently included in a Forbes.com gallery of 10 classic restaurants around the world. (...) St. Elmo was honored earlier this year with an America's Classic award from the James Beard Foundation.
^Hanley, Marge (May 1, 1976). "Perfect Steak, Medium Rare". The Indianapolis News. p. 17. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Esquire magazine evidently agreed with the restaurant's definition of perfection because St. Elmo was listed in the magazine's February 1973 feature, 'This is the Perfect Steak.'
^Considine, Austin (November 14, 2019). "36 Hours in Indianapolis". The New York Times. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
^ abKightlinger, Cathy (March 9, 2010). "St. Elmo has spot on 'Best Thing'". The Indianapolis Star. p. A11. Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. But this week, the Illinois Street eatery – a well-known favorite of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and his is family – is going to get even more notoriety when it is featured on an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," scheduled to air at 10 p.m. Friday on the Food Network.
^Bahr, Sarah (August 9, 2018). "Tenderloin bests 'Man v. Food' host". The Indianapolis Star. pp. A3, A8. Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Webb visited Indianapolis earlier this year to gulp down the largest item on the St. Elmo Steak House menu, the 38-ounce, slow-roasted, marbled monster of prime rib. He also tackled Traders Point Creamery's fried-egg topped, bread crumb-garnished take on mac 'n' cheese, which he deemed "Mac 'n' Cheese 2.0," in the Indianapolis episode that aired Monday night on the Travel Channel.
^Lindquist, David (September 28, 2013). "'Parks and Rec' is headed back to Indianapolis". The Indianapolis Star. p. A2. Retrieved July 15, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Last December, cast members Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari, Adam Scott, Chris Pratt, Rob Lowe and Jim O'Heir visited Lucas Oil Stadium and St. Elmo Steak House to shoot scenes for an episode titled 'Two Parties.'
^Ford, Lynn (August 30, 1994). "Food for the Famous". The Indianapolis Star. p. D1. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. While Benvenuti has several notables among its clientele, St. Elmo Steak House may be the hot spot for big names: The walls prove it.
^Biro, Liz (May 21, 2015). "7 restaurants to spot IndyCar drivers". The Indianapolis Star. p. 7N. Retrieved July 16, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Earlier this year, Simon Pagenaud listed St. Elmo as one of his favorite restaurants when he lived in Indy.
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