Embrace your inner German by dining in the baronial halls of the Athenæum, the magnificent Romanesque Revival-style edifice designed by Bernard Vonnegut (think Kurt’s grandfather) in 1894.

The oldest continuing operating restaurant in the state, the Rathskeller, is also frequently voted as Indy's best German restaurant, the menu features such Bavarian fare as a Schlacht Platte – smoked center cut pork chop topped with a sauce made of apples, golden raisins and walnuts, accompanied with a grilled bockwurst.

Besides the Rathskeller, there are other ties to the past here. The Indianapolis Athenaeum is also home to the first gymnasium (1894), now a YMCA it carries out the tradition that the original founders of the Athenaeum believed in—health and exercise. Want to read a book or check your email? Grab a cup of joe and pastry at the cafe.