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The metamorphosis of downtown Fishers is genuinely remarkable. When I arrived in Indianapolis in 1987 as an intern at Boehringer Mannheim (now Roche), the main focal point of the north side was Castleton, with little development beyond 96th Street. Back then, 96th Street was a rural road without the White River bridge. One could cycle from Allisonville Road to Fall Creek without encountering traffic or stop signs.
At the intersection of 96th Street and Interstate 69, only a full-service gas station and an engineering building stood. If memory serves, the current Walmart site was a dairy farm. The journey from 96th Street to 116th Street felt like a countryside excursion, with Fishers consisting mainly of scattered homes.
Fishers’ growth was slow but steady. The original Nickel Plate pub opened in 1999, while Deer Creek Music Center (in Noblesville) debuted in 1989. Sahm’s Restaurant at 116th and Allisonville Road opened in 1986, and the “Mud Sock” Driving Range followed in 1988. Hamilton Southeastern High School, known as the “country school,” opened in 1967.
Even when we moved to Fishers in 2001, 116th Street still had a rural character. Brookschool Road, where the Fire Station is located, served as a back route to Deer Creek. Fishers lacked amenities, especially fine dining options, meaning residents had to travel to Keystone or downtown Indianapolis for upscale dining.
The past decade has seen a dramatic transformation: Ikea, Top Golf, and The Yard with their excellent dining options. We now have the Nickel Plate District with its fabulous pubs and restaurants. Recently, we dined at Tiburon Coastal Cuisine, a new addition to Fishers’ growing culinary scene. As someone with high standards for food and wine, I found the experience impressive. The seafood was outstanding; the mussels and coconut shrimp starters paired perfectly with a glass of J. Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis 2022.
Tiburon’s wine list features an artisanal selection, including many wines I have in my cellar. While I would appreciate some older vintages, their selection of robust young wines is noteworthy. The “special wines” section offers excellent value, including notable labels such as BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve, Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée, and Orin Swift’s Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon.
Fishers’ transformation from a quiet country town to a vibrant suburb with world-class dining options is a testament to its growth and development. Tiburon Coastal Cuisine, with its outstanding food, impressive wine list, and excellent service, exemplifies the new Fishers—a far cry from the rural landscape of just a few decades ago.
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