TRANSPLANTING THE GARDEN Garden Table opens in Carmel
Written by Neil Charles / Photographed by Rachel Lutz Located in The Railyard at Midtown building in the revitalized Midtown Carmel district, the new Garden Table is the third iteration of the successful restaurant established in 2013 in Broad Ripple by husband-and-wife team Greg and Jessie Harden. Occupying a prime space just feet away from the outdoor public plaza, the location could scarcely be more propitious. From its inception, Garden Table has set itself apart from more mainstream health food eateries; today the restaurants offer not only a selection of cold-pressed juices and farm-fresh salads, but also a robust cocktail menu and several farm-to-fork meat dishes whose inclusion might raise the eyebrows of diehard vegans, but undoubtedly attract a diverse dinner crowd. Drawing high-quality ingredients from a long list of regional organic and sustainable suppliers, Garden Table pays more than lip service to the concept of healthy local eating. For those concerned about the provenance and sourcing of their food, few restaurants in town offer a more compelling affirmation of their commitment to quality and sustainability. Part of the original grand scheme since the first restaurant’s inception, the Carmel location has been a long time coming. “After opening our Mass Ave restaurant, we started looking for the perfect spot in Carmel, which took time and patience. Our lease was signed in March of 2020, days before Covid hit,” says Jessie. “As things returned to normal, we revisited the design based on the needs we saw during the pandemic, turning the private events room into a to-go counter for Monon traffic and delivery services.” With brunch beginning at 9 a.m., shareable snacks and cocktails at three and dinner at five, Garden Table offers an ambitious and surprisingly lengthy menu that caters to a broad cross-section of tastes. The Carmel restaurant is the couple’s first new construction project, a departure from the first two locations, enabled partly by investor and partner Sarah Simon, who has been on board since day one. While the Broad Ripple location is smaller and cozier, occupying a storefront with counter service, the Massachusetts Avenue restaurant occupies a former retail establishment with an abundance of character that required a substantial build-out. “Jessie conceived the interior look of the Carmel store over several years, and bringing it to life was so fulfilling for her,” says Greg. “It’s important to her for the interior design to be dictated first by the space and the building. Our space was also our first new construction, built out by Mike Boaz, who enabled us to create an environment that could transition from a bright and energetic brunch service to a vibey and eclectic dinner and cocktail service.”
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