INDIANAPOLIS — Whether it’s economic uncertainty, stormy weekends or blazing heat, summer 2025 has been tough for some in the restaurant industry.
Just ask Ash & Elm Cider Co. owner Andrea Homoya.
“At first, we were like, ‘Did something change for us?’ But then, when we talked to more people, they were like, ‘No, it’s all of us,’” Homoya said.
Ash & Elm has two tap rooms: one on Indy’s near east side and one in Carmel.
“We have a really beautiful patio in Carmel, and it’s been empty almost every day because it’s been too hot. Even though it’s shaded, even though it’s really nice, it’s just too hot to be out there," she said.
This summer’s been a hot one. There were many stretches of 90 or close-to-90-degree weather.
Homoya says restaurants like hers expect capacity to almost double with patio seating.
That wasn’t possible this year.
“When no one wants to sit out there, you’re operating with winter numbers," Homoya said.
It’s a similar story for Borage, on Indy’s west side.
“It’s our second summer, while I think we’re building on it, I think we’ve definitely felt a lot of hiccups," owner Zoë Taylor said.
The bakery, cafe and market opened just 15 months ago.
Taylor says she was excited to debut their new patio this summer.
“It was so hot and wet, we barely even had one good patio day," she said.
In addition to the weather, Taylor is already feeling the strain of increased operating costs.
“These things are all like 30% more, and it really adds up at the end of the day," Taylor said.
Right now, it’s Devour Indy Summerfest.
It runs from August 18 to August 31.
Homoya says Devour Indy is a great excuse to try a new place or revisit an old favorite.
“We like to feature things that we always have at a discount, to say, ‘Hey, if you liked this, come back.’ And show who we are and what we do with our food," she said.
