A long-vacant downtown property will make a comeback this fall with a Pacers star delivering an assist.
Varsity Social Club, a new venture from Ambrosia Hospitality Group, is expected to open in the space that has sat vacant since Scotty’s Brewhouse closed in 2018.
Ambrosia Hospitality Group co-owner Dan Cage described the upcoming restaurant at 1 Virginia Ave. as a family-friendly bar and grill that will cater to gameday crowds with “elevated” gastropub fare served throughout more than 10,000 square feet that includes recreational and lounge spaces, a patio and private rooms.
Cage said his restaurant group has been considering a concept like Varsity Social Club for about four years ago and began pursuing it more aggressively within the last year as downtown Indy saw a marked increase in development with new hotels, restaurants and the Indiana Fever’s indoor practice facility.
“It’s a sports town and there’s a lot of development and investment going on downtown, with hotels and restaurants but specifically with sports franchises,” Cage told IndyStar. “We wanted to be a presence that’s involved in that growth.”
Cage, who won a state championship as a member of the Bishop Chatard boys basketball team in 2003 before playing and then serving as Director of Basketball Operations at Vanderbilt University, wasn’t the only influential figure interested in bringing a dining concept downtown. Shortly after star point guard Tyrese Haliburton joined the Pacers in 2022, he began frequenting Ambrosia in Broad Ripple.
In addition to an appreciation for high-end Italian cuisine, Cage and Haliburton share a connection through NBA journeyman Damian Jones, who played under Cage at Vanderbilt and was Haliburton’s teammate on the Sacramento Kings.
Cage and Haliburton later learned they lived in the same neighborhood as well. Eventually Haliburton grew interested in venturing into the restaurant industry, and he soon became a partner and the sole investor in Varsity Social Club.
“We’re super proud and super honored to have Tyrese connected with us in trying to build something really cool down there, right across from where he plays and hopefully will be playing for a few championships over the next few years,” Cage said.
Varsity Social Club plans to open in September. It will mark the Ambrosia Group’s sixth concept, following its namesake restaurant, Near Northside contemporary Italian restaurant Bocca, Mass Ave cocktail lounge Nowhere Special, Fountain Square speakeasy The Commodore and French bistro Josephine in Carmel.
Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@indystar.com. You can follow him on Instagram @BradleyHohulin and stay up to date with Indy dining news by signing up for the Indylicious newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: New sports bar planned for downtown with backing from Pacers All-Star
