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Top restaurant ‘gems’ named; 2 are in Indiana

(stock image courtesy: Pixabay/disk6)

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — Online restaurant-reservation service OpenTable has revealed its top 100 Best Neighborhood Gems in America for 2021, and two central Indiana restaurants made the list.

OpenTable says the places that made its list contribute to the character of their neighborhoods and welcome diners in with “exceptional hospitality.”

The two Hoosier locales are Iozzo’s Garden of Italy, which is south of downtown Indianapolis, and The Italian House on Park in Westfield.

Open Table says the restaurants that made their list offer outdoor dining and have safe dining practices.

“The time to ‘dine on’ with safety top of mind is now,” said Debby Soo, chief executive officer of OpenTable. “With the proper precautions, we want people to get back to their favorite restaurants and support local businesses while enjoying the last bit of summer.”

The list of honorees was determined after analyzing internal data generated solely from diner reviews collected between April 1, 2020, and March 31. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration.

In addition to dining gems, OpenTable released survey data showcasing an increased desire to support restaurants and dine out. It says with nearly half (47%) are planning to dine at a restaurant at least once a week in the next three months.

“It’s been a grueling year and a half for the restaurant industry, so it’s encouraging to see people eager to dine out again and support their local restaurants,” Soo said.

Only 24 states and the District of Columbia had restaurants to make the list.