www.sdchamber.org

Lunch of the Month: Indigo Café

Contemporary American cuisine gets a Cajun twist in this New Orleans style café, located both downtown and in Kearny Mesa.  With an eclectic, bluesy décor and fresh, comfort-food café classics, this is a great spot for a lunch, casual dinner or happy hour. 

I recently visited the downtown location, the newer of the two (Indigo Café has been open in Kearney Mesa for eight years and downtown for four years) for a casual lunch with coworkers.  We sampled the Tiffany side salad, a café favorite and great value - only a few dollars for a lunch-sized portion.  This unique salad is made up of mixed greens, almonds, feta cheese, cranberries, golden raisins and sesame vinaigrette.  We also tried two of Indigo’s soups, the spicy chicken tortilla and a vegetarian black bean.  Both were flavorful with mild spice –a great companion to a salad or sandwich, or on their own. 

Menu offerings are focused on fresh ingredients and unique, hearty sandwiches, salads and entrees, with plenty of lighter or vegetarian options.  My dining companions and I sampled various lunch specialties, including a fresh California chicken wrap with melted pepper jack cheese, guacamole, lettuce and tomato, and ranch dressing in a cilantro tortilla, and Indigo’s version of fish & chips, consisting of panko crusted mahi mahi served with a Cajun cole slaw and fries.  I also sampled the delicious veggie black bean burger with chipotle sour cream, a must-try for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike. 

Indigo also caters to patrons with a sweet tooth, with an array of tempting desserts including a white chocolate blueberry bread pudding topped with warm spiced run sauce (even non-bread pudding eaters at our table loved it!) and a perfect Tiramisu.

Indigo Café’s service is quick enough for a lunch hour break, and casual yet quiet enough for a lunch with friends and coworkers alike.  The café also has an expansive catering menu for larger corporate lunches, events and parties.  Indigo Café has a full bar and offers happy hour specials Monday through Saturday, from 4:30 to 6:30. 

Indigo Café is located at 1435 6th Avenue in downtown San Diego.  For more information and a sample menu, visit www.indigocafeandcatering.com.