Stardust Terrace Cafe

I don’t know how it took me so long to try this place. Husband works a block from it and we would often bring JJ’s sandwiches and struggle to find seating outside and end up in the grass when across the canal. Little did we know there were delicious sandwiches with plenty of seating for just a few dollars more right across the canal. My husband gets their club every time, it’s simply superb. I’ve only been once but got a chicken Mediterranean (?) or chicken club… I can’t remember. All I remember is that I want to eat there again!

Four for food and three for service. The crew in here (that I encountered) was half as enthusiastic about the product as I was. I quickly ignored the unfriendly welcome when I caught eye of the asparagus salad and dill potato salad… dill might be my herb of the year. Oh, what? Doesn’t everyone have a personal herb of the year?
The price was pretty salty– $ 8 for my two side cups. However, in true Hoaglin style, they were delicious, refreshing and representative of the weather outside. This all reminds me that I’m overdue for a brunch at Hoaglin!
Logistical details:
–food is served cafeteria style
–menu consists of soups, salads, quiches, sandwiches and delicious-​looking cookies — I was strong dear reader (for once), no cookie for me!
–all food comes from Hoaglin Catering

The Stardust Café has always proven itself a consistent, worthy lunchtime destination.
Located in the Indiana History Center (West Street between Ohio and New York Streets), it’s a convenient walk from most places downtown and has BEAUTIFUL outdoor seating along the canal (weather permitting).
Operated by Hoaglin, the food is always really good. One downside — a sandwich and a drink will likely run you in the $ 10-​$ 12 range. It’s great food and always fresh, but I don’t know that a daily trip here is in most people’s budget.

It is with a heavy heart that I have to write this review.
I gave this place so many second chances because I used to work in the building it resides in, the Indiana Historical Society, and was the closest option for lunch.
The complaint is with the service.
I could list the numerous times when an order I placed earlier in the day wasn’t ready on time, but that is a special arrangement for IHS employees.
But in my last week, everything went downhill.
The first incident occurred when I ordered a salad with no dressing. One of the cooks had to exclaim in the nearly empty café «No dressing?!? Who in their right mind doesn’t eat dressing?!» This is just out and out unnecessarily rude. As a former food server, I’ve ran across my fair share of bizarre food orders, and one doesn’t say anything about it until the customer is gone or go somewhere the customer can’t hear you, and say it there. I said something to the manager, which rendered dirty looks from the cooks and a retaliation.
The final time I ate there: once again my early order for a grilled cheese was late. I was made to wait 20 minutes of my 30 minute lunch break to cook a two cheese and tomato sandwich. When I got it, the cheese was barely warm and not melted. I complained, and was thrown attitude back from the manager for not ordering sooner. Ordering at 10:30 am for a 1:30pm pick up is not early enough? For a half-​assed grilled cheese?! The cook who criticized my food choice earlier in the week gave me a condescending smile from the kitchen. The retaliation was complete. And I was not given a refund.
Final straw.
I wanted to forewarn everyone that the cooks (for now) apparently have no respect for customers, and aren’t afraid to show it. Management and the cooks are in a revolving door mode, so I have no doubt that they will be gone soon enough. So I might recant this review in the future.
Normally the food is fantastic and I can totally recommend the curry chicken salad sandwich, the french fries (crack fries as the employees call them), the quiches, and the grilled cheeses — when they are fully cooked.

Yeah. KILLER sandwiches and what appeared to be «homemade» chips. I can’t remember all of the sandwiches they had here, but they even had a burger; there was a wide variety. I ended up having the Club sandwich, and I totally recommend it. For $ 10.50, it was well worth it. The fresh baked cookies were great, as well.
We stopped in for lunch before a meeting. It was about 75 degrees and sunny. We sat out on the back deck and enjoyed the canal view. Lots of people walking through, but it wasn’t noisy. A goose tried to share my lunch though.

This is a museum restaurant and working on the canal I tend to go to a lot of these but this is the only one done by Hoaglin Fine Catering! Yum!
You can get some of their specialty sandwiches here and also that (in)famous sundried-​tomato pesto torte! It was a little more pricey than I like to normally spend for a workday lunch ($ 13 after substituting a salad and adding a drink) but the turkey sandwich was superb and the blue cheese asparagus salad was yummy.