Best Old-School Burger in Indianapolis · Indianapolis, IN
The Workingman's Friend has poured cold beer in frosted goblets on the near-west side of Indianapolis since 1918, when the Stamatkin family opened a tavern for the neighborhood's laborers. Its thin, crisp-edged double cheeseburgers and frosty schooners have kept the same booths full for over a century.
A no-frills, cash-friendly Indianapolis institution beloved across generations, it's the 2026 Centurion Award winner.
Each Centurion Award is a dated record tied to one year’s evaluation — earned annually, never carried over. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
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This page is the standing record for Workingman's Friend (2026). It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed.
If you’ve put in the years, you may already clear the bar. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.