Get ready to head back to the Upside Down.
The third season of the hit horror series “Stranger Things” becomes available on Netflix on Thursday. Viewers likely have already started binge-watching the adventures of Eleven, Will, Mike and the others as they gallivant through Hawkins, Indiana, battling creatures from the creepy alternate dimension.
While Hawkins isn’t a real city in Indiana, a variety of central Indiana businesses and entities have latched on to the fictional Hoosier roots. To celebrate the release of the new season, they’ll feature special food items, cocktails and events to cater to “Stranger Things” fans.
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People can stay in a hotel room decorated with elements from the show, complete with unlimited Netflix to watch the show. Enjoy burgers and other dishes incorporating waffles, Eleven’s favorite food. Order a drink that turns an eerie shade of purple like magic.
The campaign has allowed area businesses to have a little bit of fun with the pop culture phenomenon.
“One of my favorite things to do is show off Indianapolis and the unexpected aspects of Indiana to people who maybe aren’t familiar with the state or the city. ‘Stranger Things’ offered all of us a cool way to do that,” said Zoe Hayes, head bartender at Spoke & Steele in Indianapolis. “The fact that it’s set in Indiana makes a difference in the show; location and identity are big parts of that. So it’s nice to see it call back to that.”
The idea behind the “Stranger Things” promotion came from Visit Indy, the tourism bureau for the Indianapolis area, including the southside and Greenwood.
The organization approached different businesses asking if they’d be interested in developing a special product or event around the show. Since it is set in Indiana, albeit in a fictional town, the thought was that people could still express their fandom of “Stranger Things.”
For example, they could stay in a “Stranger Things” room in a package offered by the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown. The package includes all-you-can-watch Netflix in order to stream the show, in addition to touches such as string lights, a bed throw blanket, a complimentary mug and the official “Stranger Things” card game.
The hotel’s restaurant, Conner’s Kitchen + Bar, altered its brunch favorite chicken and waffles to include Eggo waffles, a central detail in the show. Rye Bar, located in the hotel lobby, made a specialty cocktail called the Leggo My Eggo, using bourbon, ancho reyes chili liqueur, maple syrup and other ingredients.
“We really leaned into some of the more popular and well-known items from the show. Eggos, the string lights and alphabet from season one and some favorite quotes from the show on the take-home mug and pillow case,” said Michelle Klein, senior marketing manager for the hotel.
Waffles are a popular choice for the promotion. People can get a Stranger Things Burger at Burger Study, which is a two thinly-pressed patties topped with American cheese, peanut butter and local blueberry jam, sandwiched between two waffles. Punch Bowl Social has created special malted waffles to add to its menu.
The Gallery Pastry Shop in Indianapolis took a different approach. The high-end bakery has a new edible ink printer that it uses to put picture-perfect logos and other images on food items, typically for private events. The “Stranger Things” promotion was an opportunity to use it for a product available to the public.
“It’s a newer technology that we’ve got. We’ve been doing a lot of logos for corporate events, and we thought it would fun to share this with Indy,” said Alison Keefer, co-owner of the business. “Whenever we can tie in with something that other local restaurants are doing, especially for a show that’s based in Indiana, we wanted to be a part of it.”
Spoke & Steele wanted to pay homage to the show’s spooky netherworld, the Upside Down, for its participation in the promotion. Hayes played around to create the Upside Down Cocktail. She started with Indy’s own Hotel Tango rum, then added cinnamon syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice and coconut cream. All of it is shaken before being served over butterfly pea flour ice, which is used for its color-changing properties.
“One of the themes of the show is that things aren’t really as they seem to be, things changing and turning upside down,” Hayes said. “I wanted to play with that unexpected, changing aspect. So made a while cocktail and add it to the butterfly pea flour ice, and it flips upside-down, and changes color with these tendrils of purple coming down from this bright blue ice.”
The restaurant’s executive chef, Erin Gillum, also put together a special dish in homage to the show. The Strangest Thing Since Poutine includes waffle fries, Wisconsin cheese curds, meatloaf and a sweet-and-spicy cola gravy for a decadent dose of down-home food.
“(Gillum) wanted to go with something really homegrown, and it doesn’t come much more homegrown in Indiana than really good comfort food,” Hayes said. “It’s big, luscious, extra-comfort food, but it fits.”
Most of the specials associated with “Stranger Things,” such as Spoke & Steele’s creations or Gallery Pastry Shop’s macarons, are available only through Sunday, though the Marriott will offer its “Stranger Things” room special through Sept. 28.
Organizers have also lined up a few special events for the release of the show. On Aug. 12, see one of the stars of “Stranger Things” in a whole new way. Gaten Mattarazzo, who plays Dustin on the show, will be in town at the Hoosier Dome for an all-ages show with his band, Work in Progress.
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1. “The Upside Down Hotel Package,” Indianapolis Marriott Downtown Hotel, 350 W. Maryland St., through Sept. 28. The package includes unlimited Netflix, Hasbro’s official "Stranger Things" card game, string lights, a bed throw and a complimentary mug.
2. Stranger Things Burger, Burger Study, 28 W. Georgia St., Indianapolis, features two thinly pressed beef patties topped with American cheese, peanut butter and local blueberry jam, sandwiched between two waffles. Available through Sunday.
3. Friends Don’t Lie cocktail, Hotel Tango, 702 Virginia Ave., Indianapolis, made with Hotel Tango Charlie Cherry liqueur, bourbon, blackened lime juice, blackened simple syrup and aquafaba. Garnished with trimmed rosemary and Fruity Pebbles cereal. Available through Sunday.
4. Fried chicken and waffles, Conner’s Kitchen + Bar, 350 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis, the restaurant’s take on classic chicken and waffles is topped with honey butter and bourbon maple syrup. Available Saturday and Sunday during brunch throughout July.
5. Stranger Things Macarons, Gallery Pastry Shop, 1101 E. 54th St. Suite G, Indianapolis, customized macarons printed with logos and images from the show. A two-pack costs $5 and six-packs are $15. Available through Sunday.
6. The Upside Down cocktail, Spoke & Steele, 123 Illinois St., Indianapolis, Hotel Tango rum, cinnamon syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice, coconut cream. Shaken and served in a beaker rocks glass with butterfly pea flour ice, which makes the drink change colors as it’s stirred. Available through Sunday.
7. The Strangest Thing Since Poutine, Spoke & Steele, waffle fries, Wisconsin cheese curds, meatloaf and a sweet-and-spicy cola gravy. Available through Sunday.
8. Leggo My Eggo cocktail, Rye Bar, 350 W. Maryland St., Indianapolis, West Fork The Colonel bourbon, ancho reyes chili liqueur, maple syrup, angostura bitter and orange swath. Available through Sunday.
9. Eleven’s Waffles, Punch Bowl Social, Spoke & Steele, 123 Illinois St., Indianapolis, traditional house-made malted waffle, served with butter and warm maple syrup in honor of the show’s protagonist, Eleven. Available through Sunday.
10. Work in Progress, 6 p.m. Aug. 12, Hoosier Dome, 1627 Prospect St., Indianapolis, the band features Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin in "Stranger Things," on vocals. $20, all ages.
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