Restaurant critic Keith Lee headed for Indianapolis — to ball, though

Tighten up, Indianapolis restaurants. Keith Lee is coming to town.

The earthy and influential food critic is participating in an Indianapolis event ahead of NBA All-Star Weekend, meaning there’s a chance for him to shine a spotlight on some local eateries.

Lee has nearly 16 million followers on TikTok and has changed the fortunes of struggling restaurants with his reviews.

Lee is participating in the Hoops & Icons basketball game produced by The Players Company at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Feb. 14.

Lee himself hasn’t made an announcement about visiting restaurants while in Indianapolis.

Prior to hitting a scene on his Keith Lee and Family Food Tour — he’s stopped in 10 in the past seven months — he usually takes to social media for restaurant suggestions.

Darius Cooks in Indy: Indianapolis Black-owned restaurants leave reviewer wanting more

While restaurants are eager to have him visit to with hopes of getting a thumbs up, Lee has also drawn attention to shortcomings on entire scenes, such as Atlanta with which he found issues with customer service.

In the past, he has focused on mom and pop shops with standout food and customer service, but in need of exposure. Many of the restaurants featured have been Black-owned.

Last week , Lee announced he was expanding visits to restaurants that highlight the local food scene, as well as more restaurants from various backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities.

What restaurants should the popular critic check out?

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com: @cherylvjackson.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Restaurant critic Keith Lee will be in Indianapolis next month