The Indianapolis office market is showing life.

Driving the news: Net absorption — a key metric measuring newly occupied offices, minus new vacancies — exceeded 200,000 square feet in the second quarter, the most since early 2018, per commercial brokerage JLL.

• JLL counted more than a dozen new leases in that period larger than 10,000 square feet.

Why it matters: New leases offer hope that Indianapolis can transition into a post-COVID economy without falling off an office cliff.

The big picture: U.S. office vacancy is reaching historical highs, forcing cities such as San Francisco, where one-third of offices are empty, to contemplate wholesale reinventions.

By the numbers: Indianapolis-area offices are roughly 22% vacant, with downtown faring about the same as the overall market, per JLL and Cushman & Wakefield.

• The market vacancy rate has averaged about 17% over the past 10 years.
• Occupancy rose in two areas, Fishers and along North Keystone Avenue, but both still have overall vacancy rates above 20%.

What they're saying: "I think things will improve," Gordon Hendry, the managing director of HRE Advisors, told Axios. "There are a lot of things we have going for us that other cities don't. We have a real diversity in our economy with our convention business and our sports business."

• Downtown Indianapolis has avoided San Francisco's struggles, in part because the city has regained most of its pre-COVID convention business, Hendry said.
• He pointed to new high-end office construction coming to the Bottleworks District and the future Elanco Animal Health headquarters as signs that Indianapolis is staving off a death spiral.

What we're watching: Downtown gets most of the attention, because that's where lost foot traffic is most noticeable, but the suburban office vacancy rate is higher at 23.5%, with the North Meridian Street and Carmel area at 18.3%, per JLL.

• Openlane, formerly known as KAR Auction Services, listed 125,000 square feet of its brand-new Carmel headquarters last year — and in May leased it to CNO Financial Group, demonstrating both the challenges and opportunities as some companies downsize and others shop for amenity-rich spaces.

The bottom line: The Indianapolis office market isn't healthy — vacancy is above the national average of 19%, per JLL — but it's also not catastrophic.

• As remote work upends offices, avoiding worst-case scenarios counts as a win.

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📅 Upcoming events around the city:

• Indianapolis Colts Open Training Camp at Grand Park: Be a part of the action this summer and choose from 13 practices with free and open bleacher seating, a wide range of family-friendly activities, and the chance to get up close and personal with the players.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

👋 James here. I, for one, welcome our new robot servers.

I went to the Tian Fu Asian Bistro, which opened last month at 7525 E. Washington St., and it's a cultural experience steeped in dissonance.

State of play: It's styled as an Asian restaurant, which it is, yet also feels like a former Bob Evans, which it is.

• It's in a somewhat desolate location off I-465 on the east side.
• There are robots! They talk and bring you food! That's more of a novelty than a practical amenity, though, because a human server guided the drone in my case.

Quick take: I tried the sweet-and-sour chicken, the Tian Fu — chicken, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, water chestnut, carrot, broccoli, snow peas and zucchini in house sauce — and a vegetable spring roll.

• All of it was good and cost less money (around $22, plus tip) than you'd likely pay at a better-known restaurant serving similar food.

Of note: Tian Fu also has a location at 3508 W. 86th St.

The bottom line: It was a trippy experience, yet also memorable and fun, and I'll be back.

• It's also just about the best reuse of a Bob Evans you'll ever see.

Tell your favorite dining companion

🏥 Indiana residents are still getting booted off Medicaid by the tens of thousands per month, but the rate is slowing. More than 35,000 lost coverage in June as part of an unwinding of COVID-19 protections. That's down from 52,985 in April and 53,684 in May. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

🌮 Taco Bell Cantina will replace the former Sugarfire Smoke House downtown at 24 W. Washington St. This boutique take on Taco Bell is known for serving alcoholic beverages and offering niche amenities, such as video game lounges. Taco Bell hasn't announced an opening date. (IBJ)

📦 UPS reached a tentative deal with its union yesterday, averting a much-feared strike that would've had a destabilizing impact on the economy. (Axios)

​​Dairy Queen is the most common ice cream chain across the Indianapolis metro area, with Culver's and Freddy's Frozen Custard as runners-up.

By the numbers: There are 68 Dairy Queens, followed by 29 Culver's and eight Freddy's, according to a new analysis of Yelp data from Axios' Kavya Beheraj and Erin Davis.

The big picture: Dairy Queen is king of the country — it's the most dominant chain in nearly 75% of U.S. counties, suggesting people really like their Blizzards.

💭 James' thought bubble: Dairy Queen is ubiquitous because it's good — and, even though it's a giant chain, the franchisees usually are moms and pops just like the smaller shop owners.

• I got my first job at a Dairy Queen making $3.45 an hour (somehow legal in Michigan at the time). I know all the insider secrets and still like it.

Reality check: Just because one particular chain is the most dominant in a given area doesn't necessarily make it the best.

• And local institutions that only have one or a handful of shops won't crack this kind of ranking.

What's your favorite local ice cream joint? Let us know at [email protected].