5 Best Restaurants in Indiana (2024)

If you are a foodie and looking for the next travel destination, make sure to head over to the beautiful state of Indiana in the Midwestern United States. The best part about visiting Indiana is that this is the state for foodies. Check out the many vibrant cities here, including the magnificent capital city of Indianapolis, along with the abundance of nature the state is blessed with. For those who love their food, Indiana is a must-visit. Famous for its breaded pork tenderloin sandwich and Indianapolis’ famous shrimp cocktail, there are many classic dishes to enjoy in Indiana. Travel to the north to south of the state to try out the delicious dishes and enjoy dining at some of the best restaurants in Indiana.

5 Best Restaurants in Indiana

Here are some of the best restaurants in Indiana to try out:

1. Octave Grill

Sitting in the heart of downtown Chestertown in Indiana, Octave Grill is the perfect place to head to chomp on delicious burgers and homemade desserts, all in a kitschy setup. The restaurant is known for its grass-fed beef burgers that are served on soft brioche buns. The restaurant advertises itself as taking ‘burgers to a whole new level.’ You will find over 25 different toppings for your burgers here, such as Havarti cheese from Fair Oaks Farms. All items here are made using fresh local ingredients, including dressings, sauces, and desserts. Octave Grill’s vegan black bean burger and perch cakes are a huge hit.

2. The Vine

Located in Elkhart, The Vine is not your traditional restaurant. Regular customers of this place describe it as a casual but upscale dining spot. You will find lots of wine choices, tons of pizzas, and the steak is a sure-shot winner. You will find a full bar and patio dining available here, and the menu contains something to please everyone’s palette. This is a historic bistro, and one of the must-try items on their menu is the ‘Garbage Salad.’

3. Das Dutchman Essenhaus

You are right to assume that this is a fancy place judging by its foreign sounding name. Das Dutchman Essenhaus is one of the largest restaurants in Indiana with over 1100 seats, famous for its pies and home style American fare within a cute, folksy setting. If you want to get the true feeling of being in the Midwest, this is where you need to head to.

The best part about this restaurant is that all their dishes are made from genuine recipes that have been passed down from generations to create an authentic Amish experience for these visitors. Located in Middlebury, this is the perfect place to visit to feast on some soul-satisfying Amish fare. The restaurant offers three types of dining options, including a-la-carte, buffet, and family-style. And don’t forget to check out their bakery located just a couple of steps away, where you can buy some freshly baked homemade bread or cookies. They even sell over 30 varieties of pie.

4. Leeds Public House

This is one of the oldest restaurants in Indiana, rich in history. In fact, Leeds Public House is often referred to as the gastropub with a dash of history. In 1837, the Leeds Building used to be a hospital, the very first one in this area. It was rebuilt in 1903, and today it stands proud as part of Michigan City’s historic district.

The restaurant has undergone a complete revamp in recent years, and you are warmly welcomed into a modern gastropub today. Having both indoor and outdoor bars, there is separate patio seating, complete with a fire pit for those who want to enjoy outside dining.

The menu features many delicious fares, all made from local and fresh ingredients. You will find 14 different beers on tap here.

5. Wagner’s Ribs

Wagner’s Ribs is known for having some of the best, award-winning ribs in the entire northern region of Indiana. However, just because the ribs have won plenty of awards, don’t go in expecting a fancy, fine dining place. The restaurant is located in a vintage building in the town of Porter, and it is rare to find the place empty. The vintage building the restaurant is located in used to be a bar earlier, but today it is home to some of the most amazing, delicious lip-smacking ribs. You can choose your slabs with a choice of sides and wash them down with a house-draft beer. The restaurant has nine house draft beers and 75 bottled beer choices to choose from, but only for those who are 21 years of age and above.