Foodies of Indiana have a lot of reasons to love the Hoosier State. Somehow, our little utopia up here in the Midwest ended up with an absurd number of truly wonderful, top-notch dining destinations, many of which are famous for one or two of their best items (although, of course, narrowing down their selections to what's "best" is almost impossible). If you're on the hunt for all the amazing places to eat in Indiana, you'll want to begin your search here! Check out these awesome restaurants in Indiana typically known for a single (amazing) thing.
1. Long’s Bakery
The Item: Melt-in-your-mouth-amazing donuts.
Long's Bakery offers an incredible assortment of delicious, based perfection and honestly we just sort of recommend ordering ten of everything and figuring out your faves from there, but if there's anything that brings in new folks every single day, it's the rave reviews about the donuts. They are nothing short of pure perfection, and they're everything we didn't know we needed in a donut. Be sure to check out the official Long's Bakery Facebook page for the most up-to-date hours and specials.
2. Gray Brothers Cafeteria
The Item: To-die-for pies.
Hoosiers take their pie seriously. Our state pie is the famous (and delectable) sugar cream pie, and for the best pie in the universe (including sugar cream, of course), you're going to want to go to Gray Brothers Cafeteria. The whole menu is filled with delicious comfort food, but boy, those pies are something else entirely. The butterscotch is particularly well-known. Come see why.
3. Nick's Kitchen
The Item: THE Breaded Tenderloin.
When it comes to iconic foods in Indiana, the breaded tenderloin reigns mighty at the top of the list. You'll be hard-pressed to find a Hoosier who doesn't love a gigantic breaded tenderloin sandwich, and it just so happens that Nick's was the very first to do it. For the most legendary breaded tenderloin in Indiana, it's Nick's or nothing.
4. Janko's Little Zagreb
The Item: Spicy meatballs from heaven itself.
Is there anyone on this planet who doesn't love meatballs? Even vegetarians tend to have their own veggie versions of this beloved comfort food classic, but if you want the real thing and you want it done right, you're going to want to show up at Janko's Little Zagreb. The whole menu is a smorgasbord of deliciousness, but these meatballs are by far the greatest you'll ever have.
5. Workingman's Friend
The Item: Best burgers of your life.
Mmmmm, burgers. Once you've had your fill of spicy meatballs at Janko's and you're craving a whole burger instead, head on over to Workingman's Friend, which is literally famous for having the best burgers in Indiana. Each and every one is expertly crafted and absolutely certain to be one of the best you've ever had.
6. St. Elmo Steakhouse
The Item: Best. Steaks. Ever.
Okay, we might have a bias toward red meat, but we can't help it. It's delicious. For the best steak in Indiana you'll want to go out to the legendary and historic St. Elmo Steakhouse, a staple of downtown Indy since 1902. There's a reason it's been around so long, and that reason is incredible steak.
There you have them: six incredible places to eat in Indiana that offer up culinary perfection that goes above and beyond most others. Which places on this list are your favorites? Which places would you have added to this list? Let us know by filling out this form, and you might just see it shouted out someday!
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