Elkhart County is home to some of the best restaurants in the Midwest. You’ll love the variety of options and midwestern dishes available in Elkhart. Below we review our top choices for dining out.
If you’ve never been to Elkhart before, here is a drone view of the city I shot and filmed on my drone. I’m a licensed realtor in Elkhart serving Northern Indiana if you plan to move homes.
Top Restaurants – Elkhart, Indiana
Artisan
The Artisan is located on the corner of South Main Street and West Marion Street in Downtown Elkhart, Indiana. It’s also right across the street from Hotel Elkhart if you’re planning a stay downtown.
The Artisan was founded in 2015 by chef Kurt Janowsky who also co-founded Navarre Hospitality Group. Kurts vision for the Artisan was to create a restaurant that brings “A warm and inviting modern American restaurant that delivers an uncommon hospitality experience.”
Inside you’ll discover a beautifully designed restaurant and bar that serves very good French Cuisine among other American food options.
In 2019, The Artisan received an award as one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the United States.
Chef Chris Janowsky oversees the food operations while General Manager Ryne Wright oversees the customer service to ensure they meet the goal of founder and chef Kurt.
Lechyd Da Brewery
Lechyd Da Brewery is a brewpub in Elkhart, Indiana that offers delicious pizzas, ales, lagers as well as sandwiches and soda.
Lechyd Da Brewery makes all of their own beer in-house and their menu won’t disappoint with the number of selections to choose from. You’ll find great variety from English Session Beers to hoppy American Pale Ales. No BMC beers here.
The beer tends to be seasonal as they switch out flavors each month. They offer more than 10 taps so there is bound to be something for everyone to enjoy. You’ll also find a few options for wines and ciders as well as adult slushies called Boozie Brain Freezies.
The name Lechyd Da is hard to pronounce but many locals pronounce it “Yah-key-dah”.
It is a Welsh name that means “Good Health” which is a way to toast drinks and say cheers.
Located off of Main Street, Lechyd Da Brewery adds another great option for dining out in Downtown Elkhart. Parking can be found in front of the brewery as well as side and back parking lots.
Inside you’ll find a bar as well as table seating. It is self serve so bring your friends and family and find an open table to gather around for some fresh ales and food!
Lechya Da Brewery was founded by Chip and Summer Lewis in 2011. They chose to keep the brewpub in their local hometown of Elkhart, Indiana and after a year of finding the right brewing equipment from around the country, Lechya Da came to life, opening to the public and ready to serve handcrafted beers and delicious food.
Next time you’re hungry for warm pretzle and beer cheese, stop into Lechya Da Brewery for drinks and enjoy a fun pub atmosphere.
The Vine
The Vine is wine and dine experience you’ll want to try out in Downtown Elkhart. They offer a contemporary menu which features pizza, pastas, salads, sandwiches as well as steak and seafood entrees.
You can also stop in for a quick appetizer or glass of wine as they offer a full wine bar.
The Vine received new ownership in 2016 from Jeanne Kern and she’s partnered with Executive Chef Brian Caplinger, known as Chef Cappy, to bring a tasty menu and fun atmosphere inside this restaurant.
Every plate is well-crafted, bringing that fancy display of food to add the “fine dining” feel while prices remain reasonable.
They are open for both lunch and dinner giving you options and don’t forget to ask about their week day specials.
The Vine is located in Downtown Elkhart on South Main Street, in the heart of the city and next to the Elkhart River.
The Brass Elk
The Brass Elk, also known as the Brass Elk Brewing, is a brewery located in downtown Elkhart and offers scenic views thanks to it’s location next to the Elkhart River and the Nibco Park.
Inside you’ll find a full bar stock with spirits, wines, and beers as well as traditional dining. They also offer outdoor seating on the patio with space heaters depending on the weather.
The appetizers are amazing with my favorites being the pretzel breadsticks, the guacamole bowl, and the chicken street tacos.
In addition to tasty appetizers, the Brass Elk also serves salads, handhelds, entrees, and desserts. Don’t forget to checkout their sides such as the mac-n-cheese or their loaded fries.
The drink menu features craft beer that is brewed in house as well as cocktails and wine selections. They even serve Mocktails which are flavorful soda drinks.
Ruhe 152
Ruhe152 is located in Nappanee, Indiana (Elkhart County) and offers a 5 star rated bistro, brewery, and distillery. Ruhe152 has quickly become a local favorite, offering a modern architectural style and feel for a small town brewery to mix things up and give the architectural feel of a brewery found in a big city.
Founded in 2019, Ruhe152 and Ruhe Brewing Co came to life after this 100+ year old building was completely remodeled into a stunning, modern architecture with a variety of textures and custom lighting.
As you walk into this elegant bistro, you’ll find a family dining area for a traditional dining experience. But it doesn’t stop there. They offer a variety of seating and dining options for every occasion. You can also reserve private dining for special events and parties.
If you’re looking for the bar experience, you’ll enjoy entering their rustic taproom with views of the distillery and brewing equipment. Inside the taproom you’ll find a full, 14 person bar with TV’s to watch your favorite sports teams play.
You’ll also want to check out the spacious upper loft that Ruhe designed, featuring a more relaxing lounge vibe with sofas and lounge seating.
Feeling hungry?
The food is fresh and locally sourced from farm to table ingredients, creating a made-from-scratch kitchen.
Stop in to enjoy a variety of food options which include tasty appetizers, delicious salads, amazing flatbreads, various handhelds and sandwiches. You’ll also find a selection of sushi rolls, seafood, and thick locally grown steaks.
And for the drinks, you’ll have access to 14 beers on tap at any given time. Ruhe152 prides itself in offering a wide variety of selections, colors, tastes to ensure everyone can find a beer they love. You’ll be able to choose from dark, rich porters and stouts, as well as quality IPA’s, refreshing lagers or even gose style beer.
If you’re looking for cocktails, Ruhe152 has no shortage of selections. They even make their own whiskey brand.
Ruhe Brewing Co. is one of the top brewing facilities in the Midwest, priding itself in quality as it crafts each beer in-house, thanks to Head Brewer David Michael.
Ruhe 152 won a state award from the State of Indiana Builders Association for its unique architectural design.
Reservations are suggested.
The Corner Bar
Located on the corner of Marion and Main Street in Downtown Elkhart, The Corner Bar prides itself in providing an upscale food and cocktail experience.
Their made from scratch kitchen offers a variety of appetizers and entrees to fill your hunger craving. The bar brings a mix of cocktails as well as beers and wines so you have no shortage of drink choices to sip on.
You can walk inside Hotel Elkhart and take an immediate left into the Corner Bar where they offer indoor bar seating with flat screen TV’s or you can ask to be seated outside in the patio area on Main Street.
The Corner Bar is relatively new opening up in 2022 as part of the renovations done to the building and the start of Hotel Elkhart, a new luxury hotel in downtown Elkhart for visitors to stay at.
Overall, these our the best restaurants to start with but there are plenty more!
Best regards,
Realtor Nick Foy
RE/MAX Oak Crest Realty
574-387-2501
