Destination Dining: Payne’s Restaurant

Gas City is exactly what it sounds like—it’s where you might pull off I-69 to get fuel on your way to Fort Wayne, or to make a final pit stop before arriving at nearby Taylor University. But just across the street from the filling station at exit 259, a towering Union Jack sign with a big, red arrow beckons passersby into a quaint British pub known as Payne’s. Yorkshire, England native Stephen Payne opened the eclectic restaurant in 2005, and its funky-cozy, striped-wall dining room has been charming patrons ever since. The food is just as comforting, with a handful of grilled cheese and soup pairings, like the buttery, crispy bacon-and-brie melt served alongside potato-and-onion soup teeming with veggies from the on-site organic garden. Traditional British dishes are served with precision, thanks to fine-tuned family recipes. Housemade sausages come doused in tangy onion-cider gravy in the bangers and mash, and Payne perfected his fish and chips cooking method in Scotland. But warm, gooey Grandma Payne’s sticky toffee pudding is the dish that will have us plugging Gas City into our GPS as the final destination again. 4925 Kaybee Dr., Gas City, 765-998-0668 

Warm, gooey Grandma Payne’s sticky toffee pudding.

Hours

Stephen Payne

Mon.–Fri. 8:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–10 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Drive Time

1 hour 20 minutes

Know Before You Go

The restaurant often hosts live bands on Friday nights.

What’s Your Hurry?

Head 20 minutes northwest to The Abbey Coffee Co., a small-batch roaster and coffee shop. 1500 S. Western Ave., Marion, 765-674-9530