August 2016

Glitzy chandeliers, a plank-wood accent wall, and industrial-pipe clothing racks—Endeavor fits right in with the high-end women’s boutiques at Carmel City Center.

Long before its June opening, The Golden had a loyal following. Attribute that to co-owner Aaron Butts, whose James Beard Award nomination at Roanoke’s Joseph Decuis made him a bit of a folk hero in these parts—and beyond.

It’s one thing to open an Indonesian restaurant in a small town. It’s another to succeed. Mayasari Indonesian Grill’s staying power in Greensburg speaks volumes about the quality of the food and the warmth of the experience.

Upscale Mediterranean is just a short drive to Bloomington.

Homey, but upscale small-town restaurant serves big-city fare, but you’ll never forget the Americana feel.

Pangea has a curious model: a pair of pizza menus (Neapolitan and Sicilian); a tight list of “everyday items” with Thai dishes, salads, and meatballs; and a dessert case that includes gelato cake by the slice.

Lafayette’s Restauration has no processed foods in the kitchen, lots of seasonal produce from land they farm themselves, and scratch-made staples, from mayonnaise to soup stock.

You’ve heard about the Reds and the Bengals, but with plenty of fresh markets, top chefs, and cutting-edge menus, Cincinnati’s dining scene has game, too.

At Recess, the fruit might show up in a chunky salsa, offering a sweet/savory accompaniment to fresh fish, or on the dessert course, where Tulip Tree Creamery’s Trillium cheese provides a rich yin to ground cherry jam’s acidic yang.

Bartlett’s Gourmet Grill & Tavern in Beverly Shores may look humble, but the surprisingly elegant dishes are anything but.

“Sometimes I think, It’s kind of amazing that it doesn’t cost more.”

Just unbutton the top of your jeans and enjoy the parade of dishes while knocking back a light, refreshing cocktail.

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.

Corndance Tavern’s playfully carnivorous Sword of John Adams—an actual blade—displays a panoply of grilled meats: steak, chicken, sausages, prawns, depending on the day.

The unexpected is exactly what the owners of South Bend’s Crooked Ewe Brewery & Ale House have been brewing up since they purchased the historic building in early 2013.