Hendricks County: How To Find Time Capsules Of Taste

 

Culinary cathedrals with cozy corners serve up time capsules of taste in Hendricks County’s small-town restaurants. Hendricks County, Indiana, is full of communities where time slows down and stories unfold over steaming plates of comfort food. On the outskirts of western Indianapolis, main streets are overflowing with Hoosier hospitality. From a restored 1920s movie theater to a 1950s New Jersey-style diner to an award-winning BBQ joint cooking with and old-fashioned pit and fire, find out where to have culinary adventures to transport you back in time.

Many thanks to Visit Hendricks County, who sponsored our visit. However, all opinions are our own. 

Experience Astonishing Gatsby-esque Glamour In The Prewitt

For an enjoyable and entertaining dining experience, go downtown Plainfield to The Prewitt Restaurant & Lounge. The New Americana restaurant serves casual and upscale dining paired with craft cocktails. Previously, the building housed a classic small-town movie theater from 1927 to 2005. The upscale but casual restaurant keeps its 1920s cinema roots in all three floors of its structure and menu. 

Sit beneath the theater stage, which hosts live music and plays movies on the big screen. On the second floor, order a drink at the full bar built from original wood from the old theater. Order a beer flight served in a reel tin, adding to its moviehouse history. We ate dinner on the speakeasy-inspired top floor, where a black and white mural from the first movie shown, No Place To Go, watches over the bar and lounge. In warmer months, outdoor lighting strands give off a warm vibe on the rooftop patio for an intimate experience.

What To Order At The Prewitt Restaurant And Lounge

Pretty in Pink, created with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, raspberries, orange liquor, simple, and lime, was a popular cocktail choice within our group. We ordered The Sour One topped with Sour Patch Kids and The Sweet One, a lemon, lavender, and mint soda for sour and sweet mocktails.

I like chickpeas, especially the crispy, garlicky roasted chickpeas scattered throughout our Prewitt Salad. A tender 6 oz melt-in-your-mouth sirloin steak had a nice grilled flavor, and blisted, tallowed carrots and truffle mashed potatoes with brown gravy were tasty. Sticking with the movie theater theme, Prewitt’s signature dessert, a popcorn ice cream sandwich, was an exciting choice. Caramel corn-flavored ice cream was sandwiched between two popcorn-flavored sugar cookies. Many of you know I’m passionate about popcorn, but I wasn’t crazy about this dessert. 

Overall, a night out at The Prewitt was a fun, one-of-a-kind event, and we’d return in a heartbeat.

The Oasis Diner: Where Big Riffs And Reubens Collide

The Oasis Diner is a classic Americana restaurant in Hendricks County. A red glowing neon sign illuminates the East Coast-style restaurant at night, making the 50s diner easy to find. Likewise, bright yellow and shiny metal make it easy to find in the daytime. Originally manufactured in 1954 by Mountain View Diners, the cafe was shipped to Plainfield from Signac, NJ, via railroad.

Inside, a pink and gray lunch counter extends the length of the diner. Padded round metal barstools line up with red vinyl tops, and matching red booths line the front windows. Pedestals showcasing heavenly deserts under glass domes extend the length of the counter. Those who sit at the lunch counter flirt with delicate temptation from pies and multi-layer cakes. The Oasis Diner is dog-friendly too. Bring your pup to eat under umbrellas on the patio.

Groovy records from artists like The Mamas & The Papas, Sony & Cher, Beatles, and the Jackson Five line the walls. 8-track tapes from the 70s line up beside the classic vinyl from artists Chicago, James Taylor, Electric Light Orchestra, and the Eagles, to name a few. Vintage metal lunchboxes sit on shelves overlooking the music collection in the back dining room.

What To Order At The Oasis Diner

Since the breaded tenderloin sandwich is what the Oasis Diner has been known for since its inception, I had to try it. Besides, I couldn’t think of a better place for my first experience with this Indiana icon. The sandwich is on the Indiana Foodways Alliance Tenderloin Lovers Trail and ranked in the state’s top ten best tenderloin sandwiches.

Homemade brioche buns hid underneath a slab of crunchy pork as big as my head. Cooks cut tenderloin by hand in the kitchen, then flatten, bread, and deep fry to a golden brown. The sandwich was delicious, but the onion rings that accompanied it were too thick for my taste.

Kristi ordered a Reuben, one of her favorites. Nicely marbled toasted rye bread held house-made corned beef, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese.

After this massive lunch with servings too big to finish, the server wanted us to try one of their old-fashioned signature milkshakes. Unfortunately, we didn’t have room. Next time we visit Hendricks County, we’ll stop for a shake. The Oasis Diner serves premium Chocolate Shoppe ice cream from Madison, Wisconsin, our hometown. Wisconsinites know it’s some of America’s best-tasting and highest-quality ice cream in America’s Dairyland.

Announcing Spectacular Pit BBQ Right Here In Hendricks County

Sitting next to railroad tracks in the small town of Litzon, rusted corrugated metal and barnwood welcomed us to the Rusted Silo Southern BBQ and Brewhouse. As we opened the door and walked inside, we noticed smoke filling the small restaurant like a foggy haze. For BBQ lovers, this is a great sign. Nearly all the smoke escaped the brick BBQ pit into the chimney, penetrating a rotating Ferris wheel of meat. BBQ pitmasters who slow-cook meat using hardwood and fire are hard to find. 

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb ranks the Rusted Silo as one of his favorites as well as readers of Indy’s Best Things. The Southern-style shack by the tracks has been voted Indy’s best BBQ for the last five years. I would drive out of my way any day to eat at the Rusted Silo again.

What To Order At The Rusted Silo

I am not a rib fan, but of all the delicious BBQ meat we sampled, ribs topped the list. Tender beef brisket and pulled pork were also excellent. For side dishes, I liked cheesy grits and macaroni and cheese that tasted like grandma cooked. If you’re a pecan pie lover like myself, then a road trip to Litzon is an experience you shouldn’t miss. It’s one of the two best pecan pies I’ve had.

 

Rusted Silo should be on your road trip radar. Read about our visit, and see why the pitmaster holds conversations with rotating BBQ on his Ferris Wheel of Meat. 

Finding Authentic BBQ In A Shack Down By The Tracks

Breakfast, Lunch & Epic Pies At The Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery

Located in a historic house nearly 100 years old in downtown Danville, the Bread Basket & Cafe is a local favorite and a throwback to the days when every small town had a bakery. The family-owned business makes everything from scratch and serves breakfast, lunch, and bakery items from locally sourced farms and orchards as much as possible. Much of their fruit comes from Beasley’s Orchard outside of Danville. A local family blends teas in town, and coffee beans are roasted in the next county.

What To Order At The Bread Basket Cafe & Bakery

The Bread Basket & Cafe serves remarkably delicious cinnamon roll French toast. French toast that makes angels weep has been featured in People magazine and on “The Today Show.” Yes, it’s that divine. Slices of crispy battered bread topped with cream cheese frosting melt in your mouth with a pillowy lightness. Although syrup comes on the side, the symphony of sweetness doesn’t need anything else. 

Kristi ordered a cranberry poppy seed chicken salad. Sliced chicken breast, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, blue cheese, and poppy seed dressing topped a bowl of greens. She said the salad was probably the best she’s had.

As far as the bakery, it’s all about made-from-scratch pies. Peanut butter and coconut are the top local pie choices, and the coconut pie crust consists of animal crackers. Each one looked unbelievably yummy and irresistible. People happily travel to Danville just for pie.

The Police Found Us In Mokey’s On The Square

Mid-afternoon, we snuck into Mokey’s On The Square in downtown Danville when a burst of rain began. A blue door holding a welcome sign and a homey patio surrounded by a black fence appealed to us. Plus, a blue water dish in front of the historic brick building signaled that this locally owned business is dog-friendly, a bonus to us.

Owner Taryn Stewart warmly greeted us and then told us about herself and the inspiration for her restaurant while she prepared Charcuterie to-go boxes for a pick-up order. Mokey’s specializes in handcrafted Charcuterie boards, craft beverages, wine, and beer in a quaint personal atmosphere.

What we discovered inside astonished us. To find out more, read Danville, Indiana: The Best Way To Find Pop Culture And The Police

Mayberry Cafe: A Slice Of Americana In Hendricks County, Indiana

For those who remember the Andy Griffith Show, the Mayberry Cafe should be in your travel plans. People trek from around the globe to eat at this nostalgic restaurant, paying homage to the 1960s television show. 

A replica of Barney Fife’s squad car is parked on the side of the restaurant for those seeking memorabilia and photos. Across the street, the Hendricks County Courthouse adds to Danville’s small-town charm. Inside, televisions continuously play episodes of the cult favorite show on a loop, adding to the down-home feel of the decor. 

What To Order At The Mayberry Cafe

Always searching for a good Reuben, Kristi gave it a shot, along with North Carolina-style Cole Slaw. Toasted marbled rye and melted Swiss combined with corned beef made a tasty sandwich. I ordered chicken tenders and fries, and the tenders were delicious. However, our friend’s chicken tender salad called my name for the next visit. 

Hendricks County Foodie Bonus

PopAKernal

Many of you know how much we are a serious popcorn family. For me, I am obsessed with popcorn, BBQ, and chocolate. I have a vintage professional popper that we enjoy using for movie nights. When we lived in Colorado, we bought locally grown popcorn in 50-pound bags to pop for the entire neighborhood. When neighbors saw the garage door open, people magically appeared to do outside chores. Then we packed it in bags, and I delivered it house to house. There’s no doubt that popcorn cooked in movie theater poppers makes people feel nostalgic.

We looked up PopAKernal before we left for Hendricks County and knew we had to check it out. I needed to know if they used white cheddar powder or paste. It’s a big deal. I’m not fond of white cheddar powder popcorn, but Kristi likes it.  However, if it is coated with white cheddar paste like it is at PopAKernal, I can’t control myself. Yes, it’s that much better. 

Owner Jerrod Cox graciously took time out from packing hundreds of bags for a local event to talk to us. We also found a pleasant discovery. Jerrod and his wife Kim make homemade caramel for their caramel corn. It’s not pre-made from a mix or powder but their recipe they have used for years. Caramel corn is often produced with either a dark, rich flavor or a light, less intense flavor. Their recipe is in the middle, so you can taste the best of both worlds. And it is wonderful. 

So, when you are near Plainfield, go to The Shops At Perry Crossing for popcorn. PopAKernal also has many incredible flavors to sample. 

Schakolad Chocolate Factory 

I struggled to control myself while participating in ‘A Chocolate Experience’ at the Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Plainfield, Indiana. Some people say things got a little crazy when I hand-dipped a turtle in a waterfall of warm milk chocolate. ‘A Chocolate Experience’ was like walking into a playground for adults, and our inner children were doing cartwheels. The chocolate boutique makes all chocolate treats fresh on-site, like an old-world chocolaterie, and I loved every minute of our experience. The Schakolad Chocolate Factory is also located in The Shops At Perry Crossing, a few doors down from PopAKernal.

Final Thoughts On Hendricks County Restaurants

Smiling faces greeted us like old friends, shopkeepers dispensed wisdom along with their wares, and neighbors gathered on benches swapping stories under rustling maple trees. Hendricks County is a place where kindness is woven into the fabric of each Main Street. Take that road trip to explore small-town culinary destinations in Hendricks County. With a plethora of first-rate possibilities, you’ll be glad you did.