While there is a small-town feel throughout Northeast Indiana, you’re never too far from one of our vibrant downtowns with great dining and an exciting nightlife.

If you’re looking for a glimpse at what life looks like in our area, here’s a short list of ways we celebrate our dining and nightlife.

Eleven Ways Northeast Indiana Celebrates Dining and Nightlife

1. You can get the drink you want, and it’s locally made.

Whether your drink of choice is an ice-cold draft beer or a specialty craft cocktail made with local spirits, you’ll find it in Northeast Indiana. Here you can benefit from a vibrant bar scene. Whether you choose to visit a local dive bar or a high-class, white-tablecloth establishment, the locally made beer, wine, and spirits there are sure to quench your thirst. Here’s a short list of some regional entrepreneurs:

• Chapman’s Brewing Company
• Mad Anthony Brewing Company
• Summit City Brewerks
• Two EE’s Winery
• Satek Winery
• Country Heritage Winery
• Three Rivers Distilling Company

2. Night owls can cut a rug on the dance floor.

In any college town, you’ll find a trendy club scene. In our region, we have quite a few college towns,  so you have options. From nightclubs with national hip-hop artists to 90s night with your favorite DJ at the local dance club, a safe and fun night out with friends can last into the wee hours of the morning.

3. Music flows throughout the region. Can you hear it?

There’s something to be said for live music. Whether it’s smooth acoustic music from the back of a restaurant or an intimate show at a local winery, we not only can turn our live music up to 11, but we can also dial it back for a quiet date night.

4. The show will begin in 5-4-3-2-1.

Nightlife isn’t just about drinks and dinner. We uphold and embrace the classic dinner and a movie scenario. Welcome to the Midwest, where drive-in movie theaters are a summer tradition and free outdoor movie screenings bring communities and families together.

5. Appreciate the classics and benefit from the culture: Music here is a masterpiece.

Music in Northeast Indiana enriches your soul, and it makes our culture vibrant. From symphony orchestras to vocal ensembles, we appreciate the classics.

6. Fine dining is an experience here—it’s also a culinary adventure.

Whether it’s a special occasion or an opportunity to treat yourself, indulging at a fine-dining establishment in Northeast Indiana will be memorable, thanks to an array of options in all of our 11 counties. And the food! The food is magnificent. It melts in your mouth. It smells like heaven. It tastes like nothing you’ve ever had before. Are you ready to experience the culinary adventure that awaits in Northeast Indiana?

7. Farm-to-fork is a fad in some places, but here, it’s a way of life.

For centuries, Northeast Indiana has been home to farmers raising cattle and tending fields. But in recent years, we have grown into a foodie hotspot, welcoming creative chefs and locally sourced farm-to-fork restaurants sure to please any palate. And we have room to grow, too. If you’re inspired by our rural charm and entrepreneurial spirit, come enjoy a great local meal, and treat yourself to the tastes from our regional farms.

8. There’s just something better about eating al fresco.

Whether you’re enjoying breakfast, lunch, or dinner, eating in outdoor cafes is always a treat.
In Northeast Indiana, there’s convenient parking and there are plenty of outdoor dining options including Mad Anthony’s Lake City Tap House, Joseph Decuis, the Hoppy Gnome and others to choose from.

9. Want to hear the best-quality sound? Let’s head outside!

The sun shines down on you as you sit in lush green grass, music travels through the air, and your favorite performer is on stage. When it comes to sound quality, there is no better place to experience live music than in the great outdoors. You can enjoy a multitude of outdoor performance venues in Northeast Indiana.

10. On Sundays, we brunch.

Brunch is that nice sweet spot in the day that’s a little later than breakfast and little earlier than lunch. It’s a time when you can unwind after a weekend full of adventure and prepare for a relaxing Sunday with family. From greasy-spoon dive restaurants to breakfast buffets paired with a bloody mary and a mimosa bar, Sunday brunch will fill your belly and your heart.

11. The food truck craze is taking over Northeast Indiana.

From lunch in downtown Fort Wayne to food trucks at First Fridays in Wabash, we love eating our food on the street. Somehow, it just tastes better. If you’re looking for a quick dinner and want to locate a food truck near you, we have a huge perk for you, you food-truck foodie. Dash n’ Dine is an app that helps you locate some good grub. The best thing about food trucks? Where there’s one, there are many, and that means more food—and fun—for you!