A dining trend worth celebrating in Indiana is the recent farm-to-table-movement. With the abundance of agriculture and farms that cover the landscape throughout the state, there are a multitude of options for restaurants looking for high quality and local sources for their ingredients. By taking advantage of native tillage, talented chefs are increasing the quality of their creations, while also supporting Indiana agriculture and the farmers who make it all possible.
And while this approach is increasing in popularity across the Midwest, it is Indiana that has it truly perfected. Today, we’re sharing with you the top 5 Indianapolis restaurants who have truly embodied the farm-to-table concept and have utilized it to create a unique & delicious dining experience.
Café Patachou
Martha Hoover founded Café Patachou over twenty-five years ago when according to her, there were no restaurants in the area that she felt comfortable taking her family. She had a vision for a restaurant that served up only the freshest and purest of ingredients, which was sadly lacking in the market at the time. Since its inception, Café Patachou has grown to over 7 branded locations around the Indianapolis Metro area.
The restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, with a focus on light but hearty options. All eggs are local and free range, baked goods come from various neighboring vendors, and meats & greens come from farms within 100 miles of Indianapolis.
And if all of that was not reason enough to visit, Martha Hoover has set up The Patachou Foundation: a community outreach program that provides nutritious meals and education about healthy eating choices to children in Indianapolis.
The Mug
Looking for a farm-to-table option that combines the nostalgia of a drive-in diner experience and combines it with delicious, local cuisine? The Mug has mastered what they call the farm-to-curb dining experience (because they literally take the food from the farm to your car). Taking the place of The Frosty Mug, a long-standing restaurant and drive-in that fed residents of Greenfield, Indiana for over 50 years, The Mug provides a new and innovative approach to drive-in food. All lunch and dinner options are made with local produce and drug-free meats from Tyner Pond Farm, and the food is spectacular!
The Mug has done so well since its establishment that the owners have recently opened a new location on the east side of Indianapolis in Irvington. My personal favorite is the pulled pork sandwich with fresh cut garlic fries, and the Graham Central Station ice cream—to die for!
Griggsby’s Station
Also hailing from Greenfield, Indiana, Griggsby’s Station was established in 2016. Named after a poem written by the local Greenfield native, James Whitcomb Riley, Griggsby’s Station is a place of culture and unique food. And Like The Mug, Griggsby’s Station also has their own tagline: pasture-to-pub.
The restaurant offers a historic location, open air seating, and a menu that changes with the seasons. In keeping with the movement, Griggsby’s Station uses only local produce and meats, specifically from Tyner Pond Farms. They even offer a selection of Hoosier beers! Griggsby’s Station is the perfect place to meet with friends for an after work cocktail and quick dinner and certainly will not disappoint your taste buds or your wallet.
Goose The Market
Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, Goose The Market is the perfect place to go for soup and a cut-to-order sandwich. All produce and meats are from local farms, and their ability to transform the ingredients they locally source into the delicious end product you receive is nothing short of phenomenal.
Their menu is expansive, including: soups; farmstead cheeses; small plates; gelato; and beef, pork, poultry, and game sandwiches. They also sell artisan breads, pickles, flour, grains, sauces, and craft beer & wine by the bottle. If you’re ever in the Indianapolis area for lunch, Goose The Market is the place to be!
The Loft at Trader’s Point Creamery
Trader’s Point Creamery is an organic and grass-fed dairy farm in Zionsville, Indiana. The Loft is the restaurant located within Trader’s Point, and it offers an organic focused menu that combines delicious ingredients that can all be traced back to their original source on the farm. Rosemary and Fleur de la Terre biscuits with sausage gravy, anyone? Or maybe you would like to try a Farmstead Burger? From Omelettes to Lox, The Loft has a unique offering for everyone to enjoy. And no meal would be complete at The Loft without a large glass of Chocolate Milk, straight from the dairy cows in the pasture.
Trader’s Point is more than just a restaurant, though, and you’re sure to have a lot of fun exploring the farm on one of the Private Guided Farm tours. Watch the farmers milk the cows, visit the Farm Store, or grab a milkshake on your way back home at the Dairy Bar!
So, there you have it! If you are ever in the Indianapolis area, you should most decidedly take the time to visit at least one of these establishments. Not only will you be supporting sustainable food sources and the local farmers who make it all possible, but you’ll be eating better quality food, which means more flavor profiles and much healthier options. Until next time, bon appetite!
This post was written by Lacey Griggs of All The Much Mommy. She is a copywriting/editing guru & lifestyle blogger with a content focus on parenting, freelancing for a living, and product/service that she loves. Lacey is a wife, a mother of three, and a lover of all things coffee flavored, sci-fi, and rock-n-roll. Follow Lacey on Instagram and Pinterest.
Martha Hoover reason for opening Café Patachou made me laugh. I immediately envisioned a strong woman making a bold statement and people thinking she was crazy. Obviously she was on to something.
It’s awesome to see the farm-to-table movement catching on! Healthier for everyone and sustainable!