Fort Wayne's culinary scene is booming with locally owned, unique restaurants. In fact, considering some newly opened establishments, our city is quickly becoming a foodie travel destination. Here are some of the places that make our city's food culture shine.
The Classics
Cork 'n Cleaver
221 E. Washington Ctr Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
(260) 484-7772
corkncleaveronline.com
Known for its high-end salad bar and wide selection of steaks, Cork ‘n Cleaver has been a favorite dining spot for business lunches and date nights for years. The salad bar boasts over 50 items and is reason enough to visit. The Cork, as it is affectionately called by locals, also takes its steaks seriously, and the choices are plentiful: a six or eight-ounce Filet Mignon, Teriyaki House Marinated Filet Mignon, 10-ounce Bone In Filet Mignon, New York Center Cut, New York Pepper Steak, 10 or 16 ounce Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Ribeye, and an 18 ounce Cowboy Cut Ribeye.
The Cork also has a nice selection of seafood and a full bar menu packed with good wine, small batch bourbons, craft beers, signature cocktails, and martinis.
Baker Street Steakhouse
4820 N. Clinton St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46845
(260) 484-3300
bakerstreetfortwayne.com
Baker Street is best known for its steaks, single malt scotch list, and craft beer menu. The steak menu includes an eight or 12-ounce Filet Mignon; 12 or 16-ounce NY Strip; Bacon & Egg Ribeye seasoned with espresso sea salt and topped with bacon marmalade and fried egg; Bleu Glazed Filet, wrapped in bacon and topped with a feta-stilton glaze; New Orleans Strip, creole spiced and pan seared; Lobster Crowned Filet; and Filet Medallions. Other tasty and unique menu items include Garlic Rosemary Lamb Chops served with herb roasted fingerling potatoes and green beans, finished with a truffle demi-glace and mint oil; and Pork Shank with Kansas City barbeque, served over creamed sweet corn and topped with jalapeno coleslaw and shoestring potatoes.
The Oyster Bar
1830 S.Calhoun St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 744-9490
fwoysterbar.com
As the name implies, The Oyster Bar serves up some mighty tasty oysters. From the classic freshly shucked oysters on a half shell to the more extravagant Jalapeno Casino (baked with a signature Tabasco, bell pepper, onion, bacon, and jalapeno butter and topped with mozzarella cheese), the oyster selection will not disappoint. Because there are so many delectable options, it offers an Oyster Bar Sampler, which allows visitors to customize their order with seven of their favorites. The Oyster Bar also has an impressive seafood menu, featuring a freshcatch of the day, Oyster Bar Signature Walleye, Diver Scallops, and Chilean Seabass to name a few. Meat lovers can find something to enjoy too. The Butchers’ Block section of the menu features Oyster Bar Ribs, a 14-ounce Rib Eye, Raspberry Chicken, New Zealand Lamb, and Filet Mignon. The restaurant is open for lunch, as well, and the highlight of that menu is the OB Burger Bar that allows you to build your own burger for $8.25.
Club Soda
235 Superior St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 426-3442
clubsodafortwayne.com
This downtown gem is well known for its swanky bar and bustling nightlife that features live music almost every evening. Menu wise, its claims to fame are the Duck Egg Rolls and Smoked Gouda Dip from the appetizer menu, its Corn Fed Iowa Premium Certified Angus beef steaks, and the Walleye, which has been a mainstay on the menu for years. Located downtown in a historic building near Headwaters Park, its other draw is the drinks. Club Soda has extensive martini, craft cocktail and wine lists. It also has a large outdoor patio and deck, making it a great place to dine al fresco during the warmer months.
Eddie Merlot's
1502 Illinois Rd. South
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
(260) 459-2222
eddiemerlots.com
If you want a large selection of the highest quality steaks, Eddie Merlot’s is your place. The Platinum Cuts menu features premium cuts with exceptional marbling, tenderness and flavor. Highlights of the menu include Wylarah Filet Mignon, Wagyu Bone-in New York Strip, and Dry Aged Prime Tomahawk Ribeye. It also serves USDA prime beef that has been aged a minimum of 21 days. Eddie Merlot’s also features a scrumptious lounge menu, serving more casual fare like burgers, sliders, and small plates. The cocktail menu is nothing to shirk at either. It has a large selection of martinis and other mixed drinks. The bar also features one of the largest wine lists in the area.
Newer Fare
Tolon
614 S. Harrison St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 399-5128
tolonrestaurant.com
A newcomer to the downtown dining scene, Tolon opened its doors last spring and has been wowing visitors since. The city’s first farm-to-fork restaurant, it sources its ingredients from local farms, gardens, and farmers’ markets. It has quickly become well known for its unique and ever-changing menu, but some of its mainstays have people coming back again and again. A personal favorite on the menu is the duck fat frites, served with duck egg and basil aioli and smoked sea salt. Tolon also offers an innovative craft cocktail menu, again using local ingredients. The Soulless Ginger, a drink that it concocted for a regional competition, is made with Three Rivers 122 Unaged Corn Whiskey, New Holland Clockwork Orange, Regan’s Orange Bitters, fresh lemon juice, ginger thyme simple syrup, fresh ginger and fresh thyme.
Umi Seafood & Sushi
2912 Getz Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
(260) 203-9975
umifortwayne.com
Fort Wayne’s newest sushi spot has been met with rave reviews. Located on the southwest side of town, it is best known for its inventive sushi rolls, which you can view on an interactive tablet at your table. A popular option is the UMI Sushi Flight that features four of the restaurant’s most popular rolls on one plate. The menu also features rice and noodle dishes, bento boxes, and a variety of teriyaki dishes. If you happen to have room left after dinner, there’s a chocolate cake made by Hetty Arts Pastry on the menu that is well worth the calorie intake.
Junk Ditch
1825 W. Main St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46808
(260) 203-4045
junkditchbrewingco.com
Located in the old Korte Paper Company warehouse on West Main Street, Junk Ditch serves up some creatively refined dishes in an industrial warehouse setting. The dinner menu is designed to encourage sharing, offering a nice selection of small and large plates. It also changes often, so what you savor today, may not be available tomorrow. Junk Ditch boasts an “everything from scratch” philosophy and that is certainly evident in the final entrees. The chefs aim to stretch your comfort zone by mixing flavors and ingredients you may not have thought to mix. It has become most well known for its brunch, offered on Saturday and Sunday. One of the menu’s mainstays is the Shrimp and Grits, served with polenta, scallion, fried egg, bread crumbs, and shrimp gravy.
Unique Choices
The Hoppy Gnome
203 E. Berry St.
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 422-0071
hoppygnome.com
Owned by the same folks as Baker Street Steakhouse, The Hoppy Gnome is located on the ground floor of the Anthony Wayne building, at the corner of Berry and Clinton Streets. It serves a variety of tacos, tortas, salads, and starters. It also boasts an extensive craft beer menu, which rotates regularly, and the owners recently opened Gnome Town Brewing, where they brew their own beer. The Hoppy Gnome focuses on fresh ingredients and everything is made in-house. Tacos are the focus and guests have the option of choosing two for $9 or three for $13. Here are a few favorites: La Taqueria—Choice of carnitas, short rib, or chicken, with onions, cilantro and salsa verde. Pork Belly Monfongo—Crispy mashed plantain, sous vide pork belly, and sweet corn relish. Dante’s Inferno—Garlic-chili tempura chicken, avocado, pepperjack cheese, seven levels of hell hot sauce, and sweet potato threads. Duck Confit—Mapleleaf Farms duck leg, pasilla pepper infused olive oil, chipotle and tart cherry salsa, and queso fresco.
Chop's Wine Bar
6417 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46804
(260) 436-9220
chopwine.com
Attached to the main restaurant, Chop’s Wine Bar offers guests something different. Its menu focuses on shared plates, making it a great spot for a girl’s night out or a fun date. It also has some “light bites” that offer creative twists to typical bar food. Favorites from that menu include Fresh Pork Rinds and Asparagus with a Fried Egg. Of course, what would a wine bar be without an extensive wine list? From bubbly, to whites and red, and even blends, the wine list has something for everyone. The bar features a craft cocktail list, too, with creative creations like the Blackberry Gimlet, Peach Perfeccion, and the Jalapeno Margarita. Beer lovers can find something to enjoy, as well, because the bar has a rotating beer list that features local and national brews.
Wine Down
301 W. Jefferson Blvd.,
Ste. 100
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Wine Down’s unique draw is the much-talked-about wine vending machines. These temperature-controlled machines dispense 1-, 2.5-, and 5-ounce pours and are operated with a Wine Down debit card that tracks guest selections. This format allows guests to sample a large variety of wine without committing to a full glass. The bar offers a full craft cocktail list with some unusual drinks like Smoked Old Fashion made with whiskey and a live smoked hickory glass. The food menu features boards and small plates meant for sharing and dinner-sized entrees. One of the more unique items is the Wild Game Board with wild boar, elk, and venison, served with creamy brie, stone ground mustard, smoke cranberry chipotle preserves, and fresh bread. Last summer, Wine Down opened the Side Car, a shipping container turned bar, located on the outdoor patio. It features craft beer, burgers and city views.
