Classic Restaurants of the Region

A wonderful diversity of flavors has defined Northwest Indiana as a dining destination from its earliest days to the present. The pan-fried fish of Teibel's, open for almost a century, carries on the tradition of perch palaces like the now lost Phil Smidt's. Pierogis have been a staple at the Cavalier for decades. So great was the demand for frogs legs that the venerable Vogel's raised its own at a small lake nearby. The same dish has remained on the menu at the Town Club since opening in 1947. Serving Northwest Indiana-style, crisped-edge hamburgers, Miner-Dunn and Schoops both survived the onslaught of fast-food chains and continue on today. Local author Jane Simon Ammeson leads a tasty tour of historic Region restaurants.