Over the course of the past few years, the Fort Wayne food scene began to expand and diversify. While there have long been many great eateries in the northeast Indiana area, Fort Wayne previously lacked more exciting and modern choices (but then again, Colin and I previously lived in Austin, where the food scene is robust and hundreds of restaurants open/close each year…so I may be biased here). With the revitalization of Columbia Street, now branded as The Landing, Fort Wayne’s food scene is starting to compete with larger markets in the midwest.

While this list is by no means complete and constantly evolving, I want to share some of my recent favorite places to eat & what we ordered. All of the information below is my honest opinion; none of these reviews are paid for or sponsored by anyone!

1. Mercado on the Landing

In my opinion, Mercado holds the crown for my absolute favorite restaurant in Fort Wayne (just ask anyone who has ever traveled to Fort Wayne to visit us…this is where I take them!). They are relatively new to Fort Wayne, having opened during the midst of the pandemic (impressive, I agree!). The food is incredible and always consistent. If you’ve never had “Cali-Mex” style food, this has to be your first stop. Dinner and weekend brunch are full service, but lunch is a more quicker/casual experience where you order at the counter and someone brings your food to you at a table!

What I order: Cali AF taco, Carne Asada Taco, Johnny Brussels Sprouts, Chamoyda Salad, and the Chamoy Margarita (when I’m not pregnant of course lol).

2. Trubble Brewing

Trubble Brewing opened years ago in Fort Wayne, but we dined here for the first time this summer after I read on Yelp that they have Chicken and Waffles during brunch. The service was incredibly friendly, and we felt right at home. During the summer, there is tons of outdoor patio seating (which was packed when we went). Much if not all of their food is sourced locally, which is a huge plus in my opinion.

What we ordered: Breakfast tacos, side of bacon, chicken & waffles, biscuits & gravy, and the Tammy Two.

3. Birdies at The Bradley

Another new addition to the downtown food scene. Birdie’s is the rooftop eatery located on the top floor of The Bradley Hotel, which just recently opened downtown (and is incredibly beautiful inside). There’s no obvious parking dedicated to the restaurant, so street parking is your best bet. The rooftop patio will be jammed this summer, but you can book a table ahead of time on Resy (head to their website or to resy.com). The aesthetic is perfect for the ‘gram, and the food is good. We would recommend coming for drinks and appetizers.

What we ordered and recommend: Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Mac n Cini bites, Cheeseburger Sliders, & the fried chicken sandwich.

4. Ophelia’s

Ophelia’s is brand new to the Fort Wayne food scene, and is located in the same house-turned-restaurant on Wells Street that was previously home to Bird + Cleaver, which closed during the pandemic (though rumor has it Bird + Cleaver will reopen in the Electric Works on Broadway building in downtown that is currently undergoing renovations/set to open in October of 2022. Anyways, Ophelia’s is a cafe + cocktail joint that gives me serious Austin vibes. While our stop in only included coffee, I’ve heard their food is delicious – and they serve MIGAS!! Which I have yet to find elsewhere in Fort Wayne.

What we ordered: Vanilla + Cardamom lattes. So good. We will absolutely be back for full service food sometime, and definitely in the summer to experience the patio!

5. The Landing Beer Company

Similar to Mercado, The Landing Beer Company also opened during the middle of the pandemic, which I think is incredibly impressive. Remember Flashbacks night club? I’m sure you do if you were 21+ between 2010-2015 lol. That’s where The Landing Beer Company now calls home. Beer + BBQ…what else does a person need? 

What we ordered and recommend: That’s Just Peachy + Sparkling Limoncello cocktails, Mac & cheese, Brisket sandwich, Baked Goat Cheese Sandwich, Sweet potato fries. Skip the cornbread (very dry in our opinion).