10 Great Places For Food In Anderson, Indiana

Becky’s Happy Mule Café is the place to head for a great breakfast or lunchtime feed. Open from five in the morning till three in the afternoon, the Happy Mule Café has been nominated for awards in the Best of Madison County rundown of local newspaper the Herald Bulletin. The Café isn’t far from the Hoosier Park Racetrack and Casino and Mounds State Park in east Anderson. On the menu are dishes like breaded pork tenderloin, beef and cheese burgers, and tempting homemade pies to follow, including blackberry, strawberry with rhubarb, butterscotch, and peach.

The Cabbage Rose Eatery has been open since 1997 and is owned and run by Gary and Beth Yeary. You can find the restaurant in central Anderson, and it’s ideally located if you’re visiting the Paramount Theatre Center and Ballroom or the Anderson Center for the Arts. The Cabbage Rose has excellent reviews and a menu that includes freshly made soup of the day, fried or grilled chicken salads, beef and chicken nachos and entrees like chicken breasts and turkey burgers made with a homemade blend of herbs and spices, and tenderloin slicers.

Tommy J’s Pizza in north Anderson is an independent restaurant that serves up food that’s far superior to any big Italian chain restaurant. Despite the name, there’s plenty more on offer than just pizza. There are craft beers to sample like Gumballhead from the 3 Floyds Brewing Company based in Munster, northern Indiana; and to go with it there are Italian classics like calzone, spaghetti and meatballs, fettucine alfredo, ravioli, lasagne, baked ziti, and bruschetta. For pizza toppings, you can mix and match bits and pieces like provolone, goat cheese, gorgonzola, ricotta, sausage and pepperoni.

For something a little different in Anderson, head to The Nile Restaurant, where you can sample the flavors of Egypt, Lebanon and Greece. Established in 1990 and just a stone’s throw from the banks of the White River and Anderson University in the center of town, The Nile offers an extensive menu of exotic cuisine. Enjoy plates of gyros, taouk and koshary. Main entrée courses include grilled salmon with Greek salad, dolmades, baked tilapia, shish kebabs, and lamb chops cooked with a garlic seasoning.

Bonge’s Tavern has been an Indiana institution since 1934 and serves quality food and drink. You’ll find the Tavern just outside Anderson at the small community of Perkinsville if you follow W 8th Street out of the city. It’s the ideal stop-off to sample some classic American fare. On the menu are things like Perkinsville Pork, New York strip, beer-braised brisket, and Applewood smoked prime rib. The Tavern has also been featured in local publications like Indianapolis Monthly and Dine Magazine, and chef Tony Huelster had his recipes included in the Indiana Cooks! cookbook.

The Toast Café is another Anderson landmark. It’s an excellent place to start the day before heading to work. You can find the Café in central Anderson just off Main Street and close to the Anderson Public Library. The food is highly rated for the simple reason that it’s high-quality uncomplicated American fare. Expect lots of omelettes, tasty onion burgers, pancakes, bacon or sausage with eggs, and waffles all served, of course, with a few rounds of toast.