Good Eats in Brown County, Indiana

I recently spent a couple days in Brown County, Indiana, a charming area not far south of Indianapolis. There's an adorable downtown area with about five blocks of shops and boutiques and historic buildings and cafes. I had the opportunity to do a walking wine tasting tour and it was a lot of fun. I also had some good food and there were lots of other spots I would have like to have tried, but you know how it goes...so much good food, so little time. Here's some places you'll want to get a taste of if you visit Brown County, Indiana.

Big Woods Pizza Company
Nashville, In

Serving up specialty pizzas, salads and sandwiches, one of their most popular menu items is their signature Pulled Pork nachos. It's also home of Quaff On! Brewing Company and Hard Truths Distillery, so you'll have a good selection of craft brews and upscale cocktails to sip on.

Bird's Nest Cafe
Nashville, In

This breakfast and lunch spot is cute and cozy and serves a nice range of dishes from healthy to indulgent. I had brunch here and it was the perfect heavy, hearty country plate that I needed to start my day with biscuits and gravy and ham and hash browns and bacon. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Hobnob Corner Restaurant
Nashville, In

This eatery is housed in an 1873 building offering down-home cooking and elevated specialties after 5, like duck breast with wine reduction, Berkshire pork tenderloin with shredded bacon vinaigrette and mahi mahi with spring slaw along with an impressive wine list and their signature peanut butter pie for dessert.

Brozinni's Pizza
Nashville, In

If you want to grab a quick bite and get back to walking the town, stop in Brozinni's for a slice of traditional New York-style (served until 4 p.m.). One slice is enough for even the big appetites. They also have stuffed breadsticks that looked amazing and you can order a full pie, salad or calzone. I stopped in for a meat lovers slice to eat on my way out of town - it was relish and way more than I could finish.

Artist's Colony Inn & Restaurant
Nashville, In

Paying homage to the many artists, painters, poets, potters, photographers and other artisans that flocked to Brown County in its early days, the Artist's Colony Inn is a great stop to stay that is right in the center of the activity and shopping. The restaurant offers classics for breakfast, lunch, dinner and there's also a breakfast buffet. Porch dining is available in warmer months.

The Nashville House
Nashville, In

The Nashville House has been serving up country-style cooking since 1927 with from-scratch items, including homemade apple butter. Be sure to try the fried biscuits and fried chicken.

The Story Inn
Story, In

You'll be wowed by the upscale menu is this historic inn that sits along a dead-end road in this very tiny community with a population of 3. The once bustling town is now made up entirely of an inn, restaurant, tavern and wedding venue and the food is fresh and local and impressive. I had Indiana trout for dinner on my visit and it was amazing.

There are also several tasting rooms in Nashville if you want to try out wines, beer and spirits. If you're like me and a big fan of tea, be sure to stop in to Sweetea's Tea Shop and wind down with a cup of hot or cold tea in their cozy space.