INDIANA
From Hole-in-the-Walls to House-Made Pasta: The Best Restaurants in Evansville
By Jamie Dutton | July 1, 2025
Belly of the Wolf
AUTHOR BIO: With family spread across the Midwest and a job that has her in airports regularly, Jamie Dutton finds herself across the center of the U.S. regularly. She’s partial to BPTs a Bell's.
I was supposed to spend one night in Evansville to update this list of the city’s best restaurants. But then I searched “restaurants near me in Evansville” and ended up at the brand new Belly of the Wolf, eating a cheesy, oniony double smashburger that, if it didn’t change my life, at least erased my weekend plans.
Three nights later, I was still in Evansville, still eating, still wondering how a city some folks had barely heard of had a better food scene than some towns twice its size.
So I did what anyone would do: I kept going. I skipped the chains, ducked out of the hotel breakfast, and drove laps around town looking for whatever counted as real. Below, you’ll find my picks for the best restaurants in Evansville—the places I’d go back to, the ones where the menu reads like someone actually cares, and the kind of spots you hope show up when you type in “good food near me in Evansville.”
1. Belly of the Wolf
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Belly of the Wolf opened earlier this year in the former Schymik’s Kitchen space, which looks like a Victorian parlor meets a speakeasy. Formerly of NOMOD, Andrew Wood runs the kitchen, turning out housemade everything with a focus on local ingredients, like lamb belly raviolo stuffed with whipped ricotta or surf-and-turf that’s more about finesse than flex. It’s one of the best restaurants in Evansville if you want dinner to feel like a slow exhale—especially if you’re lucky enough to land a seat on a night he’s doing the tasting menu.
2. Samuel’s
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I stopped into Samuel’s expecting an upscale wine bar—and I get exactly that, plus a lineup of genuinely tempting bites and mains. We're talking Black Hawk Farms Wagyu smash‑burgers (classic or peanut‑butter‑and‑bacon‑jam style), crispy hand‑cut fries, truffle fries, and Nashville hot‑chicken sammies—all served in a cozy, 21-plus room beneath downtown Evansville’s street level. It's the kind of place where you’ll go for cocktails and spend all night.
3. Pangea Kitchen
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This east-side favorite serves up global cuisine with Midwestern warmth. From Neapolitan pizzas fired in a wood-burning oven to spicy Malaysian curry, Pangea’s menu reads like a passport to deliciousness. The gelato bar—oh, the pistachio—is worth the visit alone.
4. Farmer and Frenchman
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Situated on a picturesque vineyard a half hour south of the city, Farmer and Frenchman is both a restaurant and a winery, and it manages to excel at both. The menu leans Mediterranean with dishes like the classic French comfort food chicken cordon bleu and, for vegetarians, a roasted butternut squash over farro risotto. For pizzas, you can't go wrong with the Chicken de la Madre: vodka sauce, mozzarella, chicken, mushroom, and red onion.
5. Copper House
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Copper House is exactly the kind of grown-up comfort joint I want in a mid‑size city. Think cheesy, jalapeño-loaded “Whatever, I’m Getting Cheese Fries” you’ll almost feel guilty about how delicious they are, spicy shrimp and grits that are all southern swagger, and a straight‑up Apricot Salmon that shows they care about flavor, not flash. It’s the spot you go when you want dinner that feels thoughtful without trying too hard—solid cocktails, intimate garden-room vibes, and food that makes you wonder why this wasn’t your go-to all along.
6. Yak & Yeti
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Most walk in expecting familiar curry—and it doesn’t disappoint—but the real revelation is the momo: steamed Nepalese dumplings filled with chicken or veggies and dunked in a bright tomato‑chili sauce that punches way above its weight. It’s a cozy spot that feels a world away from southern Indiana, delivering eats that make you lean in and whisper, “How do they do that?”
7. Comfort
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In downtown Evansville, this modern Southern eatery balances nostalgia and refinement. At Comfort by the Cross-Eyed Cricket, fried green tomatoes share menu space with inventive small plates like crab-stuffed jalapeños. Pro tip: Save room for the house banana pudding, which redefines what pudding can be.
8. Mo’s House
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Mo’s House is first and foremost a cocktail lounge—plush velvet couches, low lighting, and drinks that feel more speakeasy than sports bar. But if you’re hungry, the snacks hold their own: think crab rangoon dip, Boscoe sticks oozing cheese, and enough tater tots to soak up the mezcal. It’s the kind of place where you order another round before you realize you’ve been there all night.
9. Kanpai
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Kanpai combines fresh sushi with unexpected fusion options, like the Nashville hot chicken roll. Kanpai Sushi and Asian Bistro’s modern décor and quiet atmosphere make it a great spot to unwind after a long day of exploring. Don’t miss the miso-marinated black cod, a dish that could easily belong in a much bigger city.
10. Bru Burger Bar
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Yes, it’s part of a regional chain, but Bru’s commitment to quality earns its spot. The flagship burger, featuring bacon jam and horseradish Havarti, might make you swear off fast food forever. The airy industrial-chic interior suits Evansville’s downtown resurgence perfectly.
11. Myriad Brewing Company
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While the Evansville location closed, Myriad’s location nearby in Newburgh is still going strong. Myriad’s rotating roster of food trucks keeps things fresh and fantastic. Pair a pint of the Coffee Blonde Ale with tacos from La Plaza or a pizza like this beauty from Mother Truckers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of place, and I’m here for it.
12. Bokeh Lounge
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This artsy spot doubles as a bar and restaurant, with live music and a creative vibe. Bokeh Lounge’s most popular shareable item: loaded smoked pork nachos, seriously kicked up with house made queso. Wash it down with a local craft beer while enjoying the ever-changing gallery of local art.
