Culinary Trails
Scenic By-Ways Trail
Indiana Foodways Alliance recommends the following restaurants for visitors who wish to sample the local fare throughout the state. Call to verify hours.
We recommend that you use an Internet mapping service for the detailed directions you might need to find the recommended restaurants and businesses.
(Map Coming Soon)
Pricing is averaged and may be subject to change.
$ = Sandwiches are under $5, entrees under $10
$$ = Sandwiches are under $9, entrees under $18
$$$ = Lunches $10 and up, dinners $18 and up
Madison / Jefferson County
The Attic and Coffee Mill Cafe
631 E. Main St. 812-265-5781
Madison, IN 47250 http://www.atticmadison.com
Judy George's pleasant café has a signature pie – Dutch apple with caramel icing – that makes it harder to choose the very good key lime and Hoosier pies under glass on the counter, so you will have to stop more than once. Her famous pimiento cheese sandwich joins fresh main dish salads, soups, wraps and paninis on the inventive menu, and an array of specialty coffees and teas are offered as well. A small culinary shop at the back of the café features Midwest and Indiana specialty food products to take home. Open Mon.-Sat. 11 am-2 pm.
Hinkle's Sandwich Shop
204 W. Main St. 888-514-3919
Madison, IN 47250
This tiny bare-bones eatery has been a Madison favorite for generations, especially when the late night hungries hit. A quick stop for a sack of classic Hinkle's hamburgers with pickles and onions is a must after a party, or just for a quick picnic or snack. Also beloved for its breakfast home fries and its milkshakes, the little shop does have a few tables for those who want to dine informally. Open Mon.-Tues. 6 am-10 pm, Wed.-Sat. 24 hours.
Bistro One
122 E. Main St. 812-273-9448
Madison, IN 47250
"Think Globally: Eat Locally" is owner Nick Izamis's motto for his sophisticated destination restaurant on Main Street. Nick is from Cypress, but his heart belongs to Madison where he delights his neighbors and visitors with an everchanging seasonal menu and extensive wine list. A fall menu included curry pumpkin chicken, osso bucco-style braised pork shanks, beef filet smothered in creamy Gorgonzola sauce and a succulent rack of lamb coated in an olive tapenade. The scampi, pastas, seafoods and appetizers are classics with delightful flavor twists. Fresh cut and breaded calamari is served with a signature sweet chili chutney, and Nick's own Greek hoummus is a town tradition. Try the saganaki for a little table side drama. Opa! Open Mon.-Sat. 5:30-9 pm. Reservations preferred.
The Downtowner
104 & 106 E. Main St. 812-265-4343
Madison, IN 47250
The Downtowner buzzes at lunch and dinner with patrons visiting from table to table while enjoying gourmet pizzas, salads and sandwiches, homemade soups and fresh baked desserts. The Really Big Reuben and the Downtowner Hot Brown are signature sandwiches, but there close to 30 sandwiches on the menu, not including the kids menu extra cheesy grilled cheese or turkey "on a really cute plate." Lots of choices for the nutrition- and diet-minded balance out the huge 6-ounce cookies and tender cakes that tempt from the counter by the espresso bar. Open Mon.-Sat. 10:30 am-8 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm.
Lanthier Winery
123 Mill St. 812-273-2409
Madison, IN 47250 http://www.lanthierwinery.com
Lanthier Winery is in sight of the Ohio River, with an intricate garden behind brick walls. Inside the wines are stored along the walls in a French-inspired setting. Lanthioer's gold medal River Town Red sells out quickly, but other dry wines are available, such as the robust red Chambourcin and the white Chardonel, along with semi-dry and sweet wines from grapes grown in Lanthier's Switzerland County vineyards. Free tastings and group tours by request. Open Wed.-Sat. 10 am-5 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm.
Key West Shrimp House
117 Ferry St. 812-265-2831
Madison, IN 47250 http://www.keywestshrimphouse.com
Scott Koerner says his daughter Brittany "owns" the salad bar – home to Key West's famous mashed potato salad and its own hot dill sliced pickles. Although Key West offers steaks and chicken, the stars of the menu are shrimp, cod, catfish, halibut, lobster, crab and scallops. The coconut shrimp is a house specialty that never fails, but Scott and his family have developed seafood recipes for every palate, including deep fried frog's legs and Baked Halibut Oscar. The Key West Shrimp House New England style chowder is now bottled and sold on QVC due to its acclaim, and the homemade whiskey bread pudding and key lime pie are a good excuse to linger over a superb view of the Ohio River. Open Tues.-Fri. 11 am-2 pm & 5-9 pm., Sat. 11 am-2 pm & 5-10 pm., Sun. noon-8 pm. State Hospitality Award Winner
The Red Pepper
902 W. Main St. 812-265-3354
Madison, IN 47250
John Hertz rehabbed a Standard Oil service station using chili pepper colors, local art and archival photos to make the Red Pepper a local favorite. The cheerful rooms hum with happy patrons tucking into grinders, wraps, paninis and salads. Signature sandwiches (like the Lanier, chicken salad with red peppers, scallions, and celery in tarragon mayonnaise served on a croissant) and the homemade soups round out the reasonably priced menu. Order take-out at the counter or find a spot in the three casual dining rooms or on the deck to enjoy the fresh deli menu items. Open Mon.-Thurs. 10 am-8 pm, Fri.-Sat. 10 am-9 pm.
Rogers Diner
101 E. Main St. 812-265-3841
Madison, IN 47250
Rogers Diner is Madison's traditional malt shop, with black and white tiled floors and an old-fashioned soda fountain. The 1872 brick building on the corner of West and Main began life as a drug store, and the soda fountain has endured, with phosphates, flavored Cokes, banana splits, sodas, sundaes and Indiana gourmet popcorn. Blue plate specials include meatloaf and catfish, and the BLTs, breaded pork tenderloins, club, grilled cheese and fried bologna sandwiches, all served with Rogers famous potato salad, are local favorites. Open Mon.-Sat. 10:30 am-7 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
Cocoa Safari
118 W. Main St. 812-273-8800
Madison, IN 47250 http://www. cocoasafarichocolates.com
Deb Fine uses premium imported Guittard chocolate to coat her delectable butter creams, truffles and walnut raisin clusters. She hand makes the silky cream and caramel fillings, the traditional sponge candy, cherry cordials and marshmallows and then hand-dips them in white, milk and dark chocolate. Cocoa Safari's beautiful chocolate boxes are works of art and make great gifts, especially if you fill them with Deb's top quality versions of a favorite candy. Deb also stocks Guittard chocolate by the pound and hard to find imports like Australian Kookaburra Licorice at reasonable prices. Open Wed.-Fri. 11 am-6 pm., Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 11 am-5 pm. Closed Mon.-Tues.
Shipley's Tavern
322 West St. 812-265-4215
Madison, IN 47250
Chris Sauer invites visitors to "stop in and ketchup with the best" at his traditional tavern with the original wood bar where Madison's best hamburgers are served. An article in Indiana Lawyer Magazine gives Shipley's four gavels, and you know how hard lawyers are to please! Shipley's old bowling machine provides entertainment at the back of the bar, and a "Madison" movie poster signed by Jim Caviezel and the rest of the cast members attests to their fondness for the burgers and company at Shipley's. Open Mon.-Sat. 10 am-3 am, Sun. 11 am-midnight.
Madison Vineyards Estate Winery and Bed & Breakfast
1456 E. 400 N. 812-273-6500
Madison, IN 47250 http://www.madisonvineyards.com
The tasting room at Madison Vineyards looks out over gentle hill country covered with well-tended vineyards. Its award-winning sweet red "Black Dog" is a best seller with its cherry aroma and ruby port aftertaste, followed by Ba-Da-Bing Bianco, a dry white that pairs well with seafood and pasta. The grapes for these and other wines are grown on the estate. Free tastings and group tours are offered, and hay wagon tours are offered Labor Day weekend. Open 10 am-5 pm daily.
Mundt's
207 W. Main St. 812-265-6171
Madison, IN 47250 http://mundtscandies.com
Mundt's jewel-toned candy fish are made in the same third-floor kitchen, with most of the original equipment, in the same 1835 building where the Mundt family started this river town confectionery in 1917. The finest ingredients are mixed in huge copper kettles and cooled on long stone tables before being hand-fed into matched brass rollers to create the tangy-sweet treat beloved by generations of Hoosiers. Mundt's is also known for its chocolates and ice cream, including the awesome "1937 Flood" – a huge sundae that serves four. Seasonal hours. Please call in advance.
Thomas Family Winery
208 E. Second St. 812-273-3755
Madison, IN 47250 http://www.thomasfamilywinery.us
Located just two blocks from the Ohio River in an 1850s stable and carriage house, visitors and friends gather at the Thomas Family Winery for relaxation and refreshment. Hand-crafted European-style wines and Old World ciders are made on site, and fresh breads, imported and local cheeses and salamis are served to complement the liquid refreshment. Tour the cellar or sample the wines and ciders in the pub-style tasting room, where live Celtic, bluegrass or folk music is performed on Saturday nights. Board games offer quieter entertainment. Owner Steve Thomas' grandfather's recipe for Gale's Hard Cider is a winner with its crisp, clean apple taste without sweetness. Open Mon.-Thu. 11 am-6 pm, Fri.-Sat. 11 am-9 pm, Sun. noon-5 pm.
