A table with a view: Explore Michiana’s waterfront dining scene
The sounds and sights of waves and water are a wonderful accompaniment to a great meal with a creative cocktail, artisan brew or glass of wine. And Michiana offers a plethora of lovely waterfront dining spots for you to try this summer.
Bartlett’s Fish Camp
“I grew up boating on Lake Michigan and I’m a Pisces, so I’ve always loved the water and wanted to open up a restaurant where people could watch the boats go by,” says Nicole Bissonnette, owner of Bartlett’s Fish Camp, located on the mouth of Lake Michigan Harbor.
Bissonnette, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, says their location is perfect for boats to tie up in front.
“We get people who come in the morning, moor their boat, have lunch with us, walk around, go to the beach and then come back for dinner before leaving,” she says.
But it isn’t only the water views that attract customers. Bartlett’s Fish Camp also features one of the few oyster bars in Northwest Indiana.
“We always have four varieties of oysters,” she says, “two from the East Coast and two from the West. We also get fish flown in fresh five days a week.”
Bissonnette notes that they also offer a variety of salads, burgers, beef brisket sandwiches, steak frites, brined double-cut local pork chops and their popular Dozen Cloves Garlic Chicken.
Bartlett’s Fish Camp
12 On the Lake, Michigan City, IN
219.879.9544
facebook.com/pg/BartlettsFishcamp
Hydraulic Ale Works
Elkhart’s newest brewery, Hydraulic Ale Works, sits on the Elkhart River near the old hydraulic canals and dams, where coursing waters from the Elkhart and St. Joseph rivers fueled mills and factories in the 1800s.
The website explains that the brewery’s name pays homage to that historic system that powered the city. “With so much of Elkhart’s history and culture dependent on these hydraulic canals back in the day, choosing the name of our brewpub, which also heavily relies on the power and purity of water, was a no-brainer.”
Brewmaster and co-owner Ryan Thompson likes to create a variety of styles of beer—including the big-boned Malevolence Belgian golden strong ale with flavors of tropical fruit and lemon, and the citrusy Nucleation IPA with slight hints of pine and a nice balanced malt—that pair well with the seasonal menu and daily specials.
Executive chef Mat Ewing offers a range of menu items including brewpub classics like wings, fried chicken and basic burgers, but he also plays with some bold flavors. Consider the addition of pork belly, Havarti, confit leeks and Japanese mayo to the Hydraulic Burger, as well as the sassy taste of beef cheek with mole, pickled carrots and blistered peppers. And then there’s the kimchi fries served with spicy yogurt, gochujang (a type of fermented red chili paste) ketchup and egg; and fried ham hock with pork belly, crispy pig ear, curry and scallion crepes.
Hydraulic Ale Works
333 Nibco Pkwy., Elkhart, IN
574.326.3938
hydraulicaleworks.com
The Terrace Room
With its sleek interior inspired by the elemental style of Frank Lloyd Wright and its location right on New Buffalo Harbor, the Terrace Room is the perfect picturesque spot for waterfront dining, complete with two charming willow trees and a cozy fire pit.
The kitchen of executive chef Alberto Ilescas turns out food redolent of the Mediterranean coast of Italy.
“We take everything to the next level,” says Ilescas, noting that instead of using a nine-month aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, he opts for the richer flavored and more expensive 36-month aged version. “We also make most of our pasta in-house. There’s a huge difference between fresh and dried pasta. We like to introduce shapes that many people haven’t heard of. The freshness is our focus in all the ingredients we use. If there aren’t good tomatoes available, we don’t use them.”
Sourcing from numerous farms in Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana, Ilescas is excited about one of their newest finds—goat and cow cheeses from Windshadow Farm in Bangor, MI, known for good farming practices, including holistic management of herd health and rotational grazing.
“We’re always happy to add another local producer and farmer to our list of providers,” says Ilescas. “That’s why we have such a small freezer. We don’t need it.”
The Terrace Room
inside The Harbor Grand Hotel
111 W. Water St., New Buffalo, MI
269.469.7950
terraceroomhg.com
The Pier & Back Porch
Located on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Wawasee, The Pier & Back Porch inside Oakwood Resort offers 70 slips so people can dock and dine. The resort in Syracuse, IN, was founded as a spiritual getaway in 1893, and that sense of history and beauty remains today.
“I’m a tropical sort of guy, so of course we have to have an island flavor on the dinner menu,” like the signature pomegranate cheesecake, says Simroy Campbell, executive chef and director of food and beverage at the Oakwood Resort, who is originally from Jamaica.
Campbell says he likes to add new dishes to the menu while maintaining the signature dishes that define the restaurant and are special to regular patrons. Popular longtime menu items include the cinnamon-chipotle salmon, Wawasee shrimp—breaded popcorn shrimp tossed with spicy mayonnaise—and burgers served on a pretzel bun. Campbell has added a mix of eclectic options to the menu like the salmon melt, seafood casserole, the Taste of Jamaica jerk chicken with fried plantains, and vegetarian options, including a vegan pasta. Plus, the summer menu always offers a smoked salmon board and a raw bar with freshly shucked oysters.
The Pier & Back Porch
inside Oakwood Resort
702 E. Lake View Rd., Syracuse, IN
574.457.7100
oakwoodresort.com/the-pier-back-porch
More Outdoor Waterfront Dining
Note: This is not an exhaustive list.
Indiana
Asian Cajun Seafood Company
937 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, IN
574.267.2977
b on the River
333 Nibco Pkwy., Elkhart, IN
574.293.9333
b-ontheriver.com
Boardwalk Bar & Grill
3000 East Shore Dr., Culver, IN
574.842.5386
culvermarina.com/boardwalk-bar-grill
Boathouse Restaurant
700 Park Ave., Winona Lake, IN
574.268.2179
boathouseatwinona.com
The Channel Marker
5793 E. Pickwick Rd., Syracuse, IN
574.457.5900
facebook.com/ChannelMarkerIN
The Frog Tavern
1116 S. Harkless Dr., Syracuse, IN
574.457.4324
sslillypad.com/frog
Michigan
Bentwood Tavern
inside Marina Grand Resort
600 W. Water St., New Buffalo, MI
269.469.1699
bentwoodtavern.com
Clifford’s Coffee Canal
619 W. Main St., Benton Harbor, MI
269.252.5370
cliffordscoffeecanal.com
Plank’s Tavern on the Water
inside The Inn at Harbor Shores
800 Whitwam Dr., St Joseph, MI
269.408.9108
innatharborshores.com/planks-tavern.html
