15 Hole-In-The-Wall Indiana Soul Food Restaurants That Locals Say Still Serve Real Southern Flavor
It might not be the first state that comes to mind when you think about soul food, but locals in Indiana know better.
Tucked away in neighborhoods across cities like Indianapolis, Gary, and South Bend are restaurants serving up plates piled high with fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread that rivals anything you’d find down South.
These spots don’t bother with fancy decor or big marketing budgets – they let the food do all the talking, and trust me, it speaks volumes. See it for yourself.
1. His Place Eatery – Indianapolis
On the east and north sides of Indy, His Place Eatery looks like a humble neighborhood spot, but the plates say otherwise.
The signature chicken and waffles, smoked meatloaf, and rib tips are the kind of stick-to-your-ribs dishes that draw steady lines all week.
Collard greens, sweet potatoes, and mac and cheese round out plates that taste like Sunday dinner any day you visit. Locals treat it as their go-to soul food fix, not a special-occasion splurge.
Every bite reminds you why simple, honest cooking never goes out of style.
2. Mississippi Belle – Indianapolis
Mississippi Belle sits in a modest strip center on East 54th, the kind of place you could drive past if you weren’t paying attention.
Inside, you get family-style Southern soul food where fried chicken, meatloaf, and pan-fried favorites come with a generous lineup of sides – think collard greens, sweet potatoes, and mac and cheese.
Regulars have their routines down: grab a booth, order a plate that practically overflows, and linger over that last bite of peach cobbler.
I’ve watched people scrape every crumb from their plates here, then immediately start planning their next visit.
3. Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place – Indianapolis
Kountry Kitchen has been an Indianapolis soul food landmark for decades, recently reborn after a devastating fire.
From 1831 N College Avenue, it turns out platters of fried chicken, pork chops, and tenderloin-sized helpings of comfort food.
Biscuits, grits, greens, and candied yams fill the plates like a church-basement potluck. Locals bring out-of-town guests here to prove Indy’s soul food scene is the real deal.
The comeback story makes every bite taste even sweeter, knowing this community treasure refused to stay down.
4. SouthPaw Soul Kitchen – Indianapolis
SouthPaw Soul Kitchen hides in plain sight on Central Avenue, a compact dining room turning out big flavors.
The menu reads like a Southern wish list: oxtails simmered until they nearly fall apart, smothered pork chops under a blanket of onion gravy, and plenty of greens and cornbread to chase it all.
Weekends bring Soulful Food Sundays, when locals file in for hearty plates that feel more like being invited to someone’s home than eating out.
The kitchen knows how to coax maximum flavor from every ingredient without overcomplicating things.
5. Simply Southern Soul Food – Indianapolis
On East 38th Street, Simply Southern Soul Food keeps the focus squarely on the food.
The menu leans into classics – fried fish, baked and fried chicken, pork chops, and slow-cooked oxtails – backed up by collard greens, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, and sweet desserts.
It’s a straightforward, cozy setup where regulars call ahead, pick up heavy to-go plates, and head home with a little bit of the South in a styrofoam box.
The first time I ordered here, I underestimated the portion sizes and ended up with lunch for three days straight.
6. Stacey & Rick’s Soulfood – Indianapolis
Tucked into a small storefront on North Sherman Drive, Stacey & Rick’s feels like a neighborhood secret until you see how many people are coming through the door.
The kitchen turns out rib tips with smoky bark, fried chicken, and hearty platters of comfort food, with sides like greens, mac and cheese, and cornbread getting as much love as the meats.
Prices stay reasonable, portions stay generous, and the vibe is grab a plate, sit down, and relax. Nobody leaves here hungry or disappointed.
7. Circle City Soul Food – Indianapolis
Circle City Soul Food is a Sunday-only operation on West 30th Street that feels like someone opened up their kitchen to the neighborhood.
From noon to 5 p.m., the line builds for fried chicken, pork chops, liver, fish, and an ever-changing rotation of Southern sides and desserts.
Families treat Sunday dinner here like a weekly ritual – sit close, share bites, and leave with a full stomach and a to-go box.
The limited hours only add to the appeal, turning each visit into something people look forward to all week long.
8. The Soul Food Bistro – La Porte
In downtown La Porte, The Soul Food Bistro doubles as both a restaurant and a community hub.
This family-owned, non-profit spot specializes in Southern classics – crispy fried chicken, buttery cornbread, and slow-cooked sides built from generational recipes.
The dining room is simple and welcoming, the kind of place where you recognize faces from around town and everyone seems to know someone.
I stopped in once on a road trip and ended up chatting with three different tables before my food even arrived, which tells you everything about the atmosphere here.
9. Kelly’s Soul Kitchen – Gary
Kelly’s Soul Kitchen on West 5th Avenue looks low-key from the outside, but inside it’s all about rib tips, fried catfish, fried chicken, and plates loaded with greens, yams, and mac and cheese.
Locals talk about the jerk tips, salmon croquettes, and peach cobbler like they’re neighborhood legends.
With takeout boxes stacked high and a steady stream of regulars, it’s a classic example of don’t judge a restaurant by its exterior.
The food here has earned a reputation that reaches well beyond Gary’s city limits.
10. D&K Soul Food – Gary
At D&K Soul Food on Broadway, the motto is simple: generous portions, classic flavors, and a warm welcome.
The small dining room and counter-service setup keep things casual while the kitchen sends out fried chicken, catfish, pork chops, and rotating daily specials.
Sunday all-you-can-eat buffets and frequent community shout-outs have turned it into a go-to soul food destination for Gary and northwest Indiana.
People drive from neighboring towns just to load up their plates here, which should tell you how good the food really is.
11. D & G’s Soul Food – Gary
D & G’s Soul Food on Grant Street is another unassuming Gary spot where plates are heavy and the cooking is old-school.
Menus and reviews highlight fried chicken, collard greens, cornbread, and other Southern staples that taste like they came straight from a family kitchen.
The dining room is simple, the service is friendly, and many regulars treat it as their default spot when the craving for soul food hits.
You won’t find anything fancy here, just solid, dependable comfort food that hits the spot every single time.
12. Lone Star BBQ and Soul Food – Evansville
On Washington Avenue in Evansville, Lone Star BBQ and Soul Food blends smokehouse swagger with soul food comfort.
Locals talk about it as one of the city’s newer must-try spots, with a menu full of saucy ribs, smoked meats, and Southern-style sides.
The building itself is modest, but the aroma of barbecue and the sight of loaded plates make it clear why people are excited to have it in town.
Evansville needed a place like this, and now that it’s here, folks are making sure it sticks around by showing up hungry and leaving happy.
13. Bishop & Bae’s Soul Food Restaurant – South Bend
Bishop & Bae’s on Chapin Street feels like a neighborhood dining room where everyone’s in on the secret. Fried chicken, candied yams, mac and cheese, and banana pudding anchor a menu that leans fully into Southern comfort.
Social media shout-outs for combos like mac-and-cheese with yams tell you everything you need to know: this is the kind of food that makes people dance a little in their seats.
I’ve seen customers take photos of their plates before digging in, not for the gram but just to remember how good it looked.
14. Deja Soul – South Bend
Deja Soul on South Michigan Street is a younger addition to South Bend’s food scene, but it’s already carved out a loyal following.
The family-run restaurant blends soul, Southern, and Caribbean flavors, serving catfish, wings, pork chops, po’boys, and daily specials like jambalaya, spaghetti with catfish, and wings and waffles.
Inside, the energy is relaxed and friendly – people chat with staff, compare plates, and talk about what they’re ordering next time.
The fusion approach keeps the menu exciting without losing sight of those core soul food flavors everyone craves.
15. DD’s Eatery – Fort Wayne
In Fort Wayne, DD’s Eatery has taken over a former Charlow’s location on Oxford Street and turned it into a new hub for Southern soul food.
The menu leans on made-from-scratch classics – fried chicken, pork chops, hearty sides, and desserts – served in a warm, family-run space.
Local write-ups and food-lover posts rave about it as a fresh but familiar spot where you can sit down, exhale, and tuck into a plate that tastes like home.
Fort Wayne needed more soul food options, and DD’s stepped up to fill that gap beautifully.