14 Indiana All-You-Can-Eat Buffets Where The Dessert Tables Are Pure Nostalgia
Let’s be honest: a good all-you-can-eat buffet is a culinary adventure, a dizzying array of choices promising savory delights. But for those with a serious sweet spot, it’s the grand finale that truly steals the show.
We’ve scoured Indiana, not just for places with endless grub, but for those special spots where the dessert tables are less about newfangled treats and more about a comforting hug from the past. Picture towering pies, vibrant puddings, and cookies just like mom used to make.
These 14 Hoosier buffets offer more than just a meal; they’re a delicious passport to your sweetest childhood memories.
1. Das Dutchman Essenhaus – Middlebury
Walking through the doors of this Middlebury landmark feels like stepping into your grandmother’s kitchen, except the kitchen is big enough to feed half the county. Das Dutchman Essenhaus has been serving Amish-style comfort food for decades, and their buffet remains a bucket-list destination for anyone who takes dessert seriously.
Broasted chicken gets most of the mealtime glory, but regulars know to save plenty of stomach space for what comes after. The dessert selection stretches across an entire table, featuring fruit pies, cream pies, and seasonal specialties that rotate throughout the year.
Families have been making pilgrimages here for generations, and the dessert table is often the reason kids behave during dinner. The bakery also sells whole pies to take home, though most people are too full to think that far ahead.
2. Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery – Shipshewana
Shipshewana draws visitors from across the Midwest, and many of them plan their entire trip around a meal at Blue Gate. This Amish-style buffet has built a reputation on hearty entrees and a dessert bar that could double as a small bakery.
Families with kids love this spot because there is genuinely something for everyone, including picky eaters who only want dessert. The dessert bar stretches long and wide, loaded with fruit cobblers, cream pies, cakes, and cookies that all taste like they came from a church potluck.
My cousin once tried to sample every pie variety in one visit and made it through seven before admitting defeat. The staff keeps the dessert bar fully stocked throughout service, so latecomers never miss out on the good stuff.
3. Stoll’s Lakeview Restaurant – Loogootee
Perched on the edge of a peaceful lake, Stoll’s offers diners a view almost as sweet as the desserts. This Amish-style buffet has been a local favorite for years, drawing crowds who appreciate old-school cooking and even older-school desserts.
The dessert spread here focuses on classics that have been made the same way for decades. Bread pudding takes center stage, warm and comforting in a way that makes you forget about calorie counting.
Homemade pies rotate based on what is in season, and the kitchen bakes everything on-site each day. Locals know to arrive early on weekends because the best desserts disappear fast. There is something special about eating pie while watching the sun set over the water, even if you are too full to move afterward.
4. Gasthof Amish Village – Montgomery
Gasthof Amish Village serves up country cooking with a side of charm that feels increasingly rare in modern dining. The buffet here is celebrated for scratch cooking, meaning everything from the mashed potatoes to the dessert table gets made by hand.
The on-site bakery works overtime to keep the dessert selection stocked with cakes, pies, and cobblers that taste like they came from a family recipe box. Regulars often skip straight to dessert, which is technically allowed but definitely frowned upon by the staff.
The bakery supplies a steady rotation of seasonal treats, so repeat visitors always find something new to try. Fruit cobblers arrive warm and bubbling, perfect for pairing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5. Dutchman’s Diner
Scattered across Indiana, Dutchman’s Diner locations bring homestyle cooking to neighborhoods that crave comfort food without the fuss. The lunch and dinner buffets focus on the kind of dishes your mom used to make, assuming your mom was really good at frying chicken and baking pies.
Dessert here is not an afterthought but a main event. Pies and cobblers dominate the dessert lineup, with flavors that change based on what is fresh and available. Soft-serve finishing options let diners top off their meal with a swirl of vanilla or chocolate, because sometimes you need both pie and ice cream.
I once watched a kid build a dessert plate that was 90 percent soft-serve and 10 percent cookie crumbs, and honestly, he had the right idea. The staff keeps the buffet replenished throughout service, ensuring everyone gets their fill.
6. Schwartz Family Restaurant – Eckerty
Tucked into the small town of Eckerty, Schwartz Family Restaurant operates with the kind of Amish-heritage authenticity that makes city folk jealous. The cafeteria-style setup means you move through the line choosing your favorites, including whatever house desserts the bakery baked that morning.
Cakes and pies sit proudly at the end of the line, tempting diners who swore they would eat light. The all-you-care-to-eat format means you can go back as many times as your conscience allows, which is usually one more time than you planned.
Homemade desserts here taste like they came from a church basement potluck, in the best possible way. Seasonal fruit pies showcase whatever is ripe and ready, giving each visit a slightly different flavor profile. Regulars know to pace themselves through the main course so they have room for dessert, though that plan rarely works.
7. Golden Corral (Multiple Indiana Locations)
Golden Corral might be a national chain, but for many Hoosiers, it holds a special place in their buffet-loving hearts. The dessert section here is legendary, stretching across multiple stations and offering everything from carrot cake to soft-serve ice cream.
Rotating sweets keep the selection fresh, so repeat visitors always find something new to try alongside their old favorites. Families flock here for the sheer variety, knowing that even the pickiest eater will find something to love. The soft-serve machines are a nostalgic touchstone for anyone who grew up in the 90s and 2000s, when unlimited ice cream felt like the pinnacle of luxury.
Pies, cakes, and brownies round out the selection, ensuring no sweet tooth goes unsatisfied. The buffet format encourages experimentation, so diners often end up trying desserts they would never order off a menu.
8. UMI Sushi & Seafood Buffet – Indianapolis
UMI Sushi & Seafood Buffet brings a different flavor profile to the Indiana buffet scene, focusing on sushi, hot pot, and seafood rather than fried chicken and mashed potatoes. The dessert options here lean toward soft desserts and sweet bites that complement the savory seafood feast.
Ice cream and lighter treats provide a refreshing finish after a meal heavy on protein and rice. Families appreciate the variety, especially when some members want traditional American desserts while others prefer Asian-inspired sweets.
The buffet line keeps desserts simple but satisfying, ensuring everyone leaves happy. Soft desserts like puddings and custards offer a gentler finish than heavy pies or cakes. My friend once spent an entire meal alternating between sushi rolls and trips to the dessert station.
9. Monical’s Pizza (Lunch Buffet) – Fishers & Other IN Locations
Monical’s Pizza brings a nostalgic twist to the lunch buffet scene with its pizza-focused spread that includes surprising dessert options. Many locations offer pudding, cakes, and cinnamon rolls alongside the pizza and salad.
The lunch buffet format makes it easy for workers to grab a quick meal without sacrificing variety. Cinnamon rolls at a pizza buffet might sound random, but they are actually a stroke of genius that keeps people coming back.
The desserts here are simple and comforting, designed to complement rather than compete with the pizza. Pudding cups and sheet cakes provide just enough sweetness to round out the meal. The casual atmosphere means no one feels judged for eating dessert first, which is the kind of freedom every adult deserves.
10. Super China / China Buffet (Indianapolis Area)
Chinese buffets have been a staple of the Indianapolis dining scene for decades, and spots like Super China and China Buffet keep that tradition alive. Local reviewers consistently mention the soft-serve machines as a highlight, which says something about the power of simple pleasures.
The dessert line might not be elaborate, but it hits all the nostalgic notes that matter. Soft-serve ice cream, fortune cookies, and fruit selections provide a light finish after plates piled high with lo mein and orange chicken.
The simplicity of the desserts is part of the charm, offering a palate cleanser rather than a second full meal. Families with kids appreciate the no-fuss approach, especially when dealing with picky eaters. The buffet format encourages diners to try a little bit of everything, desserts included.
11. Chambers Smorgasbord – Spencer
Chambers Smorgasbord embodies the kind of small-town dining experience that feels increasingly rare in modern America. This Spencer institution serves homey entrees alongside a dessert selection that keeps regulars coming back year after year.
Banana pudding, pies, and cobblers dominate the dessert table, each one tasting like it came from a cherished family recipe. The smorgasbord format means diners can sample a little bit of everything, though most people end up going back for more banana pudding.
Homemade pies rotate based on the season, showcasing whatever fruits are at their peak. The cobblers arrive warm and comforting, perfect for a small-town restaurant that prides itself on hospitality. I once overheard a regular tell a newcomer that skipping dessert here was a crime against good taste, and honestly, he was not wrong.
12. Knepp’s Restaurant & Gift Shop / Knepp’s Amish Kountry Korner – Washington
Knepp’s combines the buffet experience with a gift shop, creating a destination where you can eat pie and then buy a whole one to take home. The Amish-style buffet focuses on traditional cooking methods that produce desserts worthy of serious praise.
Reviewers consistently highlight the dessert table and bakery pies as the meal’s crowning achievement. The bakery supplies the buffet with a rotating selection of pies, cakes, and pastries that taste like they were made with love and butter in equal measure.
Homemade crusts and real fruit fillings set these desserts apart from mass-produced alternatives. The gift shop tempts diners to extend their visit, browsing homemade jams and baked goods while their meal settles. The combination of good food and shopping creates an experience that feels like a day trip rather than just a meal.
13. Clay’s Family Restaurant – Fremont
Clay’s Family Restaurant has built a reputation on two things: Friday fish buffets and seriously good pie. This Fremont diner celebrates pie so enthusiastically that they host an annual Pie Day, which is the kind of event that makes you wish every day was Pie Day.
The all-you-can-eat fish buffets draw crowds, but many people come specifically for the homemade slices that follow. Old-school pie-making techniques produce desserts that taste like they came from a 1950s church cookbook, in the best way possible.
Fruit pies, cream pies, and seasonal specialties rotate throughout the year, giving regulars a reason to visit often. The diner atmosphere keeps things comfortable and unpretentious, perfect for a meal that focuses on flavor over fancy presentation.
14. Cicis Pizza (Select Indiana Locations)
Cicis Pizza holds a special place in the hearts of Hoosiers who grew up treating unlimited pizza and dessert as the ultimate dining experience. The all-you-can-eat format covers pizza, pasta, and salad, but the real draw is the endless dessert corner.
Cinnamon rolls, brownies, and dessert pizzas create a sugar rush that defines childhood for an entire generation.
The dessert pizzas, topped with fruit, chocolate, or cinnamon sugar, represent the kind of creative indulgence that makes buffets magical. Brownies and cinnamon rolls provide more traditional options for diners who prefer their desserts without pizza crust.
The casual atmosphere encourages kids and adults alike to experiment with flavor combinations that make nutritionists nervous. My nephew once built a dessert plate that was architecturally impressive and nutritionally horrifying, and the staff did not bat an eye.