Top 5 Locally Owned Restaurants in Terre Haute, Indiana

Driving down the main drag in Terre Haute, Indiana, is no different than cruising most mid-sized American cities.

Restaurants such as Steak-n-Shake, Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster and Olive Garden litter both sides of the road. Everywhere you look, the familiar neon signage of cookie-cutter chains clutters the landscape.

So, for something a little different, let's explore the top five independently owned restaurants, in no particular order, in Terre Haute, Queen City of the Wabash.

European Grill

A Mediterranean menu, featuring a wide variety of dishes. Open for both lunch and dinner seven days a week. Haven't eaten lunch there, but we've had an enjoyable experience every time we've gone for dinner. Complimentary breadsticks and a dip of extra virgin olive oil, cheese and spices begins the meal. Among the favored dishes are Pasta Milano (bowtie pasta, grilled chicken, tomatoes and mushrooms in a roasted garlic cream sauce), Shrimp Diavolo (sautéed shrimp, garlic, fresh basil, linguini and it's hot!), and European Steak (top sirloin with mushroom wine sauce and a deal at $9.95). Most entrees are $9 to $15. On special occasions, such as Mother's Day or New Year's Eve, the chefs roll out special dishes that can be more pricey. The atmosphere may be lacking here, as the restaurant is a former pizza joint that has been remodeled. Overall, though, that's the only complaint about the European Grill.

Boo's Crossroads Café

As far as diners in Terre Haute go, Boo's is tops. Far from a greasy spoon, Crossroads Café has been serving downtown lunch customers from its spot at the former junction of U.S. 40 and U.S. 41 (hence, the "Crossroads" name) for close to 15 years. Tastefully decorated, Boo's offers both table dining as well as comfortable booths. The menu is more-or-less typical diner fare: sandwiches, soups, salads, etc. The café offers a daily special that can range from taco salad to lasagna and garlic bread. Including tip, you can usually fill up at weekday lunch for $6 to $7.

La Familia di Jeshua

One of Terre Haute's newest locally owned eateries is Jeshua's. When Boo at Crossroads Café goes home for the evening, Jeshua comes in to the same downtown location and turns it into an Italian dinner restaurant. He adds his own touches to create a more intimate dinner setting and offers gourmet pizzas, strombolis and calzones. Listed on the appetizer menu is a "hippie roll," pepperonis and sauce wrapped in a golden brown crust. That and a salad would fill up most customers. Mid-priced entrees, although the gourmet pizzas can get pricey, depending on how "gourmet" you want to get. Jeshua's is open 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Panda Garden

The premier Chinese sit-down restaurant in Terre Haute. While there are many Chinese restaurants to choose from and some are good and some are not so good, and some are pricey and some are more reasonable, Panda Garden offers to best of everything to customers. The menu includes many of the usual Chinese dishes as well as a few you might not have tried elsewhere. The décor is not over-the-top Chinese, but more subtle. And the prices for dinner entrees are in the $9 to $12 range. Lunches are in the $5 range. Open seven days a week.

Pino's il Sonetto

Despite Pino's death a couple of years ago, the restaurant lives on and now is open for lunch daily. Named "Best Atmosphere" of all restaurants in a 2005 survey conducted by the Terre Haute newspaper, Pino's takes candlelit dining in a dimly lit room to new heights. It's also not uncommon for live music to accompany your dinner. The restaurant offers authentic Italian cuisine, as well as a wide selection of Italian wines. Most entrees will top the $15 mark, but the atmosphere makes it well worth it. Pino's is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays for lunch and reopens for dinner at 5. Dinner reservations are highly recommended; the place is always packed.