Thirty-five minutes from Evansville and nearly three hours from Indianapolis sits historic New Harmony, Ind., a creative community of almost 700 residents with rainbow flags and progressive architecture and situated along the banks of the Wabash River. According to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, the town’s original 1814 formation originated from Christian separatists called the Harmonists, founded by a German preacher named George Rapp. He sold the area to wealthy European industrialist Robert Owen a decade later, who began a commune, “Community of Equality,” although the effort failed two years later. All this utopian history occurs amidst a two-century-old farming region that hosts unique culinary events such as the annual German-inspired Kunstfest or Monthly Market Auction.
While visitors can explore the historic village and learn about the area’s enlightened philosophies and ideas, they can also enjoy Midwestern hospitality and deliciousness. Start your day at the Black Lodge Coffee Roasters, a small-batch roastery and cafe named after David Lynch’s 1990s “Twin Peaks” TV series. Locals and visitors can partake of handcrafted matcha lattes or an Icelandic-inspired dimmubürg (“dark castle”) made with activated coconut charcoal and topped with black volcanic salt. Alex Gale, a coffee sommelier, and his husband, Ben Ward, purchased the business, which is housed in a historic former cooperage, in 2019. Follow their social for events such as sound baths and talks by area artists.
Down the street, Sara’s Wine Bar is a cozy café and wine bar that provides a nice respite for community gatherings. It offers a laid-back atmosphere where diners can enjoy handcrafted sandwiches and homemade desserts. In the evening, the café transforms into a lively wine bar featuring selected wines from Indiana vineyards.
Open every day but Sunday for breakfast and lunch, The Main Cafe offers classic diner food and desserts made from scratch and in-house. Complete with a full-service ice cream soda fountain, the café offers indulgences like a root beer float, ice cream with one of the house-made cookies or brownies, or the cinnamon roll breakfast sandwich. Pounded thin and large enough to cover a plate, the hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is also worth a drive. Their social media pages feature daily lunch specials and regular menu items.
The home goods and cooking store, Capers Emporium, is also not to be missed. Owned by Oklahoma City transplants Mary Beth and Michael Guard, the well-curated general store stocks all manners of cooking and table accessories, from meat thermometers and small appliances to ceramic platters, glasses and cocktail napkins. Visitors can even find home decor, body products and more. In the back, partake in one of the cooking classes taught by Guard herself or sample any of the baked goods made in the commercial kitchen.
With its mix of restaurants, cozy cafés, and unique culinary events, New Harmony offers a dining experience as unique and diverse as the town’s storied past. Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff or both, New Harmony’s culinary offerings will surely satisfy.
