Restaurants in Mishawaka

In order to permeate T8STE Tizzzzz’s congenial atmosphere with a perfume of sweetness and smoke, cooks slowly tenderize meats over hickory and oak before dousing them in housemade sauce. The eatery's soul food is among the best local eats, according to the Journal Gazette in 2011, and for a profile in the same publication, critic Ryan DuVall heaped praise on the restaurant’s burnt brisket ends, which spend 20 hours in a smoker.

The menu has a distinct Kansas City character, which is a result of owner Curtis Gregory's upbringing in KC. Rib tips and wings serve as alternatives to sandwiches overflowing with pulled pork or shaved brisket, and each plate can fill in with “fixins” of dirty rice or tender collard greens, or with thick slices of coconut pound cake.

A vermilion overhang of adobe-style tiles decorates the façade of Agaves Mexican Grill, giving only a hint to the south-of-the-border dishes the chefs inside are busy creating. Their menu pays homage to distinctly Mexican dishes, such as made-to-order guacamole, which also embellishes the popular enchiladas rancheras. But like accounting majors hailing from a long line of mariachi dancers, cooks aren't afraid to stray from the norm, as evidenced by their creative bites such as Mexican lasagna: a house specialty of cheese and shredded chicken stacked between layers of corn tortillas.

In the kitchen at Macadoo's Family Restaurant, owners Tim and Kathy page through their family recipe books to craft comfort food for breakfast and lunch. Homemade soups simmer on the stove each day, and warm ladles of beef manhattan cover their platters. And Tim's made-from-scratch sausage gravy layers over the "almost world famous" biscuits and gravy, whose international recognition was thwarted only by its own inability to answer reporters' questions. In addition to serving hearty entrees and sandwiches, the restaurateurs help diners embrace each sunrise with hot coffee and traditional breakfast dishes.

At India House Restaurant, chicken, lamb, and shrimp bake in the charcoal-lined depths of a traditional clay tandoor, yielding authentic Eastern fare for servers to load onto plates. Classic curries and seasonings hitch rides on more than a dozen fresh-baked tandoori breads, and 19 vegetarian specials—including the classic saag paneer made with homemade cheese—round out meals without meat. Guests can balance out spicy bites by sipping on beverages such as creamy mango lassi, Darjeeling tea, or a selection of Indian beers.