Restaurants in Vincennes

The Ohio River courses past Edgewater Grille, providing a scenic backdrop for the eclectic culinary offerings inside. From piping-hot pizzas delivered straight from a wood-fired brick oven to blackened scallops nested on a bed of capellini, Edgewater Grille’s expansive menu proves that variety is the spice of life and the key to a good meal. Outdoor deck space facilitates alfresco dining in the warmer months, letting patrons pair fresh air with freshly baked desserts or wine and drinks from the full bar. With ample seating and multiple private rooms, Edgewater Grille is a prime spot for events such as weddings or Frankenstein support groups, and its chefs cater parties large and small with a smorgasbord of seafood, steaks, sandwiches, and pastas.

The historical brick building that houses Janko's Little Zagreb, once a reputed 1940s brothel, now beckons in a much more respectable clientele with its cheerful red awning and brightly lit dining room. Large cushy booths enclose red-checkered tables, while IU football and basketball posters speckle the walls. Tables have a clear view of two open grills, which sizzle with menu items including thick, succulent USDA Choice steaks, seafood, and more. An extensive wine list and locally made beer from Upland Brewing Company wash down entrees as IU fans dish out endless Hoosier puns, such as “Hoosier daddy?” and “Hoosier favorite Disney princess?”

At Lorenzo's Bistro and Bakery, the bakers make their own dough from scratch for crusty breads baked on the hearth. Every day, visitors can stop in for the warm baguettes, challah, and french bread, as well as daily specials such as Sunday's cracked-wheat loaves.

But the bread is just the start of the culinary journey, which executive chef Wess Rose executes with an eye toward contemporary American dishes and Euro-American influences. Elegant steak, seafood, and pasta join surprise touches, such as the chefs' take on a louisville hot brown—smoked shaved turkey breast atop fresh challah bread topped with tomatoes, cheddar jack mornay sauce, crispy bacon, and chives. Charbroiled salmon fillets glisten with raspberry barbecue glaze, and marinated portobellos and vegetable medleys stuff puff pastries to create vegetable wellingtons, which are topped with pesto and feta.

In the restaurant's foyer, the staff mans a market where people can grab cups of coffee or pick up ready-to-eat entrees to take home. In addition to the breads, customers often drop by to pick up muffins, scones, and sandwiches for meals on the go that are tastier than oatmeal in a tube.

Raffi's Restaurant has perfected its menu of classic Italian dishes since its founding in 1989. Dinners kick off with appetizers such as crab cakes in creamy pesto sauce and toasted ravioli. Entrees arrive next, pleasing palates with bites of spicy shrimp diablo, rigatoni in a rich bacon, pea, and cheese carbonara sauce, and chicken saltimbocca topped with capers, mushrooms, and thin slices of egg, cheese, and bacon.

Wines complement each dish, as do cocktails from the Palm Lounge, Raffi's full-service bar. During warmer months, patrons can sample the Palm Lounge's stock of fine cigars on an outdoor patio that overlooks a bubbling fountain. There, they can blow smoke at their least favorite Internet memes while hooked up to the restaurant's complimentary WiFi.

• $19 for a Chinese dinner buffet for four (a $39.80 value)

• $10 for a Chinese dinner buffet for two (a $19.90 value)

The dinner buffet teems with Chinese and Japanese dishes, such as General Tso’s chicken, chow mein, mongolian barbecue, and sushi, as well as cookies, cakes, and ice cream for dessert.

At The Creekside Bar and Grill, diners enjoy classic sandwiches, 8-ounce burgers, and specialty pizzas on an outdoor patio overlooking the waters of Loughborough Lake. Visitors can dock their boats near the restaurant and hop ashore to enjoy nightly specials and live music on the weekends.