Indiana has always been serious about pork, but a handful of restaurants across the state take the humble pork chop and turn it into a full weekend plan, with bone-in cuts so tall they need their own zip code and portions that often head home in a to-go box for tomorrow’s lunch. This list covers eight of those spots, from a rural tavern where people tailgate before dinner to a Terre Haute steakhouse inside an old stable and an Evansville supper club that has been serving chops since 1969.
Some are dressy date-night places, while others are old-school rooms with salad bars and warm rolls, so there is a fit for nearly any mood or budget. Skip lunch, loosen your belt a notch, and save this one for your next road trip.
1. Bonge’s Tavern, CTRY CLB HGTS, IN
Few restaurants inspire people to tailgate in the parking lot before dinner, but that is a longstanding tradition at this small tavern outside Noblesville. The building sits in the tiny community of Perkinsville, surrounded by farm country, and the waits are part of the ritual.
The pork chop is the reason many people make the trip. It shows up as a towering cut that can stand several inches tall, and it regularly stretches into two or three meals once the leftovers get boxed up.
Look for it on the menu as Perkinsville Pork, a nod to the town itself. The rest of the lineup leans hearty and polished at the same time, with lamb chops, a 10-ounce prime rib, trout, crab cakes, smoked salmon, and a comforting chicken paprikash with a rich sauce.
Save room for the Sugar Cream Cake, a sweet tribute to Indiana’s famous sugar cream pie. The tomato soup is another quiet favorite, and it happens to be vegan.
Planning matters here. Bonge’s is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 to 9 PM, closed Sunday and Monday, and reservations are strongly recommended.
Expect to spend roughly $30 to $80 per person, and plan on a relaxed, historic, small-town setting rather than a quick bite.
2. Corndance Tavern, Mishawaka, IN
Thirty-two ounces. That is the size of the pork chop that has turned this Grape Road tavern into a regular stop for serious meat lovers in the South Bend area.
Corndance runs on a farm-to-table idea, and it backs that up with a full-service butcher shop right inside the building. The meat case holds dry-aged steaks and pasture-raised pork, so the kitchen is working with cuts it knows well.
The pork options change a bit, but you may find an aged T-bone pork chop or a double chop with a well-developed char. Pair it with the creamed spinach for a classic steakhouse-style plate, and do not skip the bread service before the main event.
Beyond the chops, the menu covers long-aged ribeyes, meatloaf, pasta dishes, and a Butcher’s Wedge salad. There is also a full vegetarian menu, which helps if your group is split between carnivores and everyone else.
The dining room leans cozy and romantic with low lighting, making it a strong date-night pick. Hours run Monday through Thursday from 11:30 AM to 9 PM, Friday and Saturday until 10 PM, and Sunday from 5 to 9 PM.
Friday and Saturday evenings fill up fast, so book ahead. Budget around $50 to $100 per person.
3. Stables Steakhouse, Terre Haute, IN
Horses once lived where the dinner tables stand today. Stables Steakhouse occupies a renovated former stable on Poplar Street, and the historic building gives Terre Haute one of its most memorable dining rooms.
The kitchen is best known for aged steaks and seafood, but the pork deserves its own spotlight. A pork tomahawk has been a standout, and special nights have featured a jaw-dropping 40-ounce chop finished with a raspberry balsamic glaze and a horseradish sauce.
Since that giant cut has appeared as a special, it is smart to ask about the evening’s features when you call to reserve.
Round out the meal with French onion soup, seafood bisque, or crab-stuffed mushrooms to start. Brussels sprouts and scallops are popular companions, and the crème brûlée makes a tidy finish.
The setting is upscale but relaxed, with occasional live music adding to the evening. Hours run 4:30 to 9 PM Monday through Thursday, 4:30 to 10 PM on Friday and Saturday, and 4:30 to 8 PM on Sunday.
Plan on roughly $50 to $100 per person. If you are passing through on I-70 or visiting a student at one of the local colleges, this is a strong reason to stay in town for dinner.
4. Cork ‘N Cleaver, Fort Wayne, IN
Your menu arrives attached to an actual heavy cleaver, which tells you right away that this Fort Wayne steakhouse enjoys a little theater.
Behind the gimmick is an old-school chophouse with a fireplace, a well-stocked salad bar, and a pork chop that tends to land on the plate impressively thick. It comes with jalapeño cheddar mashed red potatoes and apple chutney, a sweet and spicy combo that gives the chop more personality than a standard side of applesauce.
The salad bar is a big part of the experience. Plenty of people treat it as a proper first course before the entrée shows up.
If someone at the table is not in a pork mood, the menu offers a coffee-crusted 14-ounce ribeye, a 10-ounce filet mignon, almond-crusted walleye, cold water lobster tail, and bacon-wrapped artichoke hearts.
Cork ‘N Cleaver serves lunch on weekdays from 11 AM to 2 PM, then reopens for dinner from 5 to 10 PM. Saturday runs 4 to 10 PM and Sunday 4 to 9 PM.
Saturday evenings are the busiest, and waits are common, so reservations help. Expect to spend about $30 to $90 per person.
5. Black Canyon Restaurant, Fort Wayne, IN
Wood fire makes the difference at this sleek spot on West Dupont Road. Black Canyon cooks on a wood-fired grill, and the double bone pork chop is one of the dishes that shows it off best.
Two bones means a seriously tall cut, and it has become a go-to order for anyone who wants something heartier than a sandwich but less formal than a white-tablecloth steakhouse.
The rest of the menu is broad and generous. Ribs, meatloaf, prime rib, an 8-ounce filet with a loaded baked potato, bang bang shrimp, and Tex Mex egg rolls all make appearances, and the fries come in several styles.
Leave space for dessert if you can. The carrot cake is famously enormous, and bananas Foster is another sweet option.
Families will find a kids’ menu and high chairs, while couples can grab a table on the outdoor patio near the fireplace. Vegan and vegetarian menus are available too.
Hours are long here, which makes planning easy. Black Canyon opens at 11 AM Monday through Friday, at 3:30 PM on Saturday, and at 10 AM on Sunday for brunch, with late closing times on Friday and Saturday.
At around $20 to $60 per person, it is one of the more budget-friendly ways to tackle a two-bone chop.
6. The Beef House | Restaurant & Dinner Theatre, Covington, IN
Ordering pork at a place called The Beef House might seem like a rebellious move. Trust the menu anyway, because the pork chops here have a loyal following of their own.
This rustic steakhouse sits along State Road 63 in Covington, a small town in western Indiana near the Illinois line. It is famous for fresh yeast rolls served with homemade apple butter and strawberry preserves, and many people plan the whole visit around that bread basket.
The two pork chop meal is a popular pick, and the chops come in a slightly thicker cut than most home cooks would attempt. Between the rolls, the salad bar, and the entrée, leftovers are almost guaranteed.
Steaks remain the headliners, including a ribeye and filet mignon, but the menu also covers fried chicken, chicken fingers, frog legs, and broccoli cheddar soup.
The Beef House doubles as a dinner theatre, so you can pair a big meal with a live show on the right nights. Kids are welcome with a children’s menu and high chairs.
Hours run Tuesday through Thursday from 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday until 9 PM, Saturday from 12:30 to 9 PM, and Sunday from 11 AM to 7 PM, closed Monday. Plan on about $20 to $50 per person.
7. House of Como, Evansville, IN
Since 1969, House of Como has been doing things its own way on South Kentucky Avenue. The result is a supper club that mixes Lebanese dishes, Italian favorites, steaks, and seafood inside a wonderfully kitschy dining room.
The pork chops are the ones to know about. They arrive huge, with a well-seasoned crust on the outside and plenty of juice inside, and they have earned a reputation as some of the most distinctive chops in Evansville.
Start with the Arabian Salad and its house-made dressing. It is a signature for a reason, and it gives the meal a Lebanese touch you will not find at a typical steakhouse.
The New York strip is the other big draw, so a strip-and-chop split is a smart move for two people who want to try both.
Timing is the tricky part. House of Como is open only Tuesday through Saturday from 5 to 8 PM, which leaves a short window, so reservations are recommended.
Curbside pickup and takeout are available if you would rather enjoy that chop at home. Prices run roughly $30 to $50 per person, a little higher than casual spots in town, but the setting and history are hard to duplicate.
8. Bynum’s Steakhouse, Martinsville, IN
Anyone who has waited in line for a pork chop at the Indiana State Fair knows the standard is high. Bynum’s Steakhouse in Martinsville serves chops that are often compared favorably to those fair favorites in sheer size.
The pork chops here weigh in at 16 ounces, and for the price, they are one of the strongest values on this list. The baked potato is a popular partner on the plate.
Chops can vary in how they are cooked, so it is fine to let your server know how you like yours. A side of barbecue sauce is also an easy request if you want a little extra flavor.
Bynum’s has an old-school feel with unique decor and a full bar. The menu sticks to the classics, including steaks, chicken dinners, seafood, and a garden salad.
Finish with the cheesecake topped with hot fudge, which is about as retro-steakhouse as dessert gets.
The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 5 to 9 PM and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 PM, closed Sunday. With prices around $30 to $40 per person, it makes a satisfying stop for anyone heading south from Indianapolis toward Bloomington.
Wherever you start on this list, the rule stays the same. Arrive hungry and bring a to-go box.
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