Start your day at a classic Greek diner
Frittatas Restaurant Father and son Nick and Spiro Papagiannis use Mediterranean ingredients reflecting their Greek heritage in their breakfast and lunch Midwest diner. If gyros and feta aren’t your thing, their frittatas served with a house-made biscuit should be. 306 Espanol Dr., 765-626-0239, facebook.com/frittatasrestaurant
Or Try:
MO Joe Coffee House • Coffee and pastry with community events. 106 N. Main St., 765-244-1007
Dan’s Variety Bakery • House-made doughnuts from crullers to cake. 1800 S. Union St., 765-453-4591, dansvarietybakery.com
Caffeinate like a DJ
Black Wax Cafe • A unique coffeehouse that may be Indiana’s largest vinyl record shop. Used records wallpaper the shop and music store, putting an unusual turn on the typical java hut; rotating food and retail vendors spin their wares on certain weekends. 910 N. Washington St., 765-457-3373, blackwaxcafe.com
Sit down for a farm-fresh lunch
Radish Market & Cafe • For 11 years, Adrienne Partlow ran the Kokomo Farmers Market before opening Radish Market & Cafe in January 2022. Three years later, she’s become the retail leader in the region’s agricultural space, providing a cozy indoor venue for growers and makers. At lunch, diners enjoy freshly made sweet potato burgers or Thai chicken wraps; during brunch, scratch biscuits and gravy or breakfast tacos with locally sourced meats and eggs are served. 115 W. Sycamore St., 765-419-7958, facebook.com/theradishmarket
Or Try:
Half Moon Restaurant & Brewery • Kokomo’s only brewpub opened in 2007 and offers bar food and beers made in their on-premise tanks. Expect IPAs and rich lagers. Check their website for weekly food and beer pairing specials. 4051 S. Lafountain St., 765-445-2739, halfmoonbrewery.com
Mr. K Korean BBQ • A sophomore location for the family-owned, Georgia-based Korean mini-chain offering traditional gogi-gui. Gas tabletop grills allow patrons to cook marinated meats such as bulgogi and classic Korean dishes abound. 1833 S. Plate St., 765-614-2211, mrkbbqkokomo.com
Have dinner like a tech exec
Sute Korean BBQ House • When Governor Eric Holcomb announced a second, $6.3 billion joint venture between Stellantis and South Korean company Samsung SDI’s Starplus Energy Gigafactory in 2023, it created not just 2,800 new jobs but also led to a seismic dining shift in the city of 60,000. Burgers and pizzas remain omnipresent across Kokomo’s eating scene, but a fresh wave of Korean restaurants thrills long-standing locals while pleasing the city’s newest residents.
Opened with the city’s corporate transferees and visiting executives in mind, this glossy and modern restaurant offers cultural touch points like Korean-style metal chopsticks alongside a very American-feeling kids’ menu of french fries and quesadillas. Owner Sean Park relocated his family from the Southeast Asian peninsula to Kokomo for the business, creating a well-designed interior and an upscale yet welcoming menu. Standouts include an East-meets-West ribeye bulgogi slider, a playful kimchi slider, and japchae, a classic Korean comfort dish of noodles and vegetables. 521 N. Buckeye St., 765-926-3062, sutebbq.com
Or Try:
The Foxes Trail • Solid steak, chops, and sandwiches and a full bar on the Riverwalk beside Wildcat Creek. A large-scale mural outside honors the Miami Nation of Indiana, while old-school taxidermied animals lurk inside. 305 S. Main St., 765-450-7670, facebook.com/thefoxestrail
Sokuri Sushi & Shabu Shabu • Korea-born Jay Lim moved from New Jersey to open this casual sushi and bap house on Kokomo’s square. Korean fried chicken and japchae are highlights of the pan-Asian experience, as is the traditional Japanese tonkatsu, a yoshoku take on German schnitzel. 108 N. Main St., sokurikokomo.com
