A taste of Terre Haute

Mogger’s

Directions from Rose: Take a left onto S.R. 46, then right onto Poplar Street. Follow Poplar until you get to 9th Street, where Moggers will be on the right.

One of the better-known local favorites, Mogger’s offers a wide range of American foods and prices. Holding on to its brew house origins, Mogger’s still makes its own brand of beer, Champagne Velvet, and offers an impressive array of other beverages. Known for its delicious burgers (the Waterstreet Melt is a favorite of mine), Moggers offers a full menu, from sandwiches ($5-$10) to full-blown entrees like pork chops or steaks ($10-$25). Whatever you order, be sure to get a Mogger’s salad with it. This almost lettuce-less salad is covered with bleu cheese and house dressing, and is one of the few restaurant items I consistently crave even after three years of living in Terre Haute.



Exotic Thai

Directions from Rose: Take a left onto S.R. 46, then take I-70 West, and get off at the first exit, which will be 3rd Street. Turn right out of the exit. Exotic Thai will be on the left shortly after crossing Washington Street.

One of the more unique ethnic restaurants available in Terre Haute, Exotic Thai offers a wide range of delicious Thai food at incredibly reasonable prices ($5-$15). Despite its location, the small restaurant has a comforting southwest Asian ambience, quick service, and is surprisingly almost never busy. There are three types of curry available to the discriminating patron, all of which are excellent and offer various levels of spiciness. One can hardly go wrong when choosing from the menu, although the Pad Thai and peanut chicken are some of my favorites. Make sure to bring cash when you visit, however, as there is a minimum purchase limit for using credit cards ($10).



George’s Café

Directions from Rose: Turn right out of Rose onto Wabash. Take Wabash into town and turn right onto 7th Street, then left onto Cherry Street. George’s is on the left.

Right across the road from Indiana State University, George’s Café offers a very reasonably priced menu of Mediterranean cuisine ($5-$15). Physically, the café is very simple and, well, café-like. But what George’s lacks in ambience it makes up for in great and unique taste. Stuffed grape leaves, pitas, hummus, gyros, and baba ghanoush are all great picks from George’s menu. Combination plates are available for those looking to explore or simply can’t make up their minds. Make this stop a Saturday meal, however, as George’s is closed all day Sunday.



Mario Brothers Mexican Restaurant

Directions from Rose: Turn left out of Rose, going east on U.S. 40. Take this for 15-20 minutes until you enter the town of Brazil. Mario Brothers is on the right hand side near the middle of town.

A lot can be judged about a Mexican restaurant by the quality of the free chips and salsa offered before the beginning of the meal, and Mario Brothers is no exception. The Mario Brothers Mexican Restaurant is simply my favorite Mexican restaurant in the greater Terre Haute area, with so much more to offer than an entertaining ethnic paradox of a name. The service is always fast and the food is always superb and reasonably priced ($5-$10). As an enchilada fan, I can vouch for both the size and quality of Mario Brothers enchiladas, but I feel like the restaurant’s crowning achievement is its melted chicken fajitas, which are a culinary delight that I haven’t seen paralleled anywhere else in the world of Mexican food.



Market Bella Rosa

Directions from Rose: Turn right out of Rose onto Wabash. Take Wabash until you pass 7th Street - Market Bella Rosa will be on the left before you reach 6th Street.

If you’re ever looking for a lunch away from campus, you can’t go wrong with picking up a sandwich from the counter at Market Bella Rosa. As an establishment that hosts regular wine tastings in the fall, Market Bella Rosa carries an air of culture without the price tag. Sandwiches run between $5-$10, while soups and salads also sit at wallet-friendly levels. Sandwiches are loaded with fresh greens, meats, and cheeses, and can be packaged to go in several minutes for the short ride over to Deming Park or elsewhere. The deli itself has a very nice seating area, which will get busy during the lunch rush, but can be almost empty at other times. Finally, always remember to place your cans and bottles on the counter for recycling.



Spaghetti and Sub House

Directions from Rose: Take a right onto Wabash Ave. Take Wabash into town and turn right before CVS and right after the new Starbucks.

An excellent spaghetti place and is a lot better than Fazoli’s. The prices are a little more ($5-$15), but the food is excellent and it really fills you up. The spaghetti is great but the real standout is their garlic bread, where you can get a half a loaf with each order of Spaghetti, or deck it out as a Pizza Bread (with a variety of toppings), which is delicious.



Kleptz’s Tavern

Directions from Rose: Turn left out of Rose. The restaurant is right off U.S. 40 on the outskirts of Seelyville.

Kleptz is an excellent family sit-down restaurant that has a nice variety of food and has a nice homey feel to it. From what I’ve heard, the bar is excellent and cheap. Their Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich and French Dip are great, and supposedly their menu changes daily so the same food isn’t served all the time. It reminds me a lot of the food Moggers offers but minus the brewery aspect.



European Grill

Directions from Rose: Take a left onto S.R. 46, then right onto Margaret Drive. Follow Margaret until you get to 5th Street, where the European Grill will be on the right.

If you are in the mood for fine European cuisine, one of the best kept secrets in Terre Haute may be European Grill. With five-star quality and service at a two-star price ($5-$15), European Grill offers a variety of savory entrees guaranteed to tickle your palate. The menu ranges from an array of pasta and seafood dishes to delectable chicken, veal, and lamb meals. You can get steak or ribs hot off the grill and there is also a vegetarian section for those of that persuasion. Whether you’re going out after an exhausting homework session or serenading that special someone in the romantic ambience, the European Grill has what it takes to sweep you away from Terre Haute and place you in the foothills of Tuscany.