Rosebud Steakhouse is located in Centennial Village in Munster.
Seen is a steak from Rosebud Steakhouse.
Chef Hugo Perea, left, and Chef Joe Trama are pictured at a recent brunch at the center. Trama Catering recently brought back its popular Sunday brunch.
Michael Weichman is pictured at Munster Gyros.
Work is still being done on Journeyman Distillery to get it ready for a future opening in Valparaiso.
For those who enjoy eclectic culinary fare, the Region has always been a good locale to find an assortment of restaurants with varied cuisines.
While the pandemic slowed down the growth of the restaurant scene considerably, local restaurateurs have steadily been seeing signs of growth in the last six months. And the forecast looks healthy for continued growth.
Throughout the area, diners will find many favorite eateries are still around and there are also a good amount of new restaurants that have opened or have plans to open in the Region. Styles of restaurants diners will find in the Region are definitely varied and include everything from steakhouses and BBQ joints to pizzerias, brew pubs, ethnic eateries and much more.
"Restaurants are getting in position, if not already in position, to really make a strong comeback," said Gabe Rosado, chef and president of the ACF Chefs of Northwest Indiana. Rosado, who recently won the ACF Chefs' Chef of the Year Award, is the director of hospitality and nutrition at Hartsfield Village in Munster.
The ACF Chefs of Northwest Indiana is a local chapter of the parent organization American Culinary Federation Inc., which is a not for profit organization for chefs and cooks.
Rosado pointed to the eclectic fare available in the Region and the landing of new eateries on the scene as proof of continued growth.
"Northwest Indiana is a prime location for that to happen," Rosado said.
He said the fact that restaurants such as the recent Rosebud Steakhouse debut in Munster's Centennial Village and the coming of Journeyman Distillery to Valparaiso are good indications that the Region is growing in the restaurant and hospitality sector.
"We have a lot of culinary talent in Northwest Indiana," Rosado said.
Chef Joe Trama, chef and owner of Trama Catering at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, said he's noticing a steady growth in consumer interest in dining out again. With the pandemic, Trama Catering, which regularly had Sunday brunches at The Center, was only doing carry-out meals.
Trama recently brought back Sunday brunch.
"We're offering them once a month now," Trama said, adding it feels like it's more of a special occasion not having it every week.
He said they're bringing some new ideas to the brunch, such as changing a bit of what's on the sweets table and occasionally adding new dishes to the mix. The brunch currently features entertainment by a guitarist.
One of the changes in the brunch service, Trama said, is how it's paid for. Brunch now has to be paid for in advance at the time of the booking. He said that makes the whole process more efficient.
Trama Catering also offers various specialty meals to coincide with certain entertainment offerings at Theatre at the Center.
At Munster Gyros in Munster, owner Michael Weichman said he's seeing more customers returning to the eatery. The pandemic did slow things down but interest in going out to eat is beginning to ignite again.
"Customers are definitely coming back," Weichman said. "We have very loyal customers."
Weichman purchased Munster Gyros, a longtime staple in Northwest indiana, two years ago.
The owner said he's beginning to add some new items to the menu. They include rib tips and cheesesteaks.
"But we haven't changed any of the ingredients (or popular items) from the original owners," Weichman said.
Rosado of ACF Chefs said everyone in the industry can "benefit' from one another's success. As the president of the chef's organization, he said he strives to unite all the culinary talent in the area.
"I want to show the whole nation what we have in NWI," Rosado said.
Another indication that the Region restaurant scene continues to look healthy is that Savor the South Shore Restaurant Weeks was held again this year. It ran from Feb. 27 to March 12 and featured menus from many of the top restaurants in Northwest Indiana.
The restaurants in Savor the South Shore included everything from Aftermath Cidery & Winery, Asparagus Restaurant, The Brewery Lodge & Supper Club, Burrito Stop, Byway Brewing, Ciao Bella, Doc's Smokehouse and Farmhouse Restaurant to Fish Camp, Four Corners Winery, Gamba Ristorante, Goblin & the Grocer, Little Italy, Miller Pizza Company, Pikk's Tavern, Provecho Latin Provisions, Rosebud Steakhouse, Teibel's and more.
Rosado said he looks forward to seeing what the future holds for NWI restaurants.
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