State & Main will improve the state of Middlebury dining

New place will inhabit one that closed, plus news on Essenhaus and Old Hoosier Meats

As a child in the 1970s, I would go with my parents to Village Inn, one of Elkhart County’s oldest restaurants.

Other times my mom and I would meet my father for lunch at a small restaurant along U.S. 20 called Das Dutchman Essenhaus. Sometimes we went to a new place down the road called Hilltop Restaurant. All three of those places served Amish/Mennonite food and basic sandwiches, salads and, in the case of Village Inn, pizza. 

Rulli’s came along in 1987, serving Italian-American food. Vic’s Ice Cream became a Mancino’s. A Chinese restaurant and a Subway were among other spots.

A few years back, as has happened in small towns across the country, the options got more diverse.

41 Degrees North opened along Main Street in spring 2015. It was a popular bar and restaurant at 104 S. Main Street and its opening made a splash.

A year later, Wedgewood Brewing Co. opened in a 480-square-foot building next door.

In spring 2017, Carrie Boyer opened West on Warren a few blocks away and it has both grown and become a favorite spot for many locals.

Carrie Boyer talks with customers at West on Warren in Middlebury (mvk photo).

In late 2018, I wrote:

“In Middlebury, 41 Degrees North has gained a following as a restaurant and bar. Wedgewood Brewing Co. is popular as a nanobrewery. Businesses such as those, along with those that have been there over the years for tourists and locals, have people saying that Middlebury is progressing and getting a bit more lively.”

Some would say Middlebury is a sleepy little town, but it keeps changing. Hilltop burned and reopened downtown. Aunt Karen’s Cafe closed and a couple other places have emerged.

Wedgewood went from being a nanobrewery to a busy brewpub along U.S. 20 with really good food. Then last February, owner Austin Slabach graciously said goodbye and closed 41 Degrees North. 

A year later, Carrie Boyer is getting ready to reopen it as State & Main, a gastropub or at least the closest thing to one that Middlebury has seen. She’s hoping to be open starting in April.