Indianapolis and its surrounding suburbs are home to an abundance of good restaurants, cafes, and sweet shops. When we think of towns further out, we imagine the Indiana cornfield, farms, and an oasis of greenery. West of Indianapolis is Hendricks County, and past the Brownsburg, Plainfield, and Avon area, are smaller towns such as Danville, North Salem, Amo, and Pittsboro. Each of these smaller towns within Hendricks County cooks up hearty and delicious food that’s loved by locals and anyone passing through. Here’s our list of some great family and kid-friendly places to eat if you are in the area.
Mayberry Café
78 W. Main Street, Danville
I remember visiting this adorable café a few years ago when my oldest son was four years old and in love with police cars. Other than the great food, a major attraction that will draw you and your kids in is the old-school 50’s police cruiser that’s always parked in front of the restaurant. Once inside, the walls are covered with pictures from scenes of the Andy Griffith show, and you can also catch an episode as you eat. The menu offers traditional American food for adults. As for children, you must be part of the “Opie’s Kids Only Club.” The rules to join are each kid must be 10 years old or younger, each child must clean their plate, listen to their parents, and clean their room. In part, each kid will get a token that’s redeemable for a toy or ice cream sundae. It’s a great way incentivize kiddos to eat all their food, by earning something fun or delicious. We loved our experience at Mayberry Café. It was such a fun place to eat, and my boys had lots of fun choosing a toy to take home after their meal.
Courthouse Grounds
65 S. Washington Street, Danville
This adorable restaurant is located in the heart of Danville, at the courthouse square. It serves breakfast all day and includes choices such as Liege waffles, which are one of my kids’ favorites to eat while at the restaurant. Some of the other breakfast items include hearty egg sandwiches, eggs primavera, up scale bagel, and an assortment of à la carte items. For lunch and dinner, they serve delicious sandwiches, salads, and special entrees. This a great location for a mother/daughter afternoon tea. Each day, the restaurant has afternoon tea, with an assortment of finger foods and desserts to choose from. There are a variety of teas that are supplied from “OurSpecialTeas” and include a choice of a large or small pot of tea. A variety of coffee and wine can also be chosen with the afternoon tea. This is an adorable place I cannot wait to discover again, once my daughter is old enough to enjoy it.
Frank’s Place
33 S. Washington Street, Danville
Located in Danville’s historical Courthouse Square, this restaurant was established by Frank Russo, who immigrated to the U.S. from Sicily, Italy. If your kids love authentic and diverse foods, this restaurant has a great selection of authentic Italian foods. They also have a great children’s menu served during dinner hours for children 12 years and younger. During lunch hours, kids can choose from their everyday menu that features lunch specials, salad, breadsticks, calzones, and pizza. Their dinner menu is expanded from lunch and includes a variety of pastas to choose from, pizzas, salads, dinner specials, entrees, and homemade Italian desserts. We have loved trying their different authentic Italian cuisine and great desserts.
Two Guys Pies
55 E. Main Street, Danville
My boys and husband love pizza, so we strive for a family pizza night every Friday. One of our favorite activities to do is a “pizza trio” where we buy three pizzas from various pizza shops and taste-test them to nominate our winner for the night. We tried Two Guys Pies one night, and their pizza was the winner of the night. This pizza shop serves up specialty pizza and a design-your-own pizza option. They also have pastas, calzones, a salad bar, and wings. They have a kid-friendly menu with “pizza rollers,” a unique twist on pepperoni pizza. They have family specials, such as the Family Feast or Two Guys Feast, which are great for families who want something good while staying within budget.
The Beehive
55 E. Main Street, Danville
The Beehive is an adorable restaurant that was started by the owners wanting to try their hand at beekeeping, which, to their surprise, was a successful venture. After producing honey, the owners wanted to bring something different and special to the Danville community and opened the Beehive. They have a great selection of food to choose from. For breakfast, you can build your own breakfast, and for lunch, there is a build-your-own salad, soups, and sandwiches. They offer a cute kid pack meal, which includes a sandwich of choice, fruit, chips, and a small drink. They also have a selection of bakery items that use their local honey rather than sugar. One of our favorites is the handpies, which are made fresh daily. There’s a full espresso bar that I absolutely love, and it offers a unique twist to drinks, such as the Honeybean latte. Aside from the restaurant, the Beehive also sells its locally sourced honey in varied sizes and locally produced goods such as jams, beef, eggs, and jewelry.
Asia Wok
671-C E. Main Street Danville
Asia Wok has been a family favorite for us, even before my kids were born. Their menu consists of classic Asian dishes, such as orange chicken, General Tso’s, and pineapple chicken. They also have various stir fry choices and different noodles. They do not offer a kid’s menu, but there are lots of great choices for kids to make a choice from the regular menu. We like going during their lunch specials, because it offers a mix of an entrée and two sides for a great cost. The Danville location also offer a variety of sushi and sashimi.
Number One
52 E. Main Street #4, Danville
Another great restaurant offering classic Asian dishes is Number One. If your kids love unique and flavorful entrees, then I highly recommend this restaurant. They serve large portions and have various Asian fusion dishes that appeal to kids and adults.
Lizton Dairy Bar
102 W. Main Street, Lizton
This quaint old-fashioned ice cream shop in Lizton is a hidden small-town gem. The store offers a walk-up window or a drive-through to order tasty treats. It’s a wonderful place to bring kids because it offers that nostalgic feeling of old-fashioned ice cream. The Dairy Bar specializes in sundaes, shakes, flurries, and freezes. It also offers hot foods including hamburgers, coney dogs, sandwiches, walking tacos, and much more.
Breadbasket Café
46 S. Tennessee Street, Danville
Breadbasket Café is an extraordinary restaurant that prides itself on kind service and thoughtful food. They are known for buying all their ingredients fresh and local, as well as striving to reduce waste as much as possible by recycling and composting scraps for their kitchen garden. They have a kid-friendly breakfast and lunch menu, with items such as a peppery pig omelet, cinnamon roll French toast, Belgian waffles, various sandwiches, and salads. The café also makes a wide assortment of fresh bread daily. My kids love trying new breads, and Breadbasket Café is the place to go to savor all sorts of new artisan breads. They also have a wide assortment of cakes and pies, as well as seasonal items, such as pumpkin crunch pie during the fall.
Perillo’s Pizzeria
5 S. Broadway Street, North Salem
A former 1890s doctor’s office, Perillo’s Pizzeria is serving up made-from-scratch pizzas and other Italian food. The restaurant does not offer a kids’ menu, but there is a variety of pizzas to choose from, and half portions that would be great for kids. The restaurant also serves pastas, calzones, subs, salads, gluten-free options, and Italian desserts.
Rusted Silo Southern BBQ
411 N. State Street, Lizton
My husband is from Texas and loves his BBQ. Each time we visit family, it’s always a must to grab that Texas BBQ. Rusted Silo offers some Texan-style BBQ right here in central Indiana. Rusted Silo serves up those delicious barbecued meats, like the beef brisket that’s to die for! They don’t offer a kid menu option, but with the incredible smoky taste, any kid will be more than willing to eat BBQ. My boys love choosing the beef brisket or smoked chicken. The restaurant also offers southern-style side dishes to go along with the BBQ, and Grandma’s sweet home-made treats for a dessert option.
The Singing Crust
1753 US Highway 40, Clayton
The Singing Crust is a bakery and pastry shop offering an assortment of handmade breads. Their breads are artisan-made and baked every day, providing a fresher quality of bread. We are a family that loves all sorts of bread, and this has been an incredible and tasty place to buy fresh, locally made artisan bread. They also offer an assortment of pastries, and menu items vary each week, offering something new to taste each time you visit.
Ricky’s Pancake House
8 US Highway 136, Pittsboro
Ricky’s Pancake House is a delicious place to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their kid’s menu features Mickey Mouse pancakes or silver dollar pancakes, which are such fun for littles. They also serve an array of waffles and pancakes, with all sorts of toppings to choose from for breakfast. For their lunch and dinner, kids’ menus feature favorites like mac-n-cheese, cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s a great place to bring kids to enjoy a delicious and hearty meal.
Amo Pizza & General Store
4964 N. Pearl Street, Amo
Locals swear by this pizza restaurant for having pizzas with large amounts of toppings for an unbeatable price. They also have great breadsticks, large salads, and appetizers. The pizza restaurant is side-by-side with a general store, adding convenience for residents of Amo.
