Local Love
I am excited to announce some amazing giveaways in the month of June! Each week I will be giving away gift cards, coffee, and more to some amazing local shops and restaurants! I will have a big giveaway at the end of June so stay tuned and check back for details. I will be announcing these on my Facebook page, so if you haven’t friended me on Facebook you can find me at https://www.facebook.com/matthewjhawkins
Below are some of my favorite local places. There are a ton of awesome spots in Fort Wayne and I am sorry if I left your favorite out, but this is basically what keeps me alive. A handful of these business have partnered with me and I am so excited about the strong push for eating and shopping local in Fort Wayne.
Coffee
I pretty much rotate between Conjure Coffee and Fortezza throughout the week. Fortezza serves Counter Culture coffee which is one of my favorite roasters and has done a great job at being a staple of downtown Fort Wayne. Conjure is a recent addition to the downtown coffee scene and has become one of my favorite places to read and catch up on emails. It has a great atmosphere and the coffee they roast is incredible! You can follow each on Facebook.
At HeBrews we brew Utopian Coffee. They do a great job with fair trade coffee and they have a cool subscription service for getting freshly roasted beans delivered to your home.
Sweet Treats
Yummi Bunni - If you haven’t had ice cream stuffed inside a donut I am not sure I can trust your time management or your priorities. Yummi Bunni has received tremendous support since they opened and consistently have long lines - be patient it is totally worth it! They take delicious ice cream and stuff it inside a glazed donut. I always get the green tea ice cream with Fruity Pebbles stuffed inside the bun. Follow them on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheYummiBunni/
DeBrand Chocolatier - Fort Wayne is home to a seriously amazing chocolatier. They have several locations around Fort Wayne and is always a great stop on Valentines, a date night, or if you are driving by and have a craving for some chocolate! I love their dark chocolate and truffles! Check them out at: http://www.debrand.com/
Restaurants
Most people don’t really associate Fort Wayne with top notch restaurants, but the more I have lived here the more I appreciate some of our local restaurants. I grew up in Chicago, which is in my opinion a city of amazing restaurants. I used to miss some of those unique restaurants and neighborhoods, but Fort Wayne seriously has some good spots to grab lunch, a nice date, or some yummy take out! Here are some of my favorite restaurants:
Baan Thai - Hands down my favorite restaurant in Fort Wayne. It is great for lunch, takeout, or a nice dinner with friends and family. I usually rotate between the crispy chicken basil, pud thai (traditional Thai noodle dish) and the garlic chicken. Pete and his wife are amazing people and always remember their customers! Check them out on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Baan-Thai-107149766005684/
Kim Vu - Continuing with my love of asian food - this is my other go to staple. They have amazing food at great prices. If you go try their beef Pho. During the cold and depressing winter months I find myself here a few times each week and making carryout runs for my wife. It is amazing! Check them out on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Kim-Vu-Vietnamese-Cuisine-163025010496468/
Tolon - One of our favorite restaurants in Fort Wayne is Tolon. Tolon is Fort Wayne first farm to fork restaurant. They feature a seasonal menu that supports local farmers and sustainable farming practices. The atmosphere is great, they have a nice drink menu, and again have great food! It is a great date night place for sure! Check them out at: http://tolonrestaurant.com/
Shopping
Saving Grace Vintage - A Vintage Inspired Boutique ship with painted furniture, workshops, home decor, and milk paint. We have purchased several pieces of furniture from this amazing boutique on Berry Street. They host workshops that can help teach how to chalk paint furniture. Its a seriously cool little place and has something for everyone. Check them out at: https://www.facebook.com/Saving-Grace-Vintage-153183914773464/