The wait is nearly over for Pizza Junction Cafe in Huntington. The pizzeria’s reopening appears imminent. According to a recent Facebook post, owners are looking for employees with an opening set for July. 

In May 2022, a fire caused extensive fire, smoke, and water damage. As a result, operators chose to renovate the building.  In the days following the fire, a GoFundMe campaign raised thousands of dollars to help with construction expenses.  

The downtown train depot creates a unique dining experience when trains rumble by on the adjacent tracks just a few feet away.  

Pizza Junction Cafe has operated since 1983.

teds opens at Promenade

The teds beerhall empire has expanded to downtown Fort Wayne. 

teds snack + bar is now serving food and drinks at the riverside cafe in the Promenade Park. 

Patrons can enjoy sandwiches, salads, shaved ice, and a full bar with beer, wine, and spirits. It is open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. 

Owner Brian Hench and manager Jacob Franklin joined city officials to celebrate the snack bar opening last week. Trubble Brewing operated food service at the riverfront park until this past winter.

Food trucks among Summer Fest attractions

New Haven’s Summer Fest is Friday and Saturday, June 30 and July 1, at Schnelker Park in New Haven as a kickstart to Independence Day. 

The two-day event includes a beer tent, a market, live music, entertainment, and food trucks. The festival is 6-9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday.

Trubble cuts hours; teases downtown site

Trubble Brewing is trimming hours at its Broadway location to Friday and Saturday, effective July 1.

In a Facebook post, they also said they’d be ending their regular food menu July 1 to focus on “great beer, our new cocktail menu, great bands, games and entertainment inside and outside, pop-up restaurants and guest chefs, and food trucks.”

The Facebook post also mentions the menu will return when “we open our new, big and fabulous downtown location (details soon, we promise!)”

Cookie Cottage has gluten-free options

Gluten-free cookies are now on the menu at Cookie Cottage. 

Now those of you who avoid gluten can grab chocolate chip and iced sugar cookies, plus associated flavors rotated daily. With a 48-hour notice and a one dozen minimum order, they’ll custom make the treats. 

Handel’s finds second Fort Wayne home

When Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream opened this year in the 14 Square Shopping Plaza, ice cream lovers rejoiced. Well, it appears those of you on the north side of town won’t have to travel as far to enjoy the treats.

While sitting at the stoplight at Lima and Dupont roads, you’ve likely noticed the Moe’s signage that used to sit at the northwest corner has been replaced with Handel’s. The exterior of the building is also complete with Handel’s signage, and Handel’s’ website notes there’s a Fort Wayne North location “opening soon.”

St. Joe readies for Pickle Festival

Pickles are a big “dill” in St. Joe. For a century, the Sechler family has been growing and processing pickles in the small town north of Spencerville on Ind. 1. 

They celebrate that proud pickle heritage in that DeKalb County villa at Pickle Festival from July 13-15.  

Even if pickles aren’t a  priority, you can grab plenty of food from vendors and fish dinner, pancake, and sausage breakfast. There’s a pickle- and pizza-eating contest. 

You can find the complete schedule of events online at
stjoeindiana.org/pickle-festival.

Event center opens at former Venice spot

The building that once housed The Venice restaurant will have new life. Encanto Latino Event Center is now in the space at 2242 Goshen Road. 

The Venice was a highly regarded Italian eatery for more than 60 years. The Venice moved out last year with promises to open up at another location. Their Facebook page showed interior photos of the new venue in December. 

Our requests for updates this spring were politely declined, with a promise of “more info at the appropriate time.”

Off the Eaten Path is the Whatzup weekly column that covers Northeast Indiana’s restaurant and food news. Send your news items to info@whatzup.com.