Evansvillians love to eat, as our wide breadth of food options attests. Many items, in fact, are more than just staples — they help brand and define our community.
Chip ‘n Sip
Grippo’s and SKI are a match made in Evansville, with the barbecue potato chips and the citrus soda among the first foods that transplants seek out when making a return trip to their hometown. It is infused into the DNA of locals (especially West Siders), although both products originated in and are produced in other states. The combo permeates menus throughout the city, as Azzip Pizza features the E’vil Pig (called the West Sider at Azzip’s Evansville shops), a barbecue pork pizza flavored with a SKI reduction and topped with tasty chips. Those chips also have been added to many West Side Nut Club Fall Festival booth offerings, from ice cream sundaes to grilled cheese sandwiches. Grocery stores sell them by the box.
Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich
It might not scream Evansville, but it is a Hoosier specialty. Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana, takes credit for creating this sandwich — the Midwest version of Weiner schnitzel — defined by an oversized tenderloin within a small bun, filled with your choice of lettuce, onion, pickles, mayonnaise, and/or horseradish. The thickness of the breaded meat will depend on the restaurant, and there is no shortage of places to find one in the River City. Head to Gerst Haus, Deerhead Sidewalk Café & Bar, The Hornet’s Nest, The Highland Inn, or The Hilltop Inn — which Evansville Living readers said fried up their favorite breaded tenderloin sandwich in the 2022 Best of Evansville awards.
Pollo Delicioso
Why did the chicken go to the beach? No one knows for sure, but one thing is certain: Chicken on the Beach is a top menu choice for many locals heading to their favorite Mexican restaurant. Featuring grilled or marinated chicken and fried rice smothered in a cheese- based sauce, restaurants make their own sig- nature take by adding their unique flavorings to the cheese sauce (you had most locals at “cheese”). If you don’t see it on your menu, it also goes by Pollo Bandido or Arroz con Pollo (ACP). Whatever you name it, many of us here call it a must-have. Noche Cantina and Cocina, Los Bravos, Hacienda, and numerous other Mexican restaurants in the city serve up Chicken on the Beach.
Brainy Bites
Speaking of the Fall Festival, some food booths at the weeklong fest serve up brain sandwiches. Don’t fret, no cannibalism or zombie activity is involved, as these are breaded pig brains, which don’t have much flavor themselves; the key lies in the spices in the breading. While these are deep-fried on the spot, those who want a more relaxed brain-dining experience year-round can stop by The Hilltop Inn, where it is a menu staple. The idea originated in the meat-packing stockyards of East St. Louis, Illinois, and appears to have found a forever home here in the River City.
