Famous Indiana restaurant keeping same traditions under new owner

Perkinsville, Indiana – On September 11, Jake Burgess finally realized a lifetime desire by taking over as the official owner of Bonge’s Tavern.

“I’ve been such a fan of this place. It’s such an iconic restaurant in Indiana, probably even in the Midwest,” said Burgess.

Located between Noblesville and Anderson in the little village of Perkinsville, Burgess claimed that until recently, Bonge’s was only known to the locals.

“Tony, our previous owner, told us people had even flown in from South Dakota, just to come here and eat,” said Burgess.

Though Bonge’s home-cooked specialties, such as Perkinsville Pork and New York strip steak, are popular, there are other factors at play as well.

“I think the allure of Bonge’s is the fact that I have 12 tables. If 12 people are hungry in central Indiana and they want to come here, that’s all the space that I have,” said Burgess.

Customers like Stuart Douglass and Kelsey had to make reservations for early October in mid-June because seating was limited. According to Stuart Douglass, he decided to make a day of it by tailgating in front of the restaurant with pals.

“We love to frequent a lot of Indy restaurants, bars, and breweries, but this one you got to plan for, and you got to make sure people are good with driving, and we packed everyone here into the car. So, it’s a special kind of event, rather than just going out,” said Stuart Douglass.

Bonge’s offers a nostalgic vibe thanks to its hardwood booths constructed in Indiana and lights taken from a church in northern Indiana.

Burgess said he loves the nostalgic feel, “It’s all kind of a whole big conglomerate of really really fun things, built into one and being out here in the middle of no cell service, around cornfields. It really creates what food and dining should be, and that’s community, friendship, and breaking of the bread.”

Tuesday through Saturday, 4:30 to 9 p.m. is when Bonge’s is open. In order to maintain the cozy dining experience, Burgess stated he had no intentions to increase the restaurant’s hours or seating capacity.