After I spent half a day at the Botanical Conservatory it was time for dinner. But first I had to return to my hotel in downtown Fort Wayne – Hilton Fort Wayne at the Grand Wayne Convention Center for a change of clothes and a short rest before I headed out to town.
For my dinner I wanted something fancy but at the same time, I didn’t want to break the bank. Oh, and I also wanted it to be in the downtown area because that’s where the nightlife is. For all those reasons I settled on Wine Down. I liked the name (I love word plays).
Let’s start with the atmosphere – very chill and cozy. One can have a drink at the bar or a nice dinner in the dining area. The drinks are strong, so be warned. The food, oh the food.
This local gem is owned by husband and wife Gary and Kelly Skeel. They opened Wine Down in 2015 and in a short amount of time this place became one of the top culinary destinations in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The staff is friendly and if you have never been there before they will walk you through the concept of the restaurant.
The food is locally sourced which I loved. It comes from local farms and bakeries such as Fischer Farms, Hawkins Farms, Gunthrop Farms, and Zinnia’s Bakehouse – all local staples.
I ordered the Shrimp N’ Grits even though it was hard to choose from so many yummy sounding plates. The gouda grits were creamy and divine with pieces of smoked bacon and topped with a sunny side egg that was cooked to perfection.
Despite the name, I didn’t try any of their wines, but I promised myself I will be back one day just for that. So, Wine Down, wait for me!
After an hour there I headed to the Fort Wayne Comedy Club. The club is located inside 2104 Banquet Center. The night I was in town Chris Worth happened to perform and boy did I love it.
Now, he isn’t a comedian but a solo performer – a keyboard player and a singer. His repertoire is diverse – from jazz to rock and everything in-between. I especially liked his take on Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. So, it’s highly recommended to check this venue out when you’re in Fort Wayne.
My original plan was to hit a live music club, but I decided not to after the performance I just saw and headed back to the hotel instead – after all I had been out all day.
As soon as I smelled the pillow in my room I fell asleep. That’s how exhausted I was, but I was also happy. That was on Saturday. On Sunday I overslept so I couldn’t see the all places I wanted to, but I don’t regret it.
I woke up, had a big breakfast at another local favorite spot, got back to the hotel, got on the shuttle bus and went back to the airport to catch my plane back to Chicago.
