Fort Wayne with Kids: Where to Eat, Snack, and Stay

So you have checked out my Fort Wayne family travel guide and discovered all of the cool and exciting places that you want to visit with the kids. But now the question is, what kind of food is there in this town? Better yet, where are you going to sleep?

Great news! I totally have some insight for you guys in this area as well.

During our trip to Fort Wayne over the summer, we were fortunate to be able to enjoy some amazing eats and lodging. From burgers and tacos to ice cream and chocolates, we had a taste of several amazing dishes that left us craving the next time we get to return to the city!

So what were our must-visit locations?

Mad Anthony’s Brewery

Are you looking for a laid-back atmosphere with great food?

Mad Anthony’s is totally for you!

We met some local friends for dinner at Mad Anthony’s Brewery on our second night in Fort Wayne. Dragging along 6 kiddos between the two families, the restaurant had no problems accommodating our large crew.
Not only did they have us seated, without reservations, in minutes, but the staff was super accommodating throughout! From drinks to desserts, the entire meal was a great experience.

And the brews! My husband being a beer connoisseur loved that he was able to sample the local flavors in an environment that was also kid-friendly.

As for what we ate…guys, you gotta try the Scooby Snacks! These tasty potato wedges were seasoned to perfection and were a GREAT addition to our meal! (Thanks Sandy!) For my main course, I had to try the MAD, MAD, MAD burger, it was…..AMAZING! I honestly had not had a burger that good in a long while.

Crazy Mom Talk

Make sure that when you go to visit Mad Anthony’s, you take a couple minutes to look around the place. The walls are COVERED in vintage 60’s knickknacks and it makes for a really neat environment.

Scared to take your kids because of the term “brewery”? Don’t let your family miss out on this food experience because of that term! As far as breweries go, Mad Anthony’s balances the brew scene with the family side of things FABULOUS, and not once did we feel uncomfortable with our kids in the location! The restaurant features a full kids menu, and if you are really that put off by having your kids near the bar scene, there is a whole separate room you can be seated in.

Live music is another great perk of this location. The night we visited, we were graced with the sounds of an amazing local musician whose tunes accented the atmosphere of the place perfectly.

Also, be sure that if you do not park out back, you sneak out the back door on your way out. The back of the building houses some freaking AWESOME artwork you really shouldn’t miss!

The Hoppy Gnome

For dinner on our first night in Fort Wayne, we ventured out for a walk and wound up at The Hoppy Gnome. As it was on a list of highly recommended local eateries, we decided to check it out.

My hubby is still raving over this place. Taco’s are the name of the game at The Hoppy Gnome and they play it oh so well.

Not going to lie, I was intimidated looking at the menu. With names like “Duck Confit” and “The Bob Marley”, these are not at all the tacos you order off the dollar menu at Taco Bell. (Call me basic, my taco knowledge is namely from a fast food drive-thru.)

Instead, these tacos came with rich, unique flavors that pair well with the upscale atmosphere of this eatery. My eyes were much bigger than my stomach this evening, so I choose 3 tacos from the menu. (Three Little Pigs, Chili Glazed Shrimp, and Smoked Brisket were on my plate. The hubs was brave and tried the “Dante’s Inferno” which resulted in some major tears.)

Crazy Mom Talk

Aside from the menu, I was also intimidated by the upscale atmosphere of this place when we walked in. Guys, I am a mom of 3 sometimes obnoxious children, who were ravenous at the time that we walked in. I was kind of fearful they were going to be swinging from the light fixtures and gnawing chair legs before food hit the table.

Thankfully, the staff here are utterly amazing. My kids were provided some complimentary “fish tacos” shortly after we were seated, and my nerves instantly were put to rest. No, my children would not leave this lovely place in rumble, these guys were totally prepared.

Also to be noted, since The Hoppy Gnome is an open-air kitchen, you can see everything being prepared while you wait. This was especially cool for my oldest who enjoyed watching the chefs at work.

My other half, however, was most excited by the attached brewery (housed separately from the eatery). Luckily, he waited until after the fish tacos were served to disappear to go check it out.

Yummi Bunni

PLEASE, do not leave Fort Wayne without making a stop at Yummi Bunni.
Yes, this place will blow your diet out of the water. But Mama’s, I have only 4 words for you.
Donut. Ice. Cream. Sandwich.

Yes, you read that right. This place is not only giving you yummy ice cream with the fixings. They are freaking putting it onto a donut to make a convenient sandwich for you! (Ok, maybe a messy sandwich, but SOOOO worth it!)

My kids were so excited about the ice cream flavor selection available. I was much more excited about the sugar rush that resulted. Plus, the hubs was totally stoked about the selection of bottled sodas available here. Since he has an amazing allergy to lactose, it gave him a great alternative to the ice cream.

Crazy Mom Talk

Word to the wise. If you plan to allow your children who are indecisive to partake in the donut ice cream sandwiches available here, you are going to be calling in the back-up. Not only are you choosing which ice cream flavor you want, but you are also choosing a topping. The flavor selection process alone was overwhelming for my kids, so I left them with just a scoop a piece of their favorite. (I know, I am a bad mom eating donut sandwich in front of them. Don’t worry, I shared a bite. A small bite.)

Take note, this palace of ice cream splendor is open only in the late afternoon/evenings aside from Sunday’s when they open at noon. Promising your kids an ice cream snack around 1pm will not bode well for your livelihood if your destination is Yummi Bunni throughout the week. Just trying to save a mama a meltdown.

DeBrands Chocolate

If you do not like chocolate, please skip this section and know I probably find you to be crazier than I am.
If you are a chocolate lover, do not let yourself miss DeBrand’s Fine Chocolate store. I thought I had partaken in the best chocolate before entering this store. I was wrong. Very wrong.

Walking into Debrand’s Fine Chocolates you are immediately hit with sugary sweet aroma’s one can only find in a chocolate shop. Upon approaching the counter, however, you will find that DeBrand’s is unlike any candy shop you have previously experienced.

Here, they take flavors like dark chocolate and chai and combine them in ways that will THRILL your taste buds.

Crazy Mom Talk

So here is the nitty gritty of this situation. While your kids may be lovers of chocolate of the M&M variety, finding something for them at DeBrands may be a bit tougher. With all of the artisan flavors present at this chocolate shop, your kiddo’s may be a bit overwhelmed by the choices.

The good thing is, the staff at this location are totally on it! If you tell them your chocolate situation, they are more than happy to help you out!

For me, I am not a fan of milk chocolate (I know, I know…) and instead love the rich flavors of dark chocolate. When the staff found this out, they quickly changed their offer of the daily chocolate sample to some amazing dark chocolate masterpieces. Their brilliance totally carried over to their selections for my kids. (They only got one apiece though….mama knows she doesn’t need that sugar rush!)

The Hilton Downtown

If you are looking for a place to stay in Fort Wayne that will be central to all of your planned activities, look no further than the Hilton Downtown.

Guys, this lodging experience is one of the best I have had in a hotel! Our room was on the top floor of the hotel, and my kids simply could not get over the view. Plus, our room was more than large enough to fit myself, my husband, and all three kids without us killing each other before the weekend was over!

The staff in the hotel were absolutely amazing and were willing to help in any way they could. (Seriously, the bar waiter was so accommodating at midnight when Ellie woke up and we realized we were out of milk for her sippy!)

Also, the hotel had a perfect location that allowed us to walk to many of our mini-vaca destinations as opposed to loading in and out of the car every 5 minutes. And the Starbucks shop just off the lobby on the main floor? Well my friends, that was just perfection!

Crazy Mom Talk

Overall, we were very impressed with our accommodations for our trip to Fort Wayne, and we were so appreciative of the Hilton Downtown for hosting out get-a-way. We will certainly be back next time we need a place to stay in town!

The icing on the cake for our Hilton experience however, was certainly the fact that we were able to view the nightly fireworks show at Parkview Field on the evening that Ellie was just not up for a ball game. Seriously cool!

Well mama, I hope that this has provided you some insight into some key eateries in the Fort Wayne area. Also, if you are reading this from your cushy bed at the Hilton, know that I am so jealous of you right now!

Have you eaten or stayed somewhere in Fort Wayne that was absolutely phenomenal and didn’t make my list? Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time!