On the Menu: Hilltop for sale. When will Peach Cobbler Factory open?
Dennis and Chris Grubb are "attempting to retire."
The owners of Hilltop Restaurant, 2434 U.S. 231 just north of Spencer, are celebrating the restaurant's 75th year this month and hoping to find someone who wants to keep the family-style traditional service.
The Grubbs have owned the restaurant for the past 10 years, Chris said.
"We'd like to find the right fit." she said.
The Grubbs took over the restaurant after their previous business, Pic-A-Chic, closed when it was displaced by Interstate 69. Violet Mercer Anderson started Hilltop Restaurant in 1948, when it was known as Skyland Lodge. The Grubbs are the restaurant's fifth set of owners.
The Grubbs continued to serve family-style side dishes in bowls and plates that can be refilled as needed. Sides include mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn and homemade yeast rolls served with house-made orange marmalade. Prime rib is available the first Friday of each month, along with fried chicken, steak, shrimp, catfish, salmon, country ham and boneless porkloin chops. Desserts include cobbler, coconut cream and peanut butter pie, Mississippi mud cake and persimmon pudding.
"There aren't many family-style restaurants left," Chris said. They worked hard through COVID to keep the restaurant open, she added, but had to shut down for a time.
Ever since Hilltop Restaurant reopened "it's been going gangbusters," Chris said. "It's just a place where people feel comfortable and safe."
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Some customers had high school proms at the restaurant in the 1950s and '60s, she said. Customers come from a wide area, with frequent diners driving from Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Bloomington and even Illinois.
"It's a destination," Chris said. "We would love for it to continue as it has for the past 75 years."
The restaurant is listed for sale for $399,900. Anyone interested can contact real estate agent Sarah Hamilton with Carpenter Realtors.
Peach Cobbler Factory opens Thursday
The Peach Cobbler Factory. 115 N. College Ave., will open at 11 a.m. Thursday. Owner Wade Johnson was busy training his staff earlier this week. The shop will sell 12 flavors of cobbler each topped with vanilla bean ice cream, 12 flavors of banana pudding, 12 flavors of cookies, six types of cinnamon rolls and soon 12 flavors of Pudd-N shakes. Drinks include Peach Cobbler's brand of cold brew coffee and sweet "peachy" tea as well as milk and water. For people who want to try several types of desserts, there will be a four-dessert flight available.
"The smells are free," Johnson said while taking a pan of pralines out of the oven.
Johnson is returning to Bloomington, where he graduated with an MBA in 1993 from Indiana University. He recently opened a Peach Cobbler Factory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he also earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Alabama.
The Bloomington Peach Cobbler Factory will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily for now. Once the shop adds Door Dash as an option, Johnson said the shop will be open until midnight. After Indiana University classes begin in August, Johnson expects to extend the hours again, from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Anything ordered after 10 p.m. will be carryout only.
The Bloomington shop has seating for about 11 inside with two more tables outside. The restaurant will employ around 20 people.
In addition to offering desserts at the restaurant, Peach Cobbler Factory will offer catering with options for all sizes of parties.
Johnson requested customers "be patient with us" when the restaurant first opens. He will schedule a grand opening in the near future.
From Farm to Table dinner at Switchyard Park
Bloomington Community Farmers' Market vendors will provide many of the ingredients for a Farm to Table dinner 6-8 p.m. Aug. 19 at Switchyard Park Pavilion, 1611 S. Rogers St. Chef Corbin Morwick, executive chef with One World Catering, will create the menu and dishes for the event.
Cost is $75 per person. Reservations will be taken through Aug. 11 online at https://tinyurl.com/3k3aspwj.
The dinner will allow participants to better connect with the food produced locally by people in the Bloomington area. Dinner will be served family-style at tables seating eight people. One alcoholic drink provided to guests over 21. Cash bar.
Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com, 812-331-4359 or @ckugler on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Spencer Hilltop Restaurant for sale; Bloomington Peach Cobbler Factory
