Tippecanoe Place is South Bend's most celebrated restaurant and one of its most remarkable buildings. The 1889 Romanesque mansion was built by Clement Studebaker — of the wagon and automobile family — and later converted to a restaurant while retaining the original carved woodwork, fireplaces, and stained glass. Dining in one of the parlour rooms feels genuinely Victorian.
The menu is upscale American with steaks, seafood, and a Sunday brunch that draws a steady local crowd. The wine list is extensive by South Bend standards. It is expensive, but the building alone justifies a visit for anyone interested in Gilded Age architecture. Reservations strongly recommended on weekends.