A lasagna billed as mile high is waiting for you inside a historic beach inn. That alone made me sit up straight.
The chef behind it once won a Chicago award for a bacon pasta dish. The restaurant hides away from the main roads, close to the shores of Lake Michigan.
It sits inside an old inn with an old-school mood that feels cozy yet elegant. I appreciate a restaurant that doesn’t need flashy signs or fancy gimmicks to make an impression.
This is a true supper club in northern Indiana, the kind of place built for long dinners. The menu leans on Italian-American classics made with imported and local ingredients.
Even the appetizer list carries a little old Hollywood swagger. I’d save this one for an evening when getting dressed up feels just as fun as the dinner itself.
So what exactly makes this place feel so royal?
A Secret Supper Spot You Have To Hunt For A Little
Some of the best dinners start with a quiet road and a little searching. Farina’s Supper Club sits away from the main roads in Michigan City, Indiana.
It makes its home inside the historic Duneland Beach Inn. That setting gives the whole evening a tucked-away, special-occasion feeling without any fuss.
The lake is close by, just a short walk from the inn. You get the sense of a beach town getaway before you even see a menu.
I love that the place doesn’t shout for attention. It feels like a club for people who know where to look.
Plan your drive in daylight if you’re new to the area. Wooded roads near the dunes can feel different once the sun goes down.
Give yourself a few extra minutes to find parking too. Nobody wants to start a fancy dinner feeling rushed and flustered.
The location also makes Farina’s Supper Club an easy anchor for a full lakeshore day. Spend the afternoon outside, then trade sandy shoes for something nicer.
That shift from beach mode to dinner mode is half the fun. It turns an ordinary weekend into a little adventure with a delicious ending.
The Chef Brings Serious Chicago Credentials To The Kitchen
Award-winning bacon pasta is a pretty great line on any resume. Chef Joseph Farina earned the People’s Choice Golden Rasher Award for Best Bacon Dish at Chicago’s Baconfest.
His roots run through Chicago’s neighborhood restaurants. Those are the places where regular folks expect big flavor and generous comfort every single night.
He also co-founded the Victory Restaurant Group in 2016. That experience helps explain why this Indiana supper club runs with real kitchen confidence.
Chef Farina specializes in authentic Italian-American cooking. He works with both imported and local ingredients, which is a smart mix for a lakeshore kitchen.
Imported items bring that classic Italian backbone. Local ingredients keep the plates tied to the region and the seasons around it.
I believe you can taste a chef’s background in the way a menu reads. Here, the dishes sound like a love letter to old neighborhood dining rooms.
Knowing the story behind the stove makes the meal more fun. You’re not just ordering pasta at some random spot.
You’re tasting the work of someone who built a name in one of America’s toughest food cities. Then he brought it to the dunes.
Starters With A Wink Of Old Hollywood
Oceans 11 Eggplant Stack might be the most stylish appetizer name around. It sounds like something you’d order while wearing a sharp jacket and sitting in a corner booth.
The starter list keeps that playful spirit going. You’ll spot Shrimp Cocktail, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Sammy’s Sausage and Peppers.
See the pattern? A few of these names nod to the famous Rat Pack era, and it fits the supper club mood perfectly.
Shrimp Cocktail is about as classic as supper club food gets. It’s the kind of starter that instantly makes a table feel like a celebration.
Stuffed Mushrooms bring cozy comfort to the beginning of the meal. Sausage and Peppers adds that hearty Italian-American flavor many folks grew up loving.
My tip is simple: order a couple of starters for the table. Sharing turns dinner into a slower, chattier event, which is exactly the point here.
Save room, though, because the main courses are no joke. Pace yourself like a pro and treat the appetizers as the opening act.
A good supper club meal should unfold in chapters. These starters write a pretty fantastic first page.
Prepare To Meet A Lasagna Built Like A Skyscraper
Mile high is a bold way to describe a lasagna. Farina’s Supper Club uses those exact words, and honestly, that’s a promise worth checking out.
Lasagna is the heart of so many Italian-American family dinners. Seeing it treated like a showstopper here feels both nostalgic and a little grand.
The entrée list leans into those big classic comfort dishes. It’s the kind of menu where hearty pasta gets the respect it deserves.
So how should you tackle something called mile high? Share a starter instead of three, and give the main dish your full attention.
Leftovers might happen, and that’s not a bad thing. A tall lasagna makes a pretty great lunch the next day.
I like that the kitchen keeps one foot planted in tradition. Fancy food can be fun, but sometimes you just want layers of pasta, sauce, and cheese.
If someone in your group can’t decide what to order, point them here. It’s a safe bet with a sense of humor built right into the name.
Just warn them it might take some planning. Climbing a lasagna is serious business, after all.
Old-School Charm Without The Stuffy Attitude
Supper clubs were made for lingering. This one leans into that tradition with an old-school atmosphere and a cozy yet elegant setting.
The dining room lives inside a historic inn, so the backdrop already has character. You don’t need neon lights when the building carries its own sense of history.
The best part is the dress code. It runs from casual to casual elegant, which means you can look nice without feeling squeezed into a tuxedo.
That balance matters more than people think. A royal dinner should feel special, not like a strict school dance.
Want a tip? Use this place as a reason to dress up just a notch.
Swap the beach T-shirt for a collared shirt or a simple dress.
Little choices like that change the whole mood of a night. Suddenly a regular dinner feels like an event worth remembering.
Birthdays, anniversaries, and family milestones seem made for rooms like this. The setting does a lot of the celebrating for you.
Still, nobody needs a big reason to book a table. Sometimes a random Thursday deserves its own little crown too.
Book That Table Before The Weekend Sneaks Up On You
Weekend tables here are worth planning for. Farina’s Supper Club recommends reservations, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, and you can book online.
Knowing the hours saves you from a sad drive. The dining room is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Wednesday and Thursday run from 4 pm to 9 pm. Friday and Saturday stretch from 3 pm to 10 pm.
Sunday is the early bird’s best friend. Doors open at 11:30 am and stay open until 9 pm.
That Sunday window opens up some fun options. You could plan a long afternoon meal and still get home at a reasonable hour.
The full address is 3311 Pottawattomie Trail, Michigan City, IN 46360. Plug it in before you leave, since the spot sits off the busier roads.
My advice is to reserve as soon as your plans are set. Special dinners feel much calmer when you know a table is waiting.
Celebrating something big? Mention it when booking so the team knows the occasion.
A little heads-up helps everyone make the night run smoothly.
Weekend Mornings Come With Donuts Too
Fresh donuts at a supper club? It sounds wild, but Belly Flop at Farina’s Supper Club makes it real.
This carry-and-go bakery opens Saturdays and Sundays from 8 am to 3 pm. The lineup includes fresh donuts, bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee.
The name alone made me grin. Belly Flop is a cheeky nod for a spot so close to Lake Michigan.
Carry-and-go means it’s built for people on the move. Grab breakfast, then head toward the water or out on a day of exploring.
I love the idea of pairing both sides of this place in one weekend. Get donuts in the morning, then come back for pasta at night.
That’s a pretty efficient way to eat your way through northern Indiana. No one would blame you for trying it.
Families with early risers will appreciate this option a lot. Kids up at sunrise need something fast, and breakfast sandwiches fit the bill.
Arrive earlier rather than later if you’ve got your heart set on something specific. Fresh bakery goods have a funny habit of disappearing as the morning rolls on.
Your Next Party Could Have Its Own Private Room
Twenty guests can gather in the Bennett Room for a private meal. That’s a cozy number for a rehearsal dinner, family reunion, or milestone birthday.
Bigger groups have options as well. Semi-private or open dining can handle up to 60 guests.
The room name fits the supper club spirit nicely. It carries the same classic crooner feel you’ll notice across the menu.
Planning an event can feel like juggling bowling pins. Having a restaurant handle the space and the food takes a lot off your plate.
Farina’s Supper Club also offers customizable catering packages. Those work for events on-site and off-site, so the food can travel to you.
That flexibility is handy for graduation parties or office gatherings. You get Chef Farina’s cooking without needing everyone to fit in one dining room.
My tip is to reach out early, especially for busy seasons. Summer weekends near the lake tend to fill calendars quickly.
Have a rough guest count and date ready before you ask. Those two details make planning conversations faster and much less stressful for everyone involved.
Gift Someone A Royal Night Out
Struggling to find a gift for the person who has everything? A dinner reservation in a historic beach inn is hard to beat.
Farina’s Supper Club sells gift cards. That turns a simple present into a full evening of Italian-American comfort food.
Gift cards work for parents, teachers, grandparents, and newlyweds. Pretty much anyone who loves a good meal will appreciate one.
Experiences often stick around longer than stuff. People forget sweaters, but they remember a fancy dinner with someone they love.
Pair the card with a little note suggesting a starter. Telling them to try the Oceans 11 Eggplant Stack adds a personal touch.
You could even plan a whole lakeshore day around the gift. Weekend breakfast from Belly Flop, a beach walk, then dinner sounds like a dream.
For anyone living in or visiting Indiana, this place offers something unusual. Not every town has a supper club hiding near the dunes.
That’s what makes it worth sharing. A great restaurant is fun to find, but it’s even better when you hand someone else the map to it.
