WELCOME TO
FORT WAYNE
BRIAN MYERS
FILMMAKER | FOUNDER
Thanks for booking the truck!
My favorite part of Fort Wayne Grip Truck has been connecting with production folks nationwide who are coming to my hometown and want to do good work. As a working Director and DP, I travel a lot, and I know it’s not always easy to get the support and resources you need to make professional production happen. I’ve had many producers tell me the sigh of relief they experienced when seeing this site pop up on Google.
And now that we have production covered, here’s a list of personal Fort Wayne favorites to help you make a few fun memories off-set.
I hope you leave surprised at the quality of production support you experience and a little bit of love for Fort Wayne. Cheers!
FOOD
MERCADO - Cali-Mex, casual but nice, located on The Landing - a hip part of town. Great drinks, too! The Chicano Chicken and Cali AF Taco are personal favs. Or the Carne Asada Fries.
BRAVAS - beloved Burger joint. It started as a hot dog cart and turned into a local staple. Casual and delicious. And you gotta get the Patatas Bravas as a side.
NAWA - Thai food. A bit more upscale, also on the Landing. Amazing Masaman Curry, and a great vibe for a nice night out.
SHIGS N’ PIT - BBQ baby. Also, great wings and fries (I personally love the Teryaki Wings). The Brisket and pulled pork are also great, and there are some delicious sides, like Corn Spood Bread and Jalapeno Mac n’ Cheese. Two locations that are equally delicious.
KIM VU - definition of Hole in the Wall. Be prepared to wait, but if you want delicious and no frills, this is it. The Pho is delicious and in an enormous bowl.
MARQUEE - another restaurant on The Landing. A bit fancier, and it’s been solid every time I’ve gone. It’s also fairly large and may be able to accommodate a bigger group with a reservation.
TOLON - just a nice, farm-to-table place. It's not too fancy, but it's consistently good.
800 DEGREES - the BEST local pizza. Wood-fired with amazing salads and apps, too. Their take on Bruschetta changed me forever; it’s sloppy, sweet, and served on soft breadsticks.
ELECTRIC WORKS - a vast, old General Electric campus renovated with a small market and food hall. Great if you can’t all agree on one spot to eat! And it's just a cool building to check out while you’re in town.
OPHELIA’S - cute brunch spot (some good dinner options too). The Hoosier Hotdish and French Toast are personal favs. Latte’s are good, but the drinks have been hit or miss for me.
COPPER SPOON - if you like fancy drinks.
RISE N’ ROLL - Amish Bakery. Known for their Cinnamon Carmel Donuts (aka Amish crack). They are melt-in-your-mouth good and worth every calorie.
HENRY’S - when everything else is closed, Henry’s is open until 3am. THE spot to go to after a late wrap. Fried Pickles. Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Cold Beer. And probably a good story.
COFFEE
CONJURE - The location on Columbia Ave is my neighborhood spot. Great single-origin coffees and some not-too-sweet lattes. Columbia Ave for a hang, or Illinois Road for grab and go (drive-through available there).
UTOPIAN - cute spot on the Landing. Good coffee, lattes, Matcha, and vibe.
PENNY DRIP - eclectic, cool building. They also have a full bar and are open into the evening.
TO DO
PINBALL - 177 pinball machines and counting! You pay with a card, and they give you rolls of quarters to use with the machines. It feels retro and fun.
MVP LANES - recently renovated bowling alley. It feels nice and is a great hang for an evening.
SUMMIT CITY CLIMBING CO - a new bouldering gym near downtown Fort Wayne! It’s relatively small, but there are plenty of options to kill a couple of hours trying out the routes. Support this new local favorite!
BICENTENNIAL WOODS - I grew up hiking in this nature preserve. One of the few spots in town you can get some elevation change and enjoy the outdoors. Up north.
FRANKE PARK - closest downtown hiking available. Also some elevation change depending on which trail you take. Get off-set and outside to recharge!
KOMETS HOCKEY - our local hockey team has a cult following. You'll have fun at a game even if you don’t love hockey.
EMBASSY THEATER - my favorite venue in town. It is a charming old theater with an intimate vibe. Great spot to catch an act if something cool is happening while you’re in town!
SWEETWATER SOUND - Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Sweetwater is an enormous music retailer. Their in-house music store is THE best. If you’re a musician, you must stop by and check it out. And their crescendo cafe has delicious milkshakes.
THE CLUB ROOM AT THE CLYDE - Live music almost every night, and a full menu. Owned and operated by Chuck Surack, the founder of Sweetwater.
CHEERS!