Best of SEI For 2026: Results Are In
Updated: Aug 6
The Local Best. Chosen By You.
From best restaurant to best veterinarian and everything in between - we asked, you nominated and voted your 2026 Best of SEI.
Want your voice to be heard and business to be in the running? Best of SEI voting will return in July 2027!
Did your business win? CLICK HERE to download the Winner's Badge to use!
★ Best Local Restaurant
Janet's Diner
Janet's Diner has anchored downtown Dillsboro for years, and it is the kind of place where the food and the people both feel like home. Home-cooked daily specials and the menu runs from farm-fresh burgers and country fried steak to pizza, hoagies and Cincinnati-style chili. The diner even keeps a wall of pre-paid meal receipts so neighbors facing hard times can order a hot meal without worrying about the bill.
★ Best Coffee
Emily's Brew Coffee Co.
Some places become part of a community's story, and Emily's Brew is one of them. Nestled in the heart of the Versailles Square in Versailles, the sister-owned coffee shop was built on the belief that great coffee has the power to bring people together. Every drink, fresh breakfast and welcoming smile are made possible by an incredible team of baristas who faithfully serve each guest seven days a week. Grounded in community, rooted in Christ and committed to excellent customer service, Emily's Brew has become a place where relationships are built one cup at a time.
★ Best Breakfast
State Line Restaurant
State Line Restaurant opened in 1952 as a truck stop on US 50, right where Indiana meets Ohio. It has stayed family-owned ever since, with the Grubers being the 4th family to run it. Breakfast is the main event, served all day alongside lunch and dinner, and regulars come for the homemade strawberry jam and the homemade goetta, available in regular or cajun and made from an old family recipe. Generous portions and friendly prices have kept the parking lot full for more than seventy years.
★ Best Bar / Brewery / Winery
The White Rabbit Lounge
Facebook: The White Rabbit Lounge
The White Rabbit Lounge is a cozy, fun cocktail bar tucked into the corner of the Versailles square. The menu covers craft cocktails, mocktails, draft beer, and scratch-made small bites including wings, melts and flatbreads. Trivia nights and a genuinely wonderful atmosphere have made it a destination for people well outside Ripley County.
★ Best Ice Cream
Flavors Ice Cream
812-926-3203
Flavors Ice Cream and Deli, established in the mid 195o's as Dairy Aisle, has provided soft serve ice cream to the city of Aurora and surrounding areas for nearly 75 years. For the last 4 years it has been owned and operated by Valerie Wandstrat of Dillsboro Indiana and her dedicated staff. Her passion is growing young people into successful young adults with a strong work ethic. Valerie once said it wouldn't be possible without the support of her wonderful and caring husband David, but then quickly retracted her statement. David and Valerie's son works at Flavors and their daughter is excited to be joining the team when she is old enough.
★ Best Pizza
Strong's Brick Oven Pizzeria
Strong's Brick Oven Pizzeria brings Old World-style pizza to the corner of High and Walnut in downtown Lawrenceburg. Every batch of dough, every sauce and ever: appetizer is made from scratch in house each day, then baked in an Italian brick oven. The award-winning Pizza Alla Vodka has a following, and so do the specialty pies, the wings and the meatball appetizer. Local craft: beers and handcrafted cocktails round out the menu.
★ Best Salon / Massage Service
Odyssey Full Service Salon
Versailles, IN
Odyssey Full Service Salon has been serving Versailles for nearly three decades. The team handles cuts, color, highlights and keratin treatments, and the full-service side extends to facials, massage, body wraps and waxing. Once you visit, you'll never second guess why it won best in its category!
★ Best Real Estate Agent / Group
Blake Haag Real Estate Group - Keller Williams Realty
Broker Blake Haag leads a real estate team across Southeastern Indiana. The group is a regular presence in the community beyond the closing table, regularly hosting community events. From their annual Back to School Bash to the YouKnighted Community Festival, you're sure to find their team busy giving back when they're not selling properties.
★ Best Boutique
Farrah Ann's Boutique
Farrah Ann's Boutique is a women's fashion shop with two storefronts and a busy online store shipping out of Southern Indiana. New styles land every week, and the selection run from trendy to classic across apparel, accessories and gifts. In-store events and an active social media presence have built a following well beyond the two locations.
★ Best Veterinarian
Bright Veterinary Clinic
Facebook: Bright Veterinary Clinic
Dr. Steven Hubbard opened Bright Veterinary Clinic in 1988 and has been caring for Dearborn County pets ever since. A 1981 graduate of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Hubbard sees small and large animals, exotics, pocket pets and birds, and works with local wildlife rescue organizations. The clinic's technicians are all graduates of accredited programs and board licensed. A second location, Dearborn County Animal Clinic, extends the practice's reach.
★ Best Wedding Venue or Event Space
The Coachman Event Center
1he Coachman Event Venue sits in a downtown Aurora building with roots going back to 187o. Jenn and Sean York, a husband-and-wife team who grew up in the area, took on a full renovation in 2023, creating a 4,200-square-foot space that seats up to 180 guests while keeping the building's history intact. Weddings are the specialty, with getting-ready suites, an on-site bar and a coordinator on hand, though the Yorks also host fundraisers, reunions and the annual Spring Market featuring local vendors.
★ Best Local Plumber, Electrician or Trades Service
Clark's Home Services
Clark's Home Services is a small family-owned heating and cooling company serving Southeastern Indiana and surrounding areas. Local owner Tyler Clark and his licensed, insured technicians handle furnace and air conditioner repairs, installations and maintenance, along with indoor air quality work. Same-day service, free second opinions on replacements, and 24/7 emergency availability make them a reliable call when the furnace quits in January.
★ Best Florist / Greenhouse
McCabe's Greenhouse & Floral
McCabe's Greenhouse & Floral is Lawrenceburg's botanical authority. From custom bouquets to full-service event decor, they bring the aesthetic to every occasion. It's a long-established fixture that blends retail excellence with serious floral artistry. Your plant parent goals start here.
★ Best Lawn / Land Service
Fehling Excavating and Land Clearing LLC
Fehling Excavating is a family-owned and operated business, and when you hire them you deal directly with Chase Fehling or his father, Bill. Both are hands-on and personally involved on every job site to make sure the work is done right and on schedule. The company handles commercial, residential and industrial projects across the Tri-State area, from dump truck hauling and demolition to land clearing, excavation, underground utilities and hydroseeding for erosion control.
★ Best Auto Repair
Aurora Tire
Facebook: Aurora Tire
Aurora Tire Center is a family-owned shop that has kept cars on the road in Aurora for decades. Beyond tires, they handle oil changes, brake service, alignments, computer balancing, shocks and struts, and front end work, and they take farm service calls. An overnight key drop and a waiting area make the logistics easy. Customers consistently mention how fast the crew turns around a flat.
★ Best Park / Outdoor Rec Area
Versailles State Park
At just under 6,000 acres, Versailles State Park is the second largest state park in Indiana, and it has been welcoming visitors since 1943. The Civilian Conservation Corps built much of what is there, and a commemorative statue near the entrance honors that work. The 230-acre lake offers fishing along with rowboat, kayak and canoe rentals, and the park has four hiking trails, nine mountain bike trails, more than 20 miles of horse trails. a seasonal pool and campgrounds ranging from full hookup to primitive.
Correction: This article has been updated to correctly note that while State Line Restaurant has always been family-owned, the current owners are the fourth unique family to own the restaurant.
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