Glass Capital Grill Serves Up Homestyle Favorites for Indiana Diners

Ryan and Kelly Johnson, owners of Glass Capital Grill, pay tribute to the history of Dunkirk with the restaurant’s decor and the relationships with their customers and community. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

For Ryan and Kelly Johnson, 2020 was the year to realize a big dream. Their love of cooking and sharing food with others finally culminated in their own restaurant after years of working other jobs and catering for events. It started with the right building coming available in downtown Dunkirk, Indiana.

“We saw the building Father’s Day weekend, and we prayed about it, but by Thursday, we knew we wanted to do it,” Kelly says. “We went into get-things-done mode and were open on Aug. 24.”

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The property had been a Knights of Columbus hall, then two different restaurants before the Johnsons took it on and created the Glass Capital Grill. The previous restaurant owners asked to keep Glass Capital in the name, which is an homage to Dunkirk’s storied past in glassmaking due to the presence of the Indiana Glass Company from 1907 to 2002.

The Glass Capital Grill continues to pay tribute to the history of Dunkirk with its decor and the relationship the restaurant shares with their customers.

“We have been open over two years, and people are still bringing us unique glass pieces that their fathers and grandfathers made, and we proudly display them,” Kelly says. “We’ve found seven glass elephants that were made here in Dunkirk, and they are the coolest things – they have their own shelf.”

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Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Capitalizing on Community

With a location in the heart of Dunkirk, the Johnsons work with the city so they can host or participate in events, from holding class reunions to participating in the annual holiday Feel the Warmth Celebration.

While the property was already a restaurant and was basically move-in ready, they built their own back bar, freshened up the Indiana-themed decorations and added a patio with a stage to host bands during the summer.

They had some challenges, opening right into the first long winter of COVID-19, but by holding on through to summer, they were able to make it.

“It’s been a journey, but because we held on that first winter, we’ve been climbing ever since,” Kelly says.

Kelly and Ryan raise cows on their property, so all their hamburger and steaks are sourced directly once a month from their own cattle. They also source from local producers, including Munsee Meats as well as other farms in the immediate vicinity.

“We had a guy who had sweet corn, we’ve done local peaches, and we try to keep it local as much as we can,” Kelly says.

They brought their background in catering to the menu, crafting a selection that could be both a casual meal and a nice steak dinner – all in the same location. Guests leave rave reviews for steaks, chef’s salads and a pulled pork barbecue grilled cheese. Of course, you won’t go wrong trying the cheese curds or breaded tenderloin, either.

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Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

A Family Affair

One thing that makes Kelly feel blessed is the amazing staff she’s had over the years, including lots of young folks. As a mom of five, she feels like the people who work for her are part of the family, too.

“Family isn’t blood – it’s who you have your loyalty to,” she says. “We treat our staff like family. If there’s a slow night, it’s time for homework. I’m an only child, so we’ve had big Thanksgiving dinners here, and we invite any staff who want to come to come on in.”

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

She’s seen how success in the job can build confidence in her team.

It feels like a great time to be part of Dunkirk’s downtown, with new businesses opening and current businesses expanding.

“I love the people, and even though we all have different businesses, we all support each other,” Kelly says. “It’s nice that we can all work together.”

They aimed for a homey atmosphere, and they’ve seen people come in for all kinds of reasons: families looking for a bite, bridal shower groups, and even families gathering after a wedding or a funeral.

“We want to be that small-town, anybody-feels-welcome kind of place,” Kelly says.

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