What’s it like in Edinburgh, Indiana?

Small Town Breakdown No. 58: Edinburgh, Indiana 

For this week’s small town breakdown we’re going from Elwood in Madison County to Edinburgh, which sits primarily in Johnson County. Edinburgh is 35 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis, 15 minutes north of Columbus, and one hour east of Bloomington.

What's it like in Edinburgh, Indiana?

Edinburgh, Indiana is home to the biggest tenderloin in the Hoosier State, premium outlets that pull in shoppers from hours away, and a golf course designed with the input of 1979 Masters champion Fuzzy Zoeller.

The History of Edinburgh, Indiana

Despite only covering a total of 3.11 square miles, Edinburgh spreads into three Indiana counties: Johnson, Bartholomew, and Shelby. It mostly sits in the far southeast corner of Johnson County, where it was the county’s first settlement.

Edinburgh was platted in 1822 with 32 lots owned by Alexander Thompson and Lewis Bishop. The name had the “h” at the end in the beginning and when it became incorporated in 1853, but the “h” was dropped in 1899 and wasn’t brought back until the Town Council restored the “h” to the town’s name in 1977. There is no certainty on where Edinburgh got its name. It was believed that Thompson was a Scotsman, making some think it was named in honor of Edinburgh, Scotland. Others suggest that early settlers described the area as “Eden” because of its beauty.

As of the 2024 census, Edinburgh’s population is 4,478, making it the sixth-largest incorporated town/city in Johnson County, second in Bartholomew County, and second in Shelby County. It is the 143rd-largest city in Indiana.

Things to Do In or Near Edinburgh, Indiana

Owned by Simon Property Group, Indiana Premium Outlets is the go-to spot for shopping in Edinburgh. It originally opened as Edinburgh Premium Outlets in 1989 and today has nearly 75 stores with huge savings, including Nike Factory Store, Under Armour, Michael Kors, kate spade new york, Columbia Sportswear Company, Sunglass Hut, and more.

For those looking to support local business, Edinburgh has plenty of options as well. Antique lovers should head to Exit 76 Antique Mall, and popcorn lovers are set with Not Just Popcorn. The story of Not Just Popcorn began in 1989, when Carole Buck started with eight original flavors. Over 35 years later, her gourmet flavored popcorn has expanded to over 400 flavors with shipments being made to dozens of countries around the world. The popcorn shop was featured on the Food Network in 2001 and more recently in the Food Network Magazine and Yahoo Travel.

For golfers, Timbergate Golf Course was designed by Clyde Johnston with the help of Indiana native and 1979 Masters Tournament champion Fuzzy Zoeller. It is one of four Indiana courses rated as a “good value” by Golf Digest, and the only one south of Indianapolis. The 18-hole links style design poses a challenge for golfers of all levels. Weekday rates are just $46, weekends are $55, and twilight rates after 2 p.m. are $40.

If you have an appreciation for historic architecture, Edinburgh has three districts worth exploring on the National Register of Historic Places: South Walnut Street Historic District, Toner Historic District, and the Edinburgh Commercial Historic District.

Established in 1942, Camp Atterbury is a 34,000-acre military training base that serves as a training site for active, reserve, and National Guard forces. It is managed by the Indiana National Guard. In addition to a memorial park and museum, there’s the Whitaker Campground for camping.

In September the annual Fall Festival takes place for four days in the heart of town. Attendees can enjoy food vendors, live entertainment, midway booths, carnival rides, and a parade.

Places to Eat in Edinburgh, Indiana

We’re starting with an Indiana staple in Edinburgh, the tenderloin sandwich at Edinburgh Diner. They call it the giant breaded tenderloin sandwich, and it’s just that – 16 oz. of juicy flavor to be exact – and it’s only $9.99. If a tenderloin isn’t your preferred choice, their all-day breakfast, wraps, and burgers are good alternatives.

For a local option dishing out slow-cooked meats with catering services available, Hickory Hillz BBQ is the spot. They have 4.5 stars on Google among nearly 1,000 reviews, with many raving about the brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and smoked mac & cheese.

For authentic Mexican food from Veracruz, Mexico, the food truck Antojitos Rosita has you covered. You can’t go wrong with its carne asada, al pastor, or birria tacos, burritos, quesadillas, or really anything on the menu. It was named #1 Best Food Truck and runner-up for Best Taco in the 2025 Readers’ Choice awards in the The Republic newspaper based out of nearby Columbus.

Montana Mike’s Steakhouse near the Indiana Premium Outlets serves up delicious steaks, ribs, seafood, burgers, and more. There are only seven Montana Mike’s locations across the country – three in Indiana (also: Anderson, Greenfield), two in Oklahoma, one in Texas, and one in Iowa.

Cliff’s Bar is a popular shotgun bar to grab a burger or wings, watch the game, shoot some pool, play darts or Golden Tee, and have a cold one. This March they’re hosting Poker nights every Thursday and live music every Friday.

High School History

Edinburgh Community High School is home of the Lancers.

They have not won an IHSAA state title in school history, but softball did win Class 1A regional titles in 2011 and 2017. Boys basketball also has a pair of regional titles on its resume, the first coming in 1951 and the second in 2012 in Class 1A.

That’s it for small town breakdown No. 58. Where should we head next?