“Rooted in Fresh,” Inside Cunningham’s Newest Concept in West Lafayette

The Lawrence is a modern Midwestern restaurant built around a simple idea: Rooted in Fresh. A philosophy that relates both to the approach to food and to legacy.

Originally constructed in the 1930s, the barn that holds the restaurant once stood at the center of daily life on the Beck family farm in Sheridan. Rather than letting the barn disappear to age and time, the family, led by Beck’s Hybrids owner and Purdue alumnus Sonny Beck, donated the structure to the Purdue Research Foundation. The barn was carefully disassembled and relocated to Purdue’s Discovery Park District, a 400-acre development on the southwest edge of campus near the Purdue Airport. Today, restored and reimagined, it stands as The Lawrence, named after Beck’s grandfather, and serves as a focal point for the park and as a gathering place for food, celebration, and community.

Reflecting those rhythms, The Lawrence will offer a casual lunch menu, including a “choose two” option for working lunches, before transitioning in the evening to a more elevated, but approachable dining experience. 

The dinner menu strikes a balance between creativity and familiarity and the Cunningham culinary expertise really shows off. Dishes like harissa-spiced pork and beef meatballs arrive alongside bright pickled fennel slaw, while bold flavors show up in shrimp and grits finished with horseradish and made with Indiana-grown polenta. The fillet features a demi-glace that is reduced and simmered for days for full flavor impact, and the pasta is handmade across the long countertops in the open-air kitchen.

At The Lawrence, Cunningham Restaurant Group continues its celebration of Indiana’s agricultural roots not just in name or aesthetic, but also through its approach to cooking. The restaurant centers seasonal, scratch-made dishes that favor local ingredients. To do so, the team at The Lawrence works closely with CRG Grow, Cunningham’s hydroponic greenhouse, which supplies herbs, microgreens, tomatoes, and peppers year-round. The team is also building relationships with Purdue’s School of Agriculture, including leaders who manage the nearby student-run farm, as well as other local growers in the region.

The partnership between Purdue University and Cunningham Restaurant Group has generated excitement on both sides. CRG’s VP of Culinary, Carl Chambers, called the Purdue Student Farm’s products “top notch.” 

Meanwhile, longtime CRG employee and new General Manager of The Lawrence, John Spicer has come into this role full of energy. A real history buff, Spicer is passionate about the legacy The Lawrence represents and the ways they’re connecting with the university’s hospitality program. Emily Najem, Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Partnerships at Purdue Research Foundation echoed their enthusiasm, saying the opportunity for students to gain experience alongside a hospitality group with a strong regional footprint is a natural fit for PRF.

Still, The Lawrence is designed first and foremost as a neighborhood restaurant for West Lafayette. Najem and her team at Purdue Research Foundation envision the surrounding area evolving into a lively gathering place, complete with a community amphitheater and playground. They see it as an extension of campus, but with an energy that remains distinctly its own.

Beyond daily dining, the property includes private dining for groups of up to 24, as well as an events space with its own private entrance capable of hosting weddings, corporate gatherings, and celebrations of up to 200 guests.

A permanent art installation created in partnership with the Indiana Barn Foundation dots the walls of the restaurant with images and paintings of historic barns across the state. These art elements situate The Lawrence and its guests within a broader cultural narrative, tying the dining experience directly to Indiana’s agricultural past and present.

As part of Cunningham Restaurant Group’s growing portfolio across Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, The Lawrence reflects not just the restaurant group’s long-standing commitment to community, great food, and hospitality; It also represents a thoughtful kind of progress—one that honors history, invests in community, and looks ahead by staying firmly “rooted in fresh.”

The Lawrence is open to the public on February 2, 2026. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 11 PM, and on Sunday’s from 11 AM to 9 PM. Visit The Lawrence at 150 S McCutcheon Dr, West Lafayette, IN 47906 or at www.thelawrencerestaurant.com