4th Street
Bloomington’s beloved 4th Street is home to a wide array of international cuisine. Located about half a mile from the Indiana Memorial Union, it is the ideal place to go if you aren’t sure what you want to eat but you know you want it to be extremely tasty. Pretty much everything on 4th Street is great, but here are some standouts:
Anyetsang’s Little Tibet Restaurant (lunch & dinner) Bloomington’s only Tibetan restaurant, but they also serve Indian and Thai cuisine. Their Tibetan dumplings are a must-try!
Korea Restaurant (lunch & dinner) Unfortunately, Korea Restaurant has no online presence, so you’ll just have to trust us when we say their food is excellent, with a variety of Korean dishes to choose from and a charming outdoor patio where you can eat them.
Taste of India (lunch & dinner) Family-owned restaurant serving Northern Indian cuisine as well as Bloomington’s only Southern Indian cuisine. All meats are always certified Zibah Halal, and a fantastic lunch buffet is available from 11-3.
Turkuaz Café (lunch & dinner) Another restaurant with no website whatsoever! Not technically on 4th Street (but close!), Turkuaz serves Turkish cuisine, including a wide variety of pides, many with vegetarian options.
My Thai (lunch & dinner) An authentic Thai restaurant that serves an excellent variety of delicious dishes. Outdoor seating on a cozy patio!
The Square
A popular destination in Bloomington, at the center of downtown and only a two-block walk from the Graduate Hotel. In the middle of the square sits the iconic Monroe County Courthouse. Surrounding the courthouse are dozens of locally owned shops and restaurants, many with outdoor seating. Our favorite restaurants on the square include:
Amrit India Restaurant (lunch & dinner) Serving Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine, Amrit India has a huge menu, including nine varieties of naan.
The Orbit Room (lunch Fri-Sat only, dinner Tue-Sat) Small and cozy (literally underground) pub specializing in gourmet hotdogs and classic bar snacks. The menu is vegan and gluten-free friendly. A room near the front of the bar has a rotating selection of pinball machines. Live events happen multiple nights of the week including live music, comedy, karaoke, and trivia.
The Owlery (lunch & dinner) Bloomington’s only full vegetarian and vegan restaurant specializing in vegetarian comfort food, craft beer from Indiana and around the country, and vegan baked goods.
Samira (lunch & dinner) Upmarket eatery serving Afghan cuisine including kebabs & dumplings, with many vegetarian options and wine available. A Lilly staff favorite, especially for their incredible and relatively affordable lunch buffet!
Kirkwood Avenue
The Graduate Hotel is situated almost smack dab in the middle of the stretch of Kirkwood Avenue that connects the IU campus to the central square of Bloomington. The Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) is also only a block away from Kirkwood. The City of Bloomington has closed several blocks of Kirkwood to car traffic during the summer months to make it more pedestrian-friendly and to allow more restaurants to offer outdoor seating. During the school year, several undergrad hangouts make this a congested area. However, in the summer it’s pleasantly toned-down and more locals take advantage of the restaurant options along this commercial corridor.
BuffaLouie’s (lunch & dinner) This burger & wing spot is very close to the IMU, just around the corner from Kirkwood Avenue on S. Indiana Ave. Be sure to note the Gables Building in which this restaurant is located. In the early twentieth century it was a popular student hangout called The Book Nook, where Hoagy Carmichael allegedly penned at least part of “Stardust.”
Farm (dinner, brunch on weekends) A farm-to-table option, the décor is intense country/funky. See also our post about the Root Cellar bar in the Bars & Pubs post.
Lennie’s Brewpub (lunch & dinner) The closest local restaurant to the IMU and luckily their food is also quite tasty. Their menu features gourmet pizza, locally sourced ingredients, and craft beer from their own Bloomington Brewing Co. Great patio for people-watching.
Nick’s English Hut (lunch & dinner) Open since 1927, Nick’s is the IU sports bar, with lots of memorabilia on the walls and traditional pub food. Although it looks tiny from the outside, the restaurant expands back and up and is actually massive inside. They excel at handling large groups.
Osteria Rago (lunch & dinner) Tucked in an alley off Kirkwood in a wee little building. Reservations are recommended. Italian grandmother-style cooking that is comforting, delicious, and served simply in a rustic environment. House-made pasta, pizza, and bread are made fresh daily using locally sourced, organic ingredients.
Runcible Spoon (lunch & dinner) Cozy, funky, and affordable, the Spoon is a Bloomington staple for breakfast foods, especially their corned beef hash. The bathroom of this house-converted-to-restaurant used to have a fish tank in the bathtub. It’s that kind of a place. They usually have a traditional Irish music session on the patio on Tuesday evenings.
Uptown Café (lunch & dinner) A Bloomington favorite for a nice evening out since 1976, the Uptown offers a great ambiance with roomy booths, great service, and a menu full of Indiana and New Orleans-inspired dishes. Gumbo Hoosier-style, anyone? That means your gumbo comes ladled over mashed potatoes!
Yatagarasu (lunch & dinner) According to one online review this is “pretty much instantly the best ramen restaurant in Bloomington.” To get there, go to the Dunnkirk Square building on Kirkwood, enter the courtyard area, and take the stairs down to the lower level.
South of Campus
If you happen to get hungry while visiting IU Cinema, there are several great restaurants just a few blocks to the south that are 1. close by and 2. delicious. For example:
Mother Bear’s Pizza (lunch & dinner) Award-winning deep-dish pizzas and American snacks, plus beer and wine, at a local landmark resembling a rustic cabin. A Bloomington restaurant staple! Check their website for a whole host of daily specials.
Restaurant Ami (lunch & dinner) No website, just delicious Japanese cuisine (including sushi), and a delightful patio to eat it on.
The Elm (dinner only; café open until 1:30) Reservations are recommended for this upscale dinner spot, and it is slightly further from campus than the other options, but it is absolutely worth it because the food is incredible. Modern American seasonal dishes and a great selection of cocktails make The Elm one of the hottest new restaurants in town. They also serve coffee and pastries from 7:30am-1:30pm (no lunch menu).
Soma East (lunch) There are three Somas in Bloomington, but Soma East is the one closest to the Lilly. While it is primarily a coffee and juice bar, they also offer grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, bagels if you get there early enough, and pastries.
Written by Isabel Planton, with Ursula Romero, Lilly Library