Bloomington: a cultural hub with a foundation of education, spirit of openness, and expression of quirky design. It’s a city we love to visit, and when we do, we eat WELL. The stars aligned and Yelp data was pulled to find Bloomington’s top 50 spots to eat in the city (follow the Yelp list here!) so you too can enjoy Bloomington’s culinary gems.
Methodology: This is an all-time list of the top 50 restaurants in Bloomington, IN according to Yelp. We identified businesses in the restaurants category, then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews. If a chain appeared on the list more than once, we only included the highest-rated location.
1. Cardinal Spirits
“What a wonderful place! I was able to try the French toast, pork chops, and potato poblano from the brunch menu… those are a treat! The French toast isn’t too sweet, the pork chops are perfectly tender, and the poblano really takes the cake with its oozy eggs, crispy potatoes, cilantro and Frank’s hot sauce creating a lovely flavor medley in your mouth.” – Yelper Joie L
2. Toto’s Uncle Cafe
“Fun little Korean restaurant in the middle of an apartment complex! Owners are extremely nice and attentive, and it’s a nice, relaxing atmosphere. Definitely recommend the Chanshu ramen, beef kim-bop, and the teriyaki chicken rice bowl!” – Yelper Max W
3. Turkuaz Cafe
“My friend and I shared the Sarma which is essentially dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) in a tomato sauce, topped with feta. It was served with rice which made a super filling appetizer. We also split a spinach, chicken, cheese pide… A pide is a bread “boat” filled with veggies, meat, cheese. Kind of like a Turkish calzone/pizza.” – Yelper Nelli B
4. La Vie en Rose Cafe
“This place is such an incredible hidden gem in Bloomington, IN. The owner is lovely and ready to personally greet all customers. The croissants are some of the best I’ve ever had in my life… They are buttery and light. I also purchased a baguette imported from France. They are only available on the weekends and completely worth it… The pastries also look beautiful and are almost too beautiful to eat – almost.” – Yelp Elite Elizabeth P
5. Bloomington Sandwich
“Dy-no-mite food! Same with the service. We were so pleased with our lunch here that I can see us coming back whenever we’re in Bloomington… I got the muffuletta sandwich, which is a take on a New Orleans classics. It comes with salami, smoked turkey, ham, mozzarella cheese and olive tapenade.” – Yelp Elite Nicole S
6. Rainbow Bakery
“All of their desserts look wonderful! I got sugar cookies, a chocolate cupcake, and a lavender doughnut. They were all delicious and taste just as good, if not better, than non-vegan desserts… EVERYONE should visit the Rainbow Bakery!” – Yelper Jamie B
7. Mother Bear’s Pizza – Campus
“Mother Bear’s, you have a pizza my heart. With three different crusts to choose from, toppings galore and all the dipping sauces, how can a girl not be stoked about this?! I’m a fan of the traditional pan crust loaded with everything.” – Yelp Elite Emily K
8. Darn Good Soup
“I promise you these soups will not leave you hungry. In particular, the chicken tortilla here is my favorite soup in the world. If it were possible to replace all of the blood in the human body with a soup, I would choose to have a full transfusion of the chicken tortilla soup from Darn Good Soup. Until that becomes medically possible, I will settle for just ordering it regularly from this delightful restaurant.” – Yelp Elite Scott E
9. Samira Restaurant
“I’ve been living in Bloomington for a little over three years now, and I can say confidently that this is my favorite restaurant in town, inclusive of all cuisine types. This is the rare establishment that truly takes pride in their craft, and the results of that dedication are obvious when you taste their food. Not only is their food delicious, but it’s also highly refined and original. You can tell that someone worked hard over a long period of time to hone the recipes…” – Yelper Daniel L
10. The Chocolate Moose
“Where else can you get a Frenchie (bun with coney sauce on it) for 55 cents?! I’ve lived in Bloomington since 2005, and summer isn’t summer without a trip to the Moose.” – Yelper Madeline G
11. Lucky Express
12. The Owlery Restaurant
13. Uptown Cafe
14. Upland Brewery
15. Lennie’s
16. El Rey Azteca
17. The Inkwell
18. The Pourhouse Cafe
19. Sofra Cafe
20. Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant
21. Azzip Pizza
22. Feast Market & Cellar
23. Aver’s Pizza – South
24. The Tap
25. Longfei
26. Naughty Dog
27. Gourmet Garden
28. Judy’s Kitchen
29. Bloomingfoods
30. C3 Bar
31. My Thai Cafe
32. Runcible Spoon Cafe & Restaurant
33. Bloomington Brewing Company
34. Wagon Wheel Custom Meats
35. Feta Kitchen + Cafe
36. Laughing Planet Cafe
37. Red
38. Buffa Louie’s
39. King Dough Bloomington
40. Hinkle’s Hamburgers
41. Nick’s English Hut
42. Anatolia
43. Siam House
44. The Irish Lion Restaurant & Pub
45. Rush Hour Station
46. Bub’s Burgers & Ice Cream
47. Hive
48. Bucceto’s Pizza & Pasta
49. Burma Garden
50. Cloverleaf Family Restaurant
Hungry yet?! Follow “Yelp’s Top Spots to Eat in Bloomington” Yelp collection and find more fabulous spots to eat around Bloomington on the Yelp app.
