Meghana Rachamadugu: Village Deli needs more love. I'm not sure if it's just my friend group, but I feel like no one talks about this staple that's right on Kirkwood Avenue. The first time I stepped inside, I felt like it was the kind of place American sitcoms film. Nestled in a corner booth with a perfect view of my food coming to me and the bustle of students outside, I enjoy recapping my week with friends and having a comfort meal to kickstart our weekend. I'm sure you can probably find the same foods in the dining halls, but from what I remember, it wasn't as good or affordable. Village Deli reminds me of the diners I go to for brunch with my dad back home, and I love that I can recreate while I'm at school. No matter what my order is, I always feel happy eating there. You better believe I'm bringing my dad here during graduation weekend too.
Jacob Lubarsky: Bar and grill “restaurants” in Bloomington are some that should be only attended to for the drinks; not the food. Having worked at a bar and grill in downtown Bloomington and having tasted many of the others around the Kirkwood area, I have noticed a trend where the "grill" aspect of "bar and grill" suffers as a result of the company focusing on their alcohol sales –– seldom on the quality of their food. But these companies know that once their customer has enough AMFs or Vegas Bombs, their typically freezer-burned food could ineptly be mistaken for that of a Michelin-starred restaurant. If you want a quick, affordable bite to balance out your vodka cocktails and $3 tall boys, it's worth a try. But then again, Z&C is open until 2:30 a.m.
Joaquin Baerga: Dagwood's is the best food spot downtown. I mean it. People tend to hail places like Nick's, BuffaLouie's, and Big Woods as staples in the downtown area. As good as all those places are, my favorite sit-down spot to eat at is Dagwood's. Yes, they mainly serve sandwiches but have great variety and service, reasonable prices, and slightly more-than-reasonably sized subs. Also, they taste amazing. There's a reason why the place has won awards and polls for best sandwiches in Bloomington. If you haven't already succumbed to the mind control of big-name sandwich chains like Subway or Jimmy John's, consider giving this local joint a try.
Pehal Aashish Kothari: Soma Coffee and Juice Bar is the best coffee spot in Bloomington. The fact that it has two locations, one close to Kirkwood and the other on the other side of campus makes it so accessible. Its atmosphere is perfect whether you're going there to study, meet with friends or go on a cute date. Unlike Crumble, whose baked goods are hit or miss, and Inkwell, where getting a spot to sit down is tougher than spotting Venus on a cloudy night, Soma never fails to satisfy. Not only does its coffee always taste good, but its baked goods never disappoint, making it the perfect spot to lock in for a couple of hours.
Jack Davis: The best places to eat in Bloomington aren't actual restaurants. The food truck scene here is incredibly vast and delicious, and it outshines any other place to get food, from the nicest places to fast food. The best thing about the food trucks here is that you can find them anywhere from downtown Bloomington to Food Truck Friday at Switchyard Park. It could be a personal connection I have with many food trucks here, but I seriously can't think of better places to eat.
Leila Faraday: I love Bloomington's restaurants as much as the next person, but the real unsung hero of our campus is the dining halls! As a junior who hasn't had a dining plan for over a year and a half now, I frequently find myself yearning for the convenience and consistency of dining hall food. Though some days, Wright would only be serving pizza and greasy burgers; I generally found the dining halls to have ample options to accommodate whatever mood I was in. I want to give a special shoutout to the orange tofu stir fry that was served at Forest – nothing I've cooked myself has ever been as satisfying as a plate of that meal at the end of a long day.
Ainsley Foster: Mother Bear’s Pizza is not overrated! I recently went with my little sister on her college tour, and although she has visited me before, we have never gone to Mother Bear’s. Why? I went on my own college tour once a few years ago, and since then, I have not given it much thought. Especially since everyone seems to agree that it's overhyped, that has all changed for me since –– being the good sister that I am –– I took my sister to the beloved Bloomington favorite this past weekend. So, give it another try! I recommend its garlic bread.
