To use an expression from my dad’s side of the family, Bloomington has “more coffee shops than you can shake a stick at.” How’s a Hoosier to decide between them?
I’m a firm believer in ranking restaurants by what you’re in the mood for. No matter how masterful a steakhouse’s culinary technique may be, when I want enchiladas, a Mexican restaurant is higher on my list than a Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
With this in mind, I present my extremely subjective list of Bloomington’s best coffee shops, broken down into categories like “best mochas” and “decent parking.”
Crumble Coffee and Bakery
Locations: 532 N College Ave., 316 S Swain Ave. and 1567 S Piazza Dr.
Best for: Overall coffee shop experience
I’ve spent a lot of time and money at the Crumble on South Swain Avenue. It has a great location tucked behind Mother Bear’s Pizza Campus, though I recommend arriving on foot or by bike, because the parking lot fills up fast.
They have a solid drink selection between coffee-based drinks like cappuccinos and tea-based ones like a London Fog. I like that they have crepes and macarons, because I’ve been missing those ever since La Vie En Rose shut down during the pandemic.
My favorite thing about Crumble is that it’s a great place to study. The light wood-and-plants-and-sunlight aesthetic makes the space upbeat yet chill, and the music isn’t so loud as to be distracting.
Verona Coffee House
Location: 3105 S Sare Road
Best for: Elegant ambience and decent parking
Verona might have been my favorite coffee shop in Bloomington if it were closer to campus. Issues of convenience aside, its distance can be part of the appeal; sometimes I want to study in a place that’s a bit removed from my daily grind.
I’m partial to Verona because one of my best friends works there, but I also love it for the elegant, European ambience and wide variety of flavored syrups. Want an English toffee-flavored latte or a sugar-free chocolate chip cappuccino? They've got you.
Another advantage of Verona, which is likely directly related to its distance from campus, is that you can usually find a parking spot there.
Soma Coffeehouse and Juice Bar
Locations: 322 E Kirkwood Ave., 1400 E Third St. and 581 E Hillside Dr.
Best for: Being very close to campus
Two of Soma’s locations are very close to campus, being on Kirkwood Avenue and on Third Street, which makes it very convenient to drop in during a day of classes. I love the cozy, underground feel of the Kirkwood Soma, while the one on Third gets a lot of mood-boosting sunlight coming in.
Soma, along with Needmore Coffee Roasters and Coffee Beanery, is also one of the few places in Bloomington where I can get a well-made tea latte that isn’t chai or a London Fog. Those two are often made with concentrates, but Soma will take the time to steep a bag of English Breakfast tea and then add the steamed milk and flavored syrup.
Hopscotch Coffee & Kitchen/Hopscotch Coffee To-Go & Roastery
Locations: 235 W Dodds St. and 212 N Madison St.
Best for: Latte art and mochas
Hopscotch barista Franklin Hou won a community-wide latte art competition in January, so it’s safe to say that Hopscotch boasts the best latte art in town.
It’s also my favorite when I’m in the mood for a mocha, because Hopscotch’s mocha isn’t overly sweet, nor is it too bitter.
Now that the weather is getting warmer, I can also recommend Hopscotch if you want to take your drink outside.
The Dodds Street location — the one with ‘Kitchen’ in the name — is right alongside the B-Line trail and has a lovely porch where you can sit and enjoy the fresh air. Or you and your coffee can go for a stroll towards Switchyard Park.
The Inkwell Bakery & Cafe
Locations: 105 N College Ave. and 401 S Woodlawn Ave.
Best for: Also grabbing a bite to eat
Since they serve breakfast all day, Inkwell is an excellent choice when you want to have something to munch on with your coffee. My absolute favorite sandwich there is the ‘Daily’ — scrambled eggs and cheddar on a pretzel bun.
They also have cinnamon sugar toast and homemade pop tarts, or you can get a more traditional lunch sandwich or salad. The Woodlawn Avenue location is better lit, but the College Avenue one has more seating.
Coffee Beanery Bloomington
Location: 228 S Grant St.
Best for: Late hours and tea lattes
If it’s not obvious by now, I love tea lattes. Therefore, Coffee Beanery is one of my go-tos. They're open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday, which means I can satisfy my tea latte-craving long after many other places are closed.
Coffee Beanery offers coffee shop staples and pastries, as well as hot sandwiches. I’ve only had its croissants once, and I don’t intend to have them again, but their apple cinnamon muffin is phenomenal.
Poindexter Coffee
Location: 210 E Kirkwood Ave.
Best for: Character
Located inside the Graduate hotel, I’d say Poindexter’s decor has the most character of the Bloomington coffee shops. There are animal figurines, colorful wallpapers and a good number of outlets.
I like grabbing a coffee from Poindexter and crossing over to the hotel lobby, where the light is brighter and there are benches to sit on.
Morgenstern Books & Café
Location: 849 S Auto Mall Road
Best for: Books
Two of my favorite non-animate things are books and tea, and Morgenstern has both. 10/10, no notes.
Needmore Coffee Roasters
Location: 104 N Pete Ellis Drive
Best for: Cold winter days
Needmore is another great place to study, and I would say especially on a cold winter’s day. Spring is coming, yes, but keep this in mind for next year.
On frigid days, the windows often fog up from the warmth inside, but if you have a clear view when the snow is drifting down, then this is, in my opinion, one of the coziest coffee shops in town.
Furthermore, their food selection goes beyond pastries to include quiches and, my favorite, egg and cheese muffins.
