These Bloomington places have fed IU students, alumni and townspeople for decades, from Nick's English Hut (1927) and Hinkle's (1930) to the 1970s and 80s arrivals on and near Kirkwood Avenue. Each one has stayed a local reference point through changes in campus and downtown life.
Taverns, bars and pizza
Nick’s English Hut
Nick Hrisomalos opened Nick's in 1927, and it has stayed on Kirkwood Avenue ever since. It grew from about 50 seats to more than 500 and remains a gathering spot for IU students, alumni and game-day crowds.
Mother Bear’s Pizza
Ray McConn and Bruce Storm started Mother Bear's in March 1973 to supply pizza for their first business, Bear's Place. It is still family owned, with the original East 3rd Street shop and a west-side location, and it is a long-time pizza stop for IU students and locals.
Kilroys on Kirkwood
Kilroy's on Kirkwood is a family-run college bar on East Kirkwood Avenue, co-owned by siblings who inherited it from their parents. It reopened after a 2010 renovation that kept its older feel, and it runs a birthday program for IU students turning 21.
Lennie’s Brewpub
Jeff Mease and Lennie Busch opened Lennie's on East Kirkwood in 1989 and introduced gourmet pizza to Bloomington. In 1994 Mease added Bloomington Brewing Company next door, the first brewpub in southern Indiana. Michael Fox and Samantha Ezzo became owners in 2023.
Janko’s Little Zagreb Inc
Little Zagreb began in 1972 as the Choo-Chew Cafe and took its current name in 1979. Brothers Jeff and John 'Janko' Pouch built its name on large, well-seared steaks and Yugoslavian dishes such as Bucharest meatballs, a longtime date-night and family tradition.
Cafes, diners and groceries
The Runcible Spoon
The Runcible Spoon opened on East 6th Street in September 1976 and takes its name from Edward Lear's poem about the owl and the pussycat. Owner Matt O'Neill bought it in 2001. Fresh-roasted coffee, Sunday brunch and breakfast plates are its draw.
Uptown Cafe
Michael Cassady opened the Uptown Cafe in 1976 as a made-from-scratch breakfast spot, and it has been in the Allen Building at 102 E. Kirkwood since 1984. Cajun dishes such as gumbo and crawfish etouffee grew into its signature.
Village Deli
David Lockwood and Michael Paxton opened Village Deli on Kirkwood in 1980, and Bob Costello bought it in 1999. All-day breakfast, buttermilk pancakes, Paxton's Potatoes and the patty melt keep it busy with students, alumni and regulars.
Bloomingfoods Market and Deli West
Bloomingfoods is Bloomington's community-owned food co-op. It was organized in 1975 and opened on July 24, 1976, and it is owned by its members. The Near West store at West 6th Street is one of two stores the co-op operates today.
Hinkle’s Hamburgers
Hinkle's has served burgers in Bloomington since 1930. It closed in February 2019, then reopened that May under Richie and Janna Shields on South Adams Street.
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