14 Best Cafes in Bloomington, Indiana (updated for 2024)

If you’re looking for the best cafés and coffee spots in Bloomington, Indiana, you’ll want to read this guide with my top recommendations on where to grab a cup of coffee in this charming college town.

It might surprise you to know that Bloomington, Indiana, is a college town with a thriving café scene. I say that because no one was more shocked at the number of cafés and coffee shops in Bloomington than me. The little Indiana town is brimming with vegan eateries, locally-owned coffee shops, and independent brunch spots visitors simply cannot miss. Whether you’re a coffee enthusiast or a casual café goer, this list of the 14 best coffeehouses in B-Town will leave you wondering why you ever loved Starbucks so much. Read on for Bloomington’s 14 best cafés and coffee spots!

13 best cafés in Bloomington ↴

Rainbow Bakery

Great for: Vegan and gluten-free folks looking to snack while they work

Rainbow Bakery is my absolute favorite place for coffee, speedy WiFi, and delicious vegan goodies. All the goodies at Rainbow are vegan, some are gluten-free, and others cater to nut allergies. It is a haven for those with dietary requirements. I would kill for one of their “sausage and cheese” biscuits with Sriracha sauce and a hot cup of drip— they’re a game changer whether you’re vegan or not. This place also has one of the best soundtracks for any café in town— Paper Kites, The National, etc.

Needmore Coffee Roasters

Great for: Supporting fair trade, organic coffee that’s roasted in-house

In a quest to live more sustainably, I came across Needmore Coffee Roasters. Knowing the ethos of Needmore aligns with my own made it worth the nightmare parking to grab a cup of coffee here. Speaking of which, the coffee is top quality. It’s Needmore’s mission to roast, compost, and source their coffee with the earth in mind. This café also helps fund the Comedor Children’s Lunch Program in Posoltega, Nicaragua. Needmore is a modest establishment, so seating is limited. I’d definitely recommend being open to sharing a table with others looking for a place to enjoy a cuppa.

Hopscotch Coffee

Great for: True caffeine addicts + manual brew lovers

I love Hopscotch for grabbing a cup of pour-over and reading a book. Working there, however, is another story entirely. Due to its reputation for great coffee and delicious baked goods, Hopscotch has a seating issue. Despite their best efforts to create plenty of varied seating, there never is an open table. I’ve gone early and in the very middle of the day, and it’s nearly always the same situation. The café has fantastic WiFi, however, I never made Hopscotch a regular workspace because there simply was never any space. No matter how early I went, or on what day I arrived, Hopscotch was always packed with people taking up a majority of the desk/table space and all of the outlets.

Note: Hopscotch have now opened Hopscotch Kitchen with a complete food menu, including brunch!

Poindexter Coffee

Great for: A homey atmosphere

Adjoined to the Graduate Bloomington Hotel, Poindexter Coffee is the kind of café environment that will make you feel like you’re working from home…in a much more productive atmosphere. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are adorned with antique cookie jars and vintage board games. Homemade cookies, decadent hot chocolates, and seriously yum breakfast options will have you covered as far as work snacks are concerned.

Crumble Coffee + Bakery

Great for: Alfresco seating

Crumble Coffee + Bakery unexpectedly turned into my local haunt, thanks to it being just two blocks down the road from Vibe Yoga and having plenty of a) space and b) outlets. In fact, Crumble is a fantastic café space for groups who need long tables, multiple plug sockets, and a hefty supply of fresh cabinet pastries. It also doesn’t hurt that everything is served by friendly staff, from Crumble’s exceptional coffee to its various daily baked goods.

Soma Coffee + Bakery

Great for: Those who want to reward themselves with a post or pre-coffee spa treatment

Soma has two locations in Bloomington, but I stopped by the one next door to Mira Salon, where I received a dermaplaning from Sydney (highly recommend). After spending the morning finishing an article, I walked the 10 steps it takes to get to Mira Salon for my follow-up appointment with Sydney. As wonderful as Mira Salon and its whole team are, it was truly hard to pull myself from Soma Coffee + Bakery because the atmosphere was so peaceful. The place was quiet and conducive to getting work done. There were a small number of outlets at the location near Mira and there is limited seating, but it’s not that busy so the chances of you grabbing a table are high.

Inkwell Bakery + Café

Great for: Coffee served in a central city location

Inkwell is a cozy café for those seeking locally-sourced Hopscotch Coffee and mouthwatering breakfasts. Their loaded avocado toast is one of my favourite brunch options. Inkwell’s exposed brick interiors and floor-to-ceiling windows give it an artsy and hip vibe that can’t be missed. Don’t miss the homemade poptarts here!

Runcible Spoon

Great for: Perfected brunch

Runcible Spoon is an establishment in Bloomington. Its menu is a mash-up of classics and creative signature dishes. Brunch here is served all day every day, making it a favourite amongst college students (cough hangover food cough). The café takes place in one of Bloomington’s famous food houses, giving it a quirky and cool atmosphere.

Bloomington Bagel Co.

Great for: Delicious, fresh bagels and standard filter coffee

When I need a quick breakfast that’s sure to be filling and scrumptious, I head to Bloomington Bagel Co. With more than 10 varieties of bagels and accompanying spreads, you really can’t go wrong. If you need more than a classic bagel and schmear, try one of their satiating signature bagel sandwiches.

FarmBloomington

Great for: Farm-to-table brunch

FarmBloomington is one of my go-to brunch spots in Bloomington. This eatery serves up farm-to-table goodness every day of the week, but it’s their weekend brunch that’s truly worth writing home about. Not only is the food here fresh and made with local produce, but it’s creative. Take for instance their Hoosier Poutine: a cheese-curd-and-french-fry combination that’s smothered in gravy and topped with poached eggs.

Hive

Great for: Hungry vegetarians

Healthy brunch served with delicious coffee is what you’ll find at Hive. One of my favourite brunch offerings here is the Cuban Breakfast comprised of eggs, black beans, rice, Cotija, pico, avocado salsa, and cilantro. If health food isn’t your thing, don’t worry! There are cinnamon rolls and stacks of pancakes you’ll also want to scarf down.

Verona Coffee House

Great for: outdoor seating

Verona was a new-to-me café discovery in Bloomington offering coffee beans roasted locally! The café’s interiors are cozy, like the inside of a villa in the Italian countryside. Perhaps even better than the coffee (which is good) is the alfresco seating complete with an outdoor fireplace. This is an ideal café to grab a drink, read a book, and enjoy the sunshine at a table outside.

Brilliant Coffee Company

Great for: gelato

Brilliant Coffee Company sits behind Social Cantina, an upscale Bloomington Tex-Mex restaurant. It’s a café that you might walk right past if you weren’t looking for it. Like a sweet surprise, I stumbled serendipitously into Brilliant while wandering around the city’s square.

cup + kettle tea

Great for: tea of every variety

I hadn’t wandered into Cup + Kettle, since they don’t do coffee. However, when my friend, Courtney, suggested we meet there, I braved the tea shop. What I found inside were vintage furnishings and the ultimate cozy vibes. The London Fog, an Earl Grey tea brewed into steamed milk, makes for the perfect rainy-day treat, and the soft music playing over the café speakers gives it the ultimate relaxed atmosphere. Throw in speedy (and reliable) WiFi, and Cup + Kettle quickly became my go-to café to work in. It’s also not nearly as crowded as Hopscotch, which means I can almost always count on snagging a table. The pastry cabinet is filled with homemade treats including Nutella puffs, banana bread, and flaky cherry turnovers.