Dining Out

The dining room in this gracious old building is filled with the work of local artists and a large stone fireplace. Menu items include homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and country fare like chicken potpie, meatloaf, fried catfish, and smoked grilled pork chops. Lots of vegetarian options. Prices: Breakfast $3.99-10.99, soups and salads $3.29-10.99, appetizers $4.39-8.99, entrées $8.79-26.99, desserts $3.99-4.99 Hours: Breakfast daily 7:30 am-10:30 am Sun-Th 11 am-8 pm Fri-Sat 11 am-9 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

Customers can watch employees make East Coast-style, kettle-boiled bagels from scratch while waiting in line in this laidback eatery. Bagelwiches (like the Lotsa Lox, with cream cheese, Nova lox, tomato, onion, and capers), salads, soups, coffees, and cookies are popular. Breakfast is served all day. Prices: Appetizers $3-5, entrées $3-10, desserts around $2 Hours: Mon-Sat 6 am-7 pm Sun 7 am-7 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc., Campus Access Outdoor Seating: Yes

Situated on West 3rd Street, Cozy Table offers an extensive menu of hearty and affordable diner fare. Of course, breakfast is served all day. Try the signature pancakes, a fluffy Belgian waffle, or a massive platter of biscuits and gravy. Hoosier favorites like fried catfish and pork tenderloin sandwiches are popular for lunch. Don't forget the mashed potatoes! Prices: Breakfast $3-6, sandwiches $5-8, entrées $6-10 Hours: Mon-Sat 6 am-8 pm, Sun 7 am-3 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: No

Chef Daniel Orr’s FARM is a cheerful, tongue-in-cheek salute to the best of Hoosier eating. In the old Oddfellows Building, revamped to look like a country farm store, FARM sells lunch, snacks, and locally made products in the market and delicious supper fare in the restaurant. Orr is a firstrate chef who brings his impressive resume of world travel and cooking to local Indiana ingredients. Menu changes seasonally, but try to catch the seared skirt steak with fabulous garlic and chili fries. Orr’s raw fish preparations are excellent, as are the pizzas in the bar. Prices: Breakfast biscuits, cereal, omelets $2-8.50; lunch soups, sandwiches, and burgers $5-15; dinner appetizers $6-8; entrées $14-35; tapas and pizzas in the bar $6.50-16; weekend brunch $1-23 Hours: Tu-Fri 7 am-10 pm Sat-Sun 10 am-9 pm. Closed Mon; Root Cellar drinks, snacks, music Tu-Th 8 pm-1 am Fri-Sat 8 pm-3 am. Closed Sun-Mon Bar: Full Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes, weather permitting

Read our review of FARMbloomington here!

The stars at this café, bakery, and coffee shop are owner Erika Yochum’s handmade tamales—packets of masa and fillings, wrapped in cornhusks and steamed. Varieties range from traditional to gourmet (picture sweet potato and duck). But salads and sandwiches at lunchtime and more elaborate dinner entrees (perhaps a half roast chicken with shiitake butter, local pork chop with manchego risotto, or goat cheese arugula ravioli with lemon basil pesto) revolve around seasonal, organic ingredients that come from Yochum’s family farm in Brown County and other Indiana farms. Gorgeous homemade pies, desserts, breakfast pastries, and cookies are top notch. Prices: Entrées $5-14, tamales $5-8, cookies $2, pastries $3-7.50 Hours: Mon-Wed 7 am-9 pm Th-Fri 7 am-10 pm Sat 8 am-10 pm Sun 9 am-2 pm Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes
Read our review of Feast here! 

Housed in a historic former dry-goods store that has stood at the corner of Main and Van Buren in downtown Nashville since 1873, The Hobnob serves home-baked goods and classic American fare like long-simmered pot roast, liver and onions, and peach shortcake (in season). Sandwiches, pasta dishes, and salads also available. Prices: Soups, salads, and sandwiches $4.50-11.95, entrées $8.25-19, desserts $4.25 Hours: Mon-Tu 8 am-3 pm Wed-Th 8 am-8 pm Fri-Sat 8 am-8:30 pm Sun 8 am-8 pm (hours vary seasonally, call ahead) Bar: Wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc., DC Outdoor Seating: No

This nonprofit coffee house’s motto is “pouring global goodness.” Launched by Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, 100 percent of profits and tips are donated to charity. Check the website to see where the money is donated each month. The deceptively large space has plenty of room for a coffee date or an extended study session, and there’s even a small stage for live music. All manner of coffee and espresso drinks are sold, along with smoothies and teas. Cool down with a bowl of gelato, unique flavors like mascarpone caramel pistachio and spiced hazelnut fig rotate by season. Sandwiches, cookies, and muffins are also available. Prices: Coffee $1-3, espresso drinks, tea, and smoothies $2-5, gelato $3-5, sandwiches $4-6 Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am-9 pm Sat 9 am-9 pm Sun 1-7 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

This welcoming café is full of light from window-lined walls, abundant plants, and shimmery papier-mâché sculptures. Over-size muffins and cookies are baked in-house, fresh waffles are popular for breakfast. Free Wi-Fi, plenty of coffee options, and comfortable couches make it a popular study spot during the day. At night, the café hosts poetry readings and local music shows, often extending the 9 pm closing time until events wind down. Prices: Coffee and tea $1-4, baked goods $1-3, salads and sandwiches $3-8 Hours: Mon-Fri 8 am-9 pm Sat-Sun 9 am-9 pm (open later depending on the event)  Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC Outdoor Seating: Yes

A beloved Bloomington landmark, the Runcible Spoon began as a bohemian coffee house in 1976. While it has kept its funky atmosphere (and the goldfish swimming in the bathtub), the restaurant now features breakfasts (try the pancakes and famous eggs Benedict), pastas and sandwiches at lunch, and more classic dishes at night, like gypsy chicken poached in olive oil, and salmon with horseradish cream. Live, traditional Irish music is featured on Tuesdays. Prices: Appetizers under $6, entrées $6-14, desserts $3 and under Hours: Daily 8 am-midnight Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes
Read our review on Runcible Spoon Cafe and Restaurant here!

Owned by the proprietors of the Scholars Inn, both branches of the Bakehouse offer a selection of New York-style deli sandwiches, kettle-boiled bagels, and desserts made from scratch, as well as all of their firstrate, locally baked breads. A bowl of homemade soup followed by the Harvest Cobbler makes a generous lunch. Coffee drinks are discounted $1 during Happy Hour from 4-6 pm. Prices: Entrées $4-9, desserts $3-7 Hours: East side Mon-Fri 6:30 am-9 pm Sat-Sun 7:30 am-9 pm, downtown Mon-Sat 7:30 am-9 pm Sun 8 am-9 pm Bar: Beer, wine at the downtown location Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Campus Access Outdoor Seating: Yes

The General may have left Assembly Hall, but his memory remains bright at this tiny shrine to all things Bobby in the heart of downtown Nashville that claims the “largest collection of Bobby Knight memorabilia around.” Oh, and they serve food, too—hearty breakfasts like biscuits and gravy and all manner of sandwiches. Good fries! Prices: Breakfast $3.70-6.95, sandwiches $6.50-7.05, pie $2.45 Hours: 8:30 am-5 pm (hours vary seasonally, call ahead) Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC Outdoor Seating: No

The New Orleans-style Uptown Café is known for Cajun/Creole-inspired fare (try the blackened-catfish sandwich), fresh steaks, seafood, and extravagant breakfast and brunch items, including Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Eggs Maryland, Eggs Benedict, and Huevos Rancheros. Jazz and soul music complement your meal. Uptown’s new bar area serves craft beer, fine wine, artisan spirits, and classic cocktails, as well as late-night food on Friday and Saturday nights. Prices: Dinner appetizers $6-12, entrées $14-35, desserts $6-8, brunch $8-20 Hours: Mon-Th 7 am-10 pm Fri 7 am-midnight Sat 8 am-midnight Sun brunch 9 am-2 pm Bar: Full Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

Read our review of The Uptown Café here!

One of the best kept secrets in town, Wee Willie’s has been serving diner-style breakfast fare in an unmarked building on South Walnut for the past 30 years. It’s a testament to the loyalty of their customers and the quality of their homey French toast, hash browns, and sausages, among other items, that they’ve stayed open without even putting up a sign. This cheap, quick, and super-delicious joint is the perfect reward for pulling an all-nighter in the library. Prices: Breakfast combos starting at $5.85, sandwiches $2.20-4, lunch combos $5.10-6.75 Hours: Mon-Sat 7 am-3 pm Sun 8 am-3 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: No Outdoor Seating: No