Dining Out

This restaurant is known for its Indian breads and buffet. Menu items include lamb biryani and the spicy chicken vindaloo. Good vegetarian choices. Prices: Appetizers $1.99-6.99, entrées $10.99-13.99 Hours: Daily 11 am-2:30 pm and 5-10 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

Bright and spacious, this comfortable restaurant has excellent meze-style appetizers (you can make a meal of them) as well as kebabs and pide (best described as open-faced sandwich boats, or Turkish pizzas). Lots of vegetarian options. Try the incredible tarator, a chopped-walnut yogurt spread, on freshly baked bread. Regular tables as well as traditional Turkish seating. Prices: Lunch appetizers $2.75-6.95, entrées $7.75-12.95, dinner appetizers $3.50-7.95, entrées $9.50-14.95 Hours: Daily 11 am-10 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC Outdoor Seating: Yes

This cozy restaurant occupies a vintage bungalow on Bloomington’s 4th Street restaurant row. Little Tibet serves house specialties of momo dumplings and curries from Thailand and India, as well as noodle dishes and vegetarian choices. And besides wine and Champagne, Anyetsang’s serves a large variety of mimosas. Prices: Lunch entrées $6.95, dinner appetizers $5.95, entrées $11.95-12.45, desserts $2-3 Hours: Wed-Mon 11 am-3 pm, 5-9:30 pm. Closed Tu Bar: Wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

For the wonderful, spicy, exotic flavors of the spice trade, enter Puccini’s but turn right, not left. Caravan’s menu not only celebrates the cuisine of the owner’s native Ethiopia, but also Persia (modern day Iran) and Morocco. Get a sampler plate and savor them all. Prices: Appetizers from $3.50-10, entrées $13-24 Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11 am-2 pm, Dinner daily 5-10 pm Bar: Wine only Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

It can be hard to choose between 4th Street’s many international restaurants, but the Korean food at Dami is worth a taste. Many dishes are flavored with gochujang, a sweet but fiery Korean chile paste. Chile-red soups and stews are full of meltingly tender beef and chicken, particularly comforting on cold or rainy days. Try the bibimbap, a rice bowl topped with veggies, kimchi, and a fried egg, stir it up with a bit of chile paste to get a bit of everything in each bite. If you're unfamiliar with Korean food, don’t hesitate to ask the friendly wait staff for recommendations. The casual dining room is lined with flat screen televisions streaming Korean pop music, while a small outdoor seating area is a lovely place to lunch. Prices: Lunch specials $5-9, entrées $9-16, soups and stews $10-15 Hours: Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm Sat noon-10 pm. Closed Sun Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

This tiny 4th Street gem serves Burmese food—an exotic mix of Chinese, Thai, and Indian with a savory character all its own. Lots of curries and noodle dishes and many vegetarian options. Try the paratha with yellow chickpea curry and the tea leaf salad! Prices: Appetizers and salads $5.99-10.99, entrées $9.99-13.99, desserts $4.99 Hours: Tu-Sun 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 5 pm-9 pm. Closed Mon Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

The first store for this beautiful little restaurant was hidden away in a strip mall on the west side of Bloomington. My Thai Cafe’s second store is on 4th Street restaurant row and also serves Thai family recipes cooked to your preferred degree of spiciness. Excellent spring rolls and shrimp tempura, to start. Entrées shine, too. Look for noodle dishes featuring the sweet and spicy “chef's gravy,” and try the fragrant curries. Prices: Appetizers $5.95-9.95, entrées $5.95-13.95 Hours: West 3rd Street lunch Mon-Sat 11 am-3 pm, dinner Mon-Th 4:30-9 pm Fri 4:30-10 pm Sat 3-10 pm. Closed Sun. East 4th Street lunch Tu-Sun 11 am-3 pm, dinner Tu-Th 4:30-9 pm Fri 4:30-10 pm Sat 3-10 pm Sun 3-9 pm. Closed Mon Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: Visa, MC, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes
Read our review of My Thai Cafe here!

Specialties at this 200-seat restaurant include pasta, seafood, filets, and lamb; there is also a tapas bar. Prices: Appetizers from $3, entrées $10-26, desserts $5-7 Hours: Sun-Th 4:30-9 pm Fri-Sat 4:30-10:30 pm. Reservations are required on weekends and for large groups anytime. Bar: Full Credit Cards: Visa, MC, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes

The 90-item menu was one of the first local restaurants to list vegetarian options using healthy, fresh foods. Specialties include pad thai, curries, combo seafood platters, spicy Thai and coconut-milk soups, miang kom (fresh spinach leaves folded into a cone and filled with ginger, peanuts, coconut, etc.), and Bananas Foster. Prices: Appetizers $5-6, entrées $9-14, desserts $2-6 Hours: Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm (lunch buffet 11 am-2 pm) Sat noon-10 pm Sun noon-9 pm Bar: Beer, wine Credit Cards: All Outdoor Seating: Yes

This airy, casual restaurant specializes in northern- and southern-Indian cuisine. The tikkas, vindaloos, and kormas are all good and cooked to your desired level of spiciness. Their version of the eggplant dish baingan bharta is wonderful as is the mattar paneer, known to its fans as “cheese and peas.” The southern-Indian dosa—a lentil rice crêpe with various fillings—is terrific. Slather on some coconut chutney and enjoy with a savory tamarind lentil stew.  Service is friendly and helpful, and there is parking on site. Prices: Lunch buffet $8.50, appetizers $3.50-6.95, entrées $8.95-14.95, desserts $2.95-3.50 Hours: Daily lunch 11 am-2:30 pm, dinner 5-10 pm Bar: No Credit Cards: Visa, MC, AMEX, Disc. Outdoor Seating: Yes
Read our review of Taste of India here!