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    The Owlery Restaurant

    4.3 (375 reviews)

    The Owlery Restaurant Photos

    THE OWLERY RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Owlery Restaurant

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    Sandwiches: BLT, Mushroom, Chicken.
    Lynn N.

    We were recommended the nachos and it did not disappoint. It came with corn chips, vegan or cheddar cheese, cashew queso, black beans, pico de gallo, shredded romaine lettuce, pickled red onions, creamy cayenne-lime sauce. The cashew queso was the best part, with great flavor. The fries (regular and sweet potato) were also favorites at the table. The sandwiches were underwhelming. The BLT tofu bacon sandwich was dry. The server was friendly and attentive. They got pretty busy during Saturday lunch hours. There wasn't a dedicated parking lot so we found street parking nearby.

    Coconut macadamia tofu
    Krysha M.

    Traveling from Indy to Evansville for a wedding, I remembered that The Owlery is mentioned frequently in veg*an groups as being a great place to go if you're in/near Bloomington...and I must say the advice was NOT wrong! We loved the Owlery so much on our first visit that we returned again at the end of the weekend for brunch on our way home! First off, our server Sydny was absolutely delightful - and we were so happy that they got to serve us on both trips! They were so patient and kind - and humored me when I wanted to try ALL of the things on the menu and all of the sweets in the case. On our first visit (Friday afternoon lunch), we opted for the coconut macadamia tofu as an app - and my omni husband freaked all the way out at how good it was. Seriously good. Our sandwiches (the Chick'n sandwich and the BLT add avocado) were also delish - and we ended up swapping plates mid way through to share them. They have a lot of fun, local drafts and ciders, too - and fancy coffee, etc. if that is more your jam. We were told that Sunday brunch was even BETTER, so of course we had to come back through again on our way home. OMG the BnG and banana pancakes and Vegan Benny... I cannot tell you how worth it they are! Again, my husband seeks out meat any chance he can - and even HE loved all of these dishes!! He admitted that this was one of his most memorable and delicious brunches in recent memory. We also picked a selection of sweet treats to go - a chocolate topped rice krispie, some cupcakes, and all sorts of things - and they were also super tasty! We cannot wait to get back to The Owlery any chance we can! Indy DEFINITELY needs this in our lives up here, too!

    The menu
    Mark W.

    Awesome vegetarian food on the square in Bloomington. This was my 2nd time experiencing tofu and Seitan in unique ways. We were 4 today and everyone really enjoyed the meals. Don't get in a hurry here, especially at a busy time because this food only gets made great by a small kitchen crew. The vibe is nice and they have a nice selection of beverages from beer to tea. 2 tables outside but it was raining so we ate at the big table in the middle of the room. I had a Reuben with real Swiss and a tasty sauerkraut along with the fried Seitan! Loved it.

    BBQ sub with sweet potato fries
    Leslie W.

    The Owlery has been in my Yelp Collection and on my to try list for some time now. I finally had a chance to drop in for lunch recently on a midweek getaway to Bloomington. My friend and I arrived around 2 pm after a morning of travel and a brewery stop. And we were definitely ready for some food. The restaurant is fairly small (narrow but long) bit we had plenty of space between us and the other few late diners. I went with the BBQ sub and sweet potato fries. Travel pal had the red onion jam sandwich (with local dairy cheese) and poutine w/cheese curds. I enjoyed my food although the sub roll was a bit dense. The poutine was a highlight for my friend. The Owlery has an amazing counter dollar of desserts to have there or take home. I couldn't resist a huge peanut butter rice crispy topped with chocolate to take for later. Pro-tip - don't refrigerate. It was 10x better at room temp (& much easier to eat). I'd like to try out their brunch which has great buzz about it. Maybe on my next trip to IU!

    Inside the restaurant
    Sophie P.

    I was skeptical because I am FAR from vegetarian. But my boyfriend knows I'm picky these days about restaurants and ingredient lists, so we thought we'd give The Owlery a try. I loved the inside of the restaurant! It was very small, but clean and well-maintained. Didn't care for the indie music, but that's purely personal taste, and I'm not the target demographic anyway. I had the Mushroom Banh Mi sandwich, and WOW. It was probably on my top 10 list of best sandwiches I've ever had. It so spicy that it was literally painful, but I didn't stop because the flavor was SO good. I took the jalapeños off the second half, and that turned the spice down a lot. $16 sounds crazy for a sandwich without meat, but it was so good, I actually think it was worth it. 5/5 stars, will be returning with friends and family.

    John B.

    As someone who uses the owl as a totemic animal and is drowning in owl memorabilia, and as a lifelong vegetarian, this restaurant appears to have been created just for me. I was surprised to find this place in Bloomington Indiana packed for brunch; I didn't realize there were so many local owl fans who also happen to be vegetarians. But I waited out the crowd and secured a table. They had a menu of fairly classic American brunch veganized, and though they were out of a couple of items towards the end of the day, they had what I wanted: a bowl of mostly whole food ingredients. My lentil hash with various greens and peppers over potatoes had the option of eggs or tofu as a side. My tofu was delicious, and the bowl was an impressive meal. I wish I could have ordered a side or something, but I don't think I had room for it. I was offered a choice of hot sauces, which failed to materialize, but despite not ideal service, the food itself required no additional flavor, with the rich and hearty mix leaving me with no thoughts of what else I might have ordered. Having said that, their dinner menu looked impressive.

    Owlery Nachos - plenty to share!
    Kristine H.

    We always enjoy our dining experiences at The Owlery as it's our go-to spot to dine with our adult daughters who all follow a vegan lifestyle. We've tried many of the menu offerings -- too many to name them all -- but on our last visit, we enjoyed the: Coconut Macadamia Tofu, Owlery Nachos, Jerk Tofu Tacos with sweet potato fries (so yummy) and the Red Onion Jam sandwich with side of Impossible chili. As always, everything was fresh and delicious! We also treated ourselves to several of their baked goods to go home with which were all tasty!

    cute space, limited outdoor seating
    Sydney P.

    grilled cheese and nachos. Great service. Good flavor. Personally, I' m more of a carmelized onion on gc girl versus arugula but still good.

    Poutine
    KD T.

    I had a half serving of poutine with sweet potato fries and real cheese curds, and a vegan brownie for dessert. Everything was delicious. The server was the friendliest person ever and they gave me great tips on how much to order in relation to my appetite. My only complaint was that they don't serve decaf, which would have been great with the brownie.

    Ellie G.

    Great spot for vegans and vegetarians. Very filling. Nice staff. Indoor and outdoor seating.

    Vegan Mac and cheese
    Jennifer R.

    The drive was worth it! We went to Nashville for an overnight trip but they had no vegan foo to offer! So yo Bloomington we went! The vegan chicken tender wrap was our FAV! Fried tofu and the best vegan ranch ever! The fries were amazing also! The nachos were awesome! Vegan queso and beans! So good! Definitely 5 stars!

    Loaded Nachos from around Covid times.

    Fair warning, I am a chef with a background in vegan cooking. I have to say that over the course of the 3 years that I've lived in Bloomington I believe the Owlerys food hasn't really become impressive to me with the exception of perhaps the loaded nachos. I've went on multiple occasions with friends and family, and I'm a big foodie when it comes to vegan friendly places, so I am sharing bites from other plates of what people order. The food is simply not worth the price tag in my opinion. The plating is beautiful, Instagram worthy, and the vibe of the place is perfect for the downtown. But I can't help feel the food is simply lacking spices- and not spices in the in-your-face way, but tiny amounts to build nuances, something I find almost necessity when it comes to vegan cooking. I digress. I really want to love this place, and maybe it meets the standards for most people. For me, most of the menu comes off as bland or lack of creativity. Attached: Old pictures from Covid times of the Nachos.

    Chicken Ranch Club with Poutine and a Ginger Ale
    Jeremiah C.

    Don't let vegan throw you off, this place is doing it right and bringing something unique to Bloomington. This is a must try if you are looking for something light or heavy. I showed up hungry, so I went with heavy. Many local beers to choose from along with coffee, tea, and soda. Low key atmosphere with a wonderful staff. Chicken Ranch Club is fantastic! The tofo tastes like, if not better than, chicken itself. Wrap was very filling and fresh. The poutine is a must if you are in the mood for something savory and filling.

    Pesto Portabella Sandwich

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    3 years ago

    The mushroom banh mi is delicious! The pesto on it is the perfect touch. I got the curried cauliflower as a side and loved it.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing place ! Great ambiance, food was super tasty. French fries were fresh and yum.

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    Page 3 of 10

    Ask the Community - The Owlery Restaurant

    Rainbow Bakery - Pistachio matcha muffin, chai

    Rainbow Bakery

    4.5(159 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $

    Really liked it. I believe it's mostly, if not all, vegan. I know they were experimenting with some…read moreitems with dairy a while ago but I did not notice any non-vegan items while I was there, so not sure if that's still a thing. Anyway, it is a little out of the way. It's walkable from downtown but not really in the downtown core. Pretty quiet when I was there, but the atmosphere felt approachable. Some of the chairs were like school desk chairs (adult-sized, of course) that I haven't seen since I was in primary school which was kind of funny. The guy at the counter was cheerful and friendly. They looked like they had run out of some of the hot savory items by Saturday mid-afternoon, but there was still a wide variety of sweets. I believe the current owners are Indian, and you see some of those flavours featured. I got: Samosa handpie: Good, not mind-blowing, but good. Nice flavours. If you like a flaky crust, this is not it, but I liked the rustic pastry crust. Pistachio cardamom donut: Loved it. Before I moved to Bloomington, there were a few bakeries that offered vegan-GF cake donuts that I loved, and this was the first thing I've gotten here that reminded me of that. Pleasant texture and strong cardamom flavour, not too sweet. I think these are baked donuts, so they're a little different from regular fried donuts, but in a good way IMO. Rose dream latte: Milk with rose syrup topped with coconut whip and nuts, no espresso. Tasted great, but more of a dessert drink than I was expecting. The coconut whip was quite thick. The concept could probably use some refinement, because the whip was too thick and rigid to drink without a straw, but the nut pieces were too big to go through a straw, and so I couldn't figure out the best way to drink it. From what I understand, there are some longtime fans of this place who feel like the quality has dropped since the most recent change in ownership, but as someone who had never been here before, I really had a good experience. I get why people would be upset when something changes, but if you are considering trying this place for the first time, I wouldn't be too put off by the negativity around the change in ownership. There's no other place specialized in vegan baking in Bloomington, so I think it's good to support what they are continuing to do here, and even though I am partial to vegan food I wouldn't say that if it wasn't also GOOD. They also had some refreshingly unique options for baked goods.

    Rainbow Bakery sits off of 4th street west of the IU campus. It's all vegan, and we had a chance to…read morestop by and get two donuts and a cookie. The inside is cute and whimsical. The owners, a Sikh family, gave us their cardamom donut for free. The samosa hand pies were out. I would rate it 4/5. The decor was nice, and the owners were friendly. We were told that the staff is limited, and the owners themselves are thinking of selling this location and hoping to restart it in Greenwood, where they currently live and actually drive down to Bloomington every day. The matcha latte was fine. Everything was fine but not great. The vegan chocolate chip cookie was good, but could've used more chocolate chips.

    Photos
    Rainbow Bakery
    Rainbow Bakery - Samosa handpie, pistachio cardamom donut, rose dream latte

    Samosa handpie, pistachio cardamom donut, rose dream latte

    Rainbow Bakery - Custom order of gluten-free donuts... beet, chocolate sprinkles, and the Homer (my favorite)

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    Custom order of gluten-free donuts... beet, chocolate sprinkles, and the Homer (my favorite)

    Brightside Cafe - Cream Cheese Frosted Brownie

    Brightside Cafe

    4.9(35 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Wife and I were told about Brightside by a friend and just by chance I had a Dr appointment…read moreyesterday just down the road. I was hesitant at first as I'm only 6 months into my body demanding that I eat gluten free. My wife has been on the journey for over 10 years. Starting with the look and feel of this place, it's amazing top to bottom. Staff/Owner went WAY above and beyond. Everyone was super nice! NOW for the food... There was no option for 10 Stars otherwise that's what I would have given. I had the biscuits and gravy and a cinnamon roll. Oh My Goodness was it oh so delicious!! My wife had a Cuban sandwich which I tried and will definitely share that with her next trip. Yummm The BREAD!! We have eaten all over the world and THIS was the best bread we have ever had. It's hard to believe that it's GF. We HAD to have a loaf to take home. This am I took a slice out of the freezer and toasted it and ate with some homemade blueberry jam:) it was heavenly!!! Thank you Brightside for being so incredibly awesome!! WE will be back soon.

    There's a reason for the five stars. It's gluten-free, but you'd never know it. Upsides: Vegetarian…read morestuff available and it's not all carbohydrates-- but there are many served here. Wide variety of cafe-like foods. Service was fast and food was good. The cost for a reasonable meal is also reasonable. There is WiFi, if you must. Lots of tables. Not the Ritz but clean, comfy, and reasonably calm. There is parking on the street, but yeah, meters or a parking garage. It's a busy place. Normally, I don't give five stars on a review unless you're at the top of your game, and usually only after a second try. Brightside just pushed all the right buttons. Lots of drinks besides coffee drinks, too. It's unpretentious and serves great food in my two experiences here.

    Photos
    Brightside Cafe - The inside of the cafe

    The inside of the cafe

    Brightside Cafe - GF biscuits and gravy

    GF biscuits and gravy

    Brightside Cafe

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    Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

    Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

    4.2(224 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    I really like Little Tibet! I have tried all sorts of stuff from the menu and I think the dumplings…read moreand the Thai are the best choices. Their vegetarian dumplings are all tasty but each is a little different. I've only tried the steamed so far because I really like the tenderness of the steamed version. The dumplings come with soy sauce and chili sauce for dipping, which are not optional - you need to dip them for the best experience. The chili sauce isn't too hot, so you can and should be generous with it. The Tibetan tea is interesting - it's a smooth milk tea, kind of like a milder version of Indian chai, but it does have its own unique taste that I can't totally put my finger. Other drinks are all good too, thought some aren't exactly as you might expect. The iced Indian tea is a little milky for my taste but the hot version is stronger. The Thai iced coffee is great but it's less sweet than the usual ones (not inherently good or bad, just depends on your preference). The mango lassi tasted closer to mango juice, but it was really refreshing. All of the food is kind of different from the usual restaurant style food from the various cuisines represented on the menu; it feels more like home cooking, so more subtle flavours, less salty and a little lighter, but very wholesome and hearty. The hotter spice level comes from a chili paste they add, and I recommend getting at least a level 2 (level 1 is no spice), because the chili paste also flavours the dish and level 2 is still pretty mild. The people are very kind and I love the calming atmosphere. I have seen them get busy in the evening on weekends, but usually you can count on being able to get a table.

    Very bland food. Had dumplings, the Tibetan stew, chicken and beef satay and mango lassie…read more Dumplings were okay, not a lot of filling but the rest was so underwhelming and sparse that we called the restaurant to talk to them. Their response was "chef tried his best". The bill was over $100 so we were just hoping for an adjustment for the bill. I work in restaurants and I hate when people don't give us a chance to fix things. The satay was SAD. It was obviously random chicken breasts sliced and no marination or flavor. The beef was gray and looked boiled. I don't think there was a bit of salt anywhere in any dish. The mango lassi was watery and thin. Seems like they're cutting corners everywhere. When I picked up the food they didn't have a drink carrier or a box for me to carry 2 bags and 3 styrofoam cups out with. So, in review, if you like food that tastes like water (literally) and underwhelming, this is your place. If you expect flavor and precision, professionalism and a great experience, go elsewhere. Sorry guys, we gave you a chance to fix it but now everyone needs to hear about it!

    Photos
    Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant - Salad, lentil soup, iced chai

    Salad, lentil soup, iced chai

    Anyetsang Little Tibet Restaurant

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    The Owlery Restaurant - vegan - Updated September 2026

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