My family and I ventured down to Bloomington as part of our trip to Brown County for camping. Had never been here, and we found this co-op per the recommendations of a local art gallery owner. Bloomingfoods is a co-op. You pay a membership fee, and the workers there are part of the ownership. Immediately, you are hit with warmth and just that coziness you want in a local grocery store. Whole Foods ambiance but not corporate. There is a deli and a hot/cold foods bar. Produce and plenty of plant-based options to choose from. We definitely enjoyed the experience . read more

After 14 years as a loyal customer, I canceled my membership at Bloomingfoods today. I won't support a business that tolerates bullying and ignores people who speak up against it. Anyone who shops here knows unfriendly, rude cashiers are a long-standing norm. But this goes far beyond that. I witnessed deli employees openly mocking and laughing at a customer for wearing glasses, including using fake voices and calling them "nerdy." It was cruel, public bullying of someone who appeared to have an eye disability. The stuff of Disney schoolyard villains. Truly an insane thing to witness from grown men in work uniform on the clock. Here's the really disturbing thing... Leadership didn't even care. I reported it immediately and followed up many times (phone, email, website form, social) asking for leadership to respond. The marketing manager assured me that leadership was well aware of the incident. Two weeks later, I still haven't gotten a single response. I won't support a business that tolerates bullying and ignores people who speak up against it. Vote with your money and shop at the Bloomington Farm Stop Collective, where you can get local food AND be treated with basic human dignity. read more

Really good lunch place! They have a hit bar and full salad bar. They also have a deli serving made to order sandwhiches. All located within a little co-op market. Really good sandwhich! Not inexpensive but good quality! Little homey atmosphere with friendly people. There is indoor seating ! read more

Bloomingfoods - Chicken Caprese Sandwich - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

Solomon Keim Great food, great cashiers, great produce, vibes, such an awesome place. It's one of those places where you step in and your skin gets more hydrated and an array of aromas hits. Minus one for prices read more

My fiancé and i love grabbing a quick lunch at bloomingfoods! They have a counter where you can order made to order sandwiches anyway you would like and a number of items on their hot bar as well as a salad bar! read more

Great vegan options! Good produce selections and we always enjoy the vegan baked goods! Employees could be friendlier but that's typical for cities. read more

Stood in line for 10 minutes waiting to have my sandwich order taken. Employees kept looking me straight in the face and ignored me. Entire store was packed with seemingly no employees willing to help. read more

I have been shopping here weekly and spending a pretty penny. The food quality is good. However, I find myself thinking that I will start locally sourcing my own farm to table food and utilizing Fresh Thyme instead. I am pretty over this place. I go in at least twice a week and the cashier's only greeting is always, "are you a member with the co-op" as if they did not see me two days prior, the previous week, the weeks before that. It gets old. I don't need them to hold my hand, but just of tiny flicker of recognition of a frequent customer would be appreciated. Customer service goes a long way especially at those prices. read more

This little store reminded me of a smaller Whole Foods. Lots of healthy options... with a slightly more expensive twist (when compared to other local groceries). I'll be honest... I went to the bar a few nights before, bought drinks for numerous people... and my tab was still cheaper than what I spent at Bloomingfoods. But what can I say? Quality foods come with higher price tags. Worth it! We were flying out early the next morning, and since there are minimal options that early at the airport, we grabbed pre-made sammies to eat before our flights. They also have a salad bar and a hot bar to go along with a fresh-made sammie station. So we took advantage and grabbed food to devour at the hotel. Everything was fresh and delicious! I wish I had known about this little gem earlier, I would've rolled thru at least once a week for sure. Oh well, next time. If you're looking for fresh eats with local and healthy options, come here! It may be slightly more expensive, but it'll be worth it. read more

Bloomingfoods - My Turkey, Brie & fig sammie with a bag of local potato chips. Delicious! - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

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Bloomingfoods is an awesome co-op with two locations (downtown and college mall). It's a pretty Boujee grocery store with items you won't find at Kroger or a more mainstream outlet. Think a Whole Foods but smaller. It's a fun place to shop as they have self-service candy and coffee bean dispensers where you buy by the pound. Great produce selection as well. What makes bloomingfoods great is their deli which serves up around 10-12 exquisite sandwiches on many types of freshly baked bread. They are healthy and well sized making it a perfect lunch. My favorites are: Chicken caprese Spicy Italian Chipotle turkey melt If you go to IU and haven't tried Bloomingfoods yet, do yourself a favor and check it out! read more

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I really like the concept and was there after the sandwich making hours...got some salads from case like pasta or quinoa and like them but too much onion in them!!!..guy at checkout was great and got me a box for groceries..like the place very much and will return when in town.. read more

I was surprised by how busy this place was right around lunch time. The space is relatively small compared to the groceries that remain near my neighborhood. Their parking lot was full and so was the store. They have two entrances (one from the street and one from the parking lot) with each having a checkout area. The street side features a deli and salad/hot item bar to the left and rows of packaged goods. The parking lot entrance area is where you'll find the produce and bulk items (as well as some non-food products). There is a good representation of local products available and I will say that the produce section, though small, was filled with brightly colored foods (and some flowers) to choose from. Unfortunately, because this is a smaller grocery, I wasn't able to find some non-food items that I normally find at my big box alternatives. So, be aware that there is a trade off of supporting local and one stop shopping. Review #3414 read more

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My friend and I stopped in for some tuna sandwiches from the deli. One of the best tuna sandwiches you can find around Bloomington. Always fresh produce and reasonably priced, they also give you some good locally made chips included with your sandwich order. Definitely a great deli and grocery store. read more

Bloomingfoods - Tuna Salad Sandwich - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I looooove when I go to another city and immediately find a grocery stocked with local products. Snacks on the drive home- that's all I want. Immediately I was compelled to buy a fresh-made, Turkey Avocado wrap. So fresh and fulfilling. There was a coffee stand and some delicious chocolates at the counter. I'm excited to come back because I only had about five minutes this time around, but loved the vibe and products in there! Snacks galore. The employees were super friendly and the place was super crowded on a Saturday. read more

Great local grocery store with awesome grab and go food options. The salads and sandwiches always look amazing and they are competitively priced. My little boy has food allergies, so I'm always looking for solid dairy free options (at a good price) and I love that Bloomingfoods is a local option. The wine and beer selection is pretty good, too! read more

Bloomingfoods - the front of the building - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

I became a vegetarian a few years before moving to IU for grad school. At that time, Bloomingfoods (near the Mall) was the only place to get organic and veggie-friendly groceries. I shopped there on a regular basis back when "health food" was exotic and often times, very expensive. Bloomingfoods reminded me of my old co-op in Louisville and the prices were comparable. Flash forward 20 yrs, I still have a fondness for this local co-op and often stop into shop when I'm in town. I've been to this location, not far from the square, several times. It's convenient to the Kirkwood strip as well as downtown and has accessible, free parking. I agree with others that it doesn't have the largest selection, but I've always found what I needed whether it be prepared food, bulk items, or snacks. When we were in yesterday, a Friday night at dinner time, loads of people were getting food from the hot bar and grabbing stuff from the deli cases to take home. This location also carries a small offering of beer and wine which is handy. The staff haven't been overtly welcoming, but my cashiers have always greeted me and been helpful. I admire Bloomingfoods' commitment to this community and am happy to see that they've survived the change in how Americans view their food and do their grocery shopping. They provided a much needed service in Bloomington when vegetarians/vegans/alternative diets were in the minority and I'll continue to support them whenever I can. read more

Fantastic ready-made food and super helpful staff! We got the delicious Magical Tofu (I think that's the name...the one with the nutritional yeast nom nom nom), chicken salad, brussel sprouts, kale salad, plus gf crackers, and a gf energy bar. Everything was super yum and fresh! The staff were incredibly kind and helpful, including Jason and others (wish we had gotten everyone's name b/c everyone was fantastic!). We'd join this co-op if we lived closer! read more

This review is for $3 dinner nights (every Wednesday night) as I stopped in to try it last night. I am a member of the co-op, but I don't usually order from the hot bar/deli area of Bloomingfoods. The dinner menu was posted in advance on the Facebook event (super helpful). It was BBQ night with pulled BBQ chicken, BBQ Seitan, garlic mashed potatoes and cole slaw. I was a little wary of the cole slaw because I don't like mayo-based cole slaw, but I figured I could get a salad from the salad bar or something to supplement. When I arrived around 5:50pm, the line was already starting to wrap around. I was surprised at how busy it was for some reason - I mean it's a $3 dinner, why wouldn't more folks come?! The line itself is pretty orderly and moves relatively quickly as it's a serve-yourself. After we got our food, we found a spot to sit (don't be afraid to ask folks to split a table!). The food was INCREDIBLE. Yes, even the cole slaw! It was vinegar-based and had some peppers and olives too! Loved it. I can't believe that I got that good food for $3. Also, the employees just seemed happy and like they wanted to be there. I'll definitely be back/to East's $3 dinner (different menu) 32/365 read more

This is my neighborhood store and I have been a coop member since I moved to Bloomington in early 2016. Unfortunately, this store is small and has very limited stock. There is a decent selection of bulk items. The produce selection is limited and pricey. I hate that you have to buy some items in bags, like carrots. If I have a recipe that calls for two carrots, I don't want to pay for a whole bag. The pre-made and hot bar foods are the same, day after day. Nothing ever changes. What makes this Bloomingfoods especially blah is the customer service. Unfriendly, disconnected, blasé, wish-I-was-elsewhere: that would describe the majority of the staff at the Near West Side Bloomingfoods. They make you feel unwelcome. I am not sure if the staff here is horribly mistreated, super hungover or what. It makes me want to drive across town to the Eastside Bloomingfoods or worse, give my hard earned consumer dollars to Lucky's and not shop local. It's sad. Bloomingfoods has a loyal customer base, but the staff at the NW Side location seems unaware that their half-assed customer service is driving people (like me) away. read more

Love me a good food co-op! Picture a local version of a smaller-scale Whole Foods and you've got Bloomingfoods. They've got a little bit of everything - fresh produce, bulk items (beans, coffee), supplements, beauty items, the whole gamut. The winning characteristic in my book is the high-quality prepared foods sections. For a small market, it's got a nice salad bar and hot food bar. Not to mention those items ready to go in the refrigerated case, like fresh squeezed juices. Even a sushi bar! Dine inside in the deli area or outside with the wind blowing your hair. Expect a slightly hippie, but not pretentious, vibe. Eco-friendly, natural, and organic are the buzzwords around here. Loved spotting the local brands, like Hopscotch and Soapy Soap! read more

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My heart bleeds as I've been watching Bloomingfoods go down year after year. This past year they took a big hit with multiple chain natural food stores have opened in Bloomington. They went from being a one and only to finding it hard to find their space in the market. I used to love hot bar foods there. Now, its the same stuff day in and day out. They don't create new dishes...and it looks like it sits out for hours just drying out. The salad bar is still pretty top notch. I've been trying to fight through and still support them. The grocery selection is now starting to dwindle. Its not a one-stop shop...you gotta get groceries elsewhere. This is just a fill-in for a quick pinch. Prices are also on the rise. I love what BFoods stands for. They have helped shape Bloomington in a positive way for decades. They have donated so much money in the past to awesome charities. I'm pulling for you BFoods!! We just need more people going regularly and we will get back in the game! read more

I would rate them five stars even if the store was located in someone's dirty garage, purely because of the hot bar mac and cheese. Now if I'm being honest, I consider myself somewhat of mac and cheese "connoisseur". While I love many types of mac and cheese, this dish puts every other kind to SHAME. Let me try to describe the experience. A sharp--yet not over powering--cheddar cheese toasted over perfectly cooked, pillow soft, macaroni pasta. The pasta is smothered in stringy--not too wet--cheese sauce, making it a dish of sustenance. This is not one of those mild Provel, Kraft, or American cheese mac and cheeses. No, this mac and cheese is on a mission to provide eaters with a body warming, rich, comfort food. One mouthful and I'm close to incapacitated. Forget my favorite type of mac and cheese! This is my favorite FOOD of all time--ever! (Also the $3 dinner is always amazing and they always have the freshest basil.) read more

I can't speak to the co-op part of it, as I do not belong to it. But this place is great to eat at and shop for groceries. They sell organic, natural foods. There isn't even any soda sold in the store. They have a ton of local products like Lucky Dog and Uel Zing. They also have a salad bar and deli to purchase fresh food for lunch. It's a great place to grab a bite. I like to eat lunch here after going to the Farmers Market on Sat. I do know it cost $90/year to belong to the co-op. read more

Bloomingfoods - Awesome Presto kombucha machine! - Grocery Near Me - Bloomington, Indiana

They kinda suck. Prices are better everywhere else. I love supporting local businesses, but not this store. I hope fresh thyme puts them out of business. I'm poor and feel like I get treated like a shop lifter. Once there was a wrapper of some food someone had eaten and left in the basket I was using. The cashier held it up to me and asked me "was this yours?" in an accusatory manner. I only shop there because it's on my way home and convenient to get a loaf of bread, cream, basic things--certainly not a place to stock up. I've gotten food from the deli, but there's nothing special. I gave them two stars because I do like their banana bread. read more

For the record: - The produce is very good. Slightly overpriced, but usually very fresh. - The prices in general are ridiculous, not quite Wholefoods-ridiculous. But still, over priced. The biggest problem, which prompted this review, lies with the management. Never have I walked into a store (sorry, with the exception of Soma--GAG), been expected to pay top dollar for food only to be met with this strange, quasi-Autistic attitude from the employees. Today I was actually expected to walk the cart back to the other end of the store. The woman ringing me up actually asked ME, the CUSTOMER, to walk it back myself. I almost expected a pay check by the time I walked out the door. Nearly every visit to this store I am met with this same attitude. Lackadaisical help accompanied with pompous, "look at me, I'm green" audacity. This is so typical of hipsters and I'm sick of. I am hoping this draws the attention of the owners of Bloomingfoods. PLEASE TELL YOUR EMPLOYEES TO STOP MAKING CUSTOMERS UNCOMFORTABLE!! THIS IS A BUSINESS! NOT JUDGEMENT DAY! I am so sick of shopping here but due to the lack of options around town... I'm screwed. If you are forced to shop here, please hand back the attitude to the workers because they're in need of a real dose of their own medicine. read more

If you know me, you know I love beans. If stranded on an island, I would choose beans as my signature food item. I have yet to meet someone who has been stranded on an island with the option to choose one "signature" food item. But if my time comes, please know that the answer is "beans." If you're wanting to purchase my island beans on a budget, head to Bloomingfoods in Bloomington, Indiana. Pull a plastic baggy off the wall and fill 'er up with garbanzos, red lentils, black beans and if you're feeling generous, I wouldn't mind some wild rice from their wall of bulk pastas, rices and oats (I know, I know, it's not a bean-but let's face it, I'm also not really stranded on an island...). While purchasing my survival beans, you'll come across a beautiful deli buffet with options like lemony artichoke, pesto mozzarella balls and tofu salads. Be a peach and grab yourself a bottle of their fresh squeezed juice. Whatever you choose to buy for yous and mes, know that it will be easy as pie to find vegetarian options at reasonable prices. I may not be vegetarian, but I still feel that you, the reader, should know this is a brilliant spot for we, leafy lovers. read more

Bloomington for a conference and stopped here daily for coffee, lunch, snacks for room. Wonderful food option for residents and travelers alike! read more

I do love Bloomingfoods. There's a ton of positive things that I could say about them, and I feel bad about a 3-star review. I just think that once I began to explore other options in Bloomington, I realized that this wasn't the only choice for organic, healthy foods in the area, which seemed to be a strange lurking feeling that this is it. But if I'm being honest, Bloomingfoods has a very limited selection and is extremely overpriced. I'd recommend still checking things out at Bloomingfoods for sales, their excellent produce, etc. but otherwise there's other places to get the same or better things for a fraction of the cost. read more

I have always know about Bloomingfoods but always thought it was a membership type place so I stayed away. About a year ago I was on the hunt for bean sprouts-could not find them at any other store and thought I would take a chance and sneak into the store and see if they had sprouts. Low and behold the green goddess of sprouts was here! Viola! They let me check out, no membership-PERFECTION! Over the last year I have slowly started coming here more and more. Today I had my first coffee meeting with a colleague and since she didn't show () I have time to write this review instead. I love the staff, they are all always friendly and very helpful without it being too much. The cashier even helped me with my tea choice and gave me great advice that turned out to be excellent. The selection is small but great, I love that they offer so many healthy options, vegan, gluten free and SO MUCH LOCAL!! Great place for breakfast, lunch and meetings inside or out. If the person shows. Haha. read more

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B-FOODS!! Fresh ORGANIC groceries & sandwiches. I come here for lunch at least 4 times a week. Extremely welcoming staff in a very earthy and friendly atmosphere. Seating inside & outside and also very fresh to go. I highly recommend the PB&J (new flavored jams daily) or a classic Turkey sandwich on French bread. Many options for everyone. Quality-9.5/10 Atmosphere- 8.5/10 Creativity-8.5/10 -A&R read more

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Nice grocery/health food store! Staff was very helpful and friendly. I also really like the art gallery/cafe. The food selection is very good. I really loved the pico de Gallo/guacamole mix, it's absolutely delicious if you like both of those. Great selection of healthy foods all around. A little pricey, but what else do you expect at a health food store. I walked out with about a 4 days supply of food for around $45-50 or so, (can't remember exact amount as it was s couple weeks ago) so not too terrible I guess. Yeah, you could go to other health food stores in B town but there is something I like about this store. For some reason it has a small town, homey/charming appeal that makes me want to keep going back. read more

I have mixed feelings about BloomingFoods in general, and this location specifically. In deference to the foodie orthodoxy, it does have quality food and produce. There are cheeses and foods that make even the "high variety" grocers look lame. But then there are prices from Mars, as in out of my world. This is not a place of bargains. There are a lot of standard names in the health food/gourmet market business here, and they're often at retail, or retail+. Their buik items can be sometimes close to reasonable. Prepared foods are often of good quality-- never found something past freshness or of questionable taste. It's the closest grocer to downtown, in a city that eschews chain stores (except when the deal is good enough for the city council). This said, as a co-op, it perhaps works well, but as a retail establishment, I'm motivated to look elsewhere. read more

I just need to send a special shout out to Jordan and his team. I am in CA and had a very special request for a family in Bloomington with a newborn whose family was unable to fly out an help due to COVID. He listened to my story and made an accommodation so they could help. He made a wonderful Meal Basket for them and went the extra mile to assist in getting it to them. They raved about the soup and all the other items so perfectly prepped and selected. This type of quality, care and service is rare and I wish them all the very best. read more

Nice place with a walk-up deli counter and a full grocery store. Order your food at the deli and you get a ticket to take to the checkout with your other items, then take your stamped ticket back to the deli to pick up your food. Easy-peasy. I had the Mediterranean Veggie Wrap and also picked up a box of the 'magic tofu' (tofu cubes that taste amazingly like the Colonel's-KFC original recipe chicken) and both were great. You don't have to be a member to shop this place, but if I lived closer, I'd join in a minute. read more

Expensive. Be prepared for COVID rules per the local county. They will under no uncertain terms remind you to put on your mask. When will we ever embrace it and adapt? read more

It's a shame Whole Foods isn't opening by the mall because it would put this place out of business. The staff are so unwelcoming and snarky it's astonishing. Every time I go, I think to myself that perhaps the last time was just a fluke and that the person who checked me out was having a bad day. As soon as I tell them that I'm not a member of the co-op, the holier-than-thou cashier acts as though I've just killed their first born (or proclaimed myself a Republican--one of the two). Because I'm a student and I barely have the money to shop at Bloomingfoods in the first place, let alone pay a yearly co-op fee, I'm not worth their time or attention. They can't get me out of the store quick enough. There's a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein defining insanity as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." That pretty much sums up my Bloomingfoods experience. For some ungodly reason I keep returning hoping things will be different only to leave the store upset with myself for even entertaining the idea of going there in the first place. Today, I made the mistake of using the wrong container at the hot bar, and the woman checking me out made a snarky comment about how the container I used was for soup and not the hot bar. I offered an apology for my ignorance in container choice but she seemed uninterested in that; proceeding in silence to ring me up for $11 worth of overpriced, sub-par mac and cheese. Without fail, every single time I go to Bloomingfoods, the cashiers make me feel as though I'm inconveniencing them by having them ring up my (overpriced) food. Believe me, if there was a self-checkout I would gladly spare them the burden. Save yourself the trouble and self-loathing; the customer service is miles better at literally any other grocery store. And as a bonus, they'll even say thank you once they're finished ringing you up! What a concept. read more

Wassa Matta with me that I've never written a review about Bfoods in all this time?! These days I only 'shop' there for the salad and hot bar. I may pick up some hummus or a chocolate bar but by and large I can get the few 'fantastic food' products that I would get there from some place else for less and don''t even get me started on the price of the produce. But the salad and hot bar are worthy of a review all to themselves. My love affair with the Bfoods Salad bar is without parallel. One day the good fairy is going to take away all my children and that will be the day when I throw out all my cookware and begin living primarily off the Bfoods salad bar. They rarely change it's content/layout and that's just the way (uh huh uh huh) I like it. I know what to expect when I'm going there and have been known to stop making my typical $13 salad because one of the key ingredients wasn't on the bar that day (hint: it was the blackened tofu). Their hot bar is always a surprise and I think not so grand as the one on the east side HOWEVER their breakfast hot bar? OMG yessss. The yum of *that* thing not to mention on the weekend's they bust out the bacon! I haven't quite nailed down when they take down the breakfast stuff on the weekdays but I have been known to score one of those seven pound breakfast burritoes that's hot enough to curl your hair at the very last second. Their cute little cafe is nice to sit in and look out at the passerby and I love the days they are able to double the seating by opening up the tables outside. So yup, their food is expensive but it sooooo tasty that once you sit down and eat it you'll barely feel the sting anymore! read more

Solid 5 stars for this wonderful place! A brilliant selection of sexy Indiana beer (3 Floyd's, Cutter's, New Albanian, Fountain Square, Flat 12) A locally roasted coffee selection with standouts from Brown County. (Try the dark roasted Mocha Java from Brown County roasters. These glistening beans will wet your whistle and rev your engine) Every visit, the coffee has always been marked as freshly roasted a few days prior. Smoking Goose meats are abundant. Nice variety. Great cheeses with a few local studs like Capriole being represented. Trader's Point yogurt and milk. Oh yeah. Locally made ice cream from BLU Boy and the Chocolate Moose. And finally, the place that grabs me and sucks me in like a black hole: the cold sides/desserts near the deli. Spicy chinese noodles, cashew noodles, roasted artichoke, Szechwan green beans, tuna salad and the most divine chocolate mousse to name a few. Of course, tons of vegan stuff to choose from as well. This section is filled with endless amounts of cold sides that are high quality and tasty as hell. If you can only choose two: get the mousse and the cashew noodles (which are perfectly spicy!) read more

Bloomingfoods is part of what makes Bloomington Bloomington in the best way. I love Bloomingfoods' selection of local and sustainable produce, dairy, and bulk foods. Much of the small store is taken up by processed food and prepared food items. However, the prepared food items are very good, and they do make this a neighborhood gathering place at lunchtime. Although some items are pricey, you pay for what you get. The fact that I can buy local eggs from humanely raised chickens without going to the farmers' market is just amazing. Unlike some co-ops, you do not have to be member to shop here or work at the store to be a member. If you do decide to become a member, you get some additional sales and a vote for the co-op board. The payment to become a member is also fully refundable if you are living in Bloomington for just a few years. The seating inside and outside is often packed. but it's a great place to people watch. The staff here can be a mixed bag. Some are perfectly nice to chat with. Others will make judgmental comments so just be prepared. There is one employee I actively avoid at the checkout because of this. read more

Some interesting selections you can't get at Kroger but that's about it for the appeal of the place. Pretty much everything is overpriced including their buffet and deli. read more