Nestled in the Elm Heights neighborhood in Bloomington, The Elm restaurant is just as special as the 70-plus-foot American elm that stands beside its patio.
The tree is one of the oldest and largest American elms in Indiana after most elms were killed by Dutch elm disease.
“We like to say we borrowed our name from it,” said Eric Daniels-Howell, The Elm’s general manager.
The Elm, which opened its doors in March 2022, is now getting national attention: It is among 47 places named to USA TODAY’s Restaurants of the Year list.
How many have you been to?Check out USA TODAY’s 2024 Restaurants of the Year.
What makes The Elm stand out
The Elm has a “commitment to remarkable hospitality,” Daniels-Howell said. That begins with educating the staff so they know “at the most granular level” all the dishes and cocktails the restaurant creates and serves.
That knowledge and attention to detail can be seen in the rotating beet salads, many of which include a hand-crafted charcoal beet dust as the crunchy finishing sprinkled on top.
The craftsmanship is evident in the coffeehouse, where people sip coffee or tea and savor handmade pastries, and in the main dining room, where patrons can enjoy a small plate or a seven-course meal. The “hyper-seasonal” menus change every three or four months to incorporate fresh ingredients from regional farms and vendors. Ample vegan and vegetarian dishes are available year-round. The Elm’s handmade pasta is highlighted on each menu.
The beverage director and her staff thoughtfully select drinks served at the coffeehouse as well as the two bars. The Elm’s drinks aren’t just meticulously crafted alcoholic beverages; the same care is shown in the low- and zero-proof options. Patrons can peruse a bound book showcasing the available wines, choose from an array of beer and spirits, and order a charcuterie board to accompany their favorite beverage.
Our criteria forUSA TODAY’s Restaurants of the Year for 2024: How the list of best restaurants was decided
What to order at The Elm
Beet Salad: An example of a recent seasonal offering featured beets, orange, Banyuls vinaigrette, parsley, red onion and horseradish.
Pasta: Again, pastas are seasonal and might include Short Rib Ragu with pappardelle pasta, Indiana’s Fischer Farms short rib, basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Meat dishes: Try the Pork Two Ways, with crispy pork belly and cochinita pibil served with orange corn grits, braised and crispy kale and pickled red onion. A signature sandwich, served with the best chips ever created, is the Fried Chicken Sandwich (spicy or original), with sweet tea-brined chicken, pickles and black truffle aioli served on a brioche bun.
Cocktails: For an alcoholic drink, the tart and spicy Adelaide Parade is worth a sip, with Plantation 5-year rum, Batavia-Arrack, rosemary allspice orgeat syrup, Clear Creek cranberry, lime, Angostura bitters and orange blossom.
For a zero-proof beverage, try Cranberry Rush, with cranberry, cinnamon, citrus peel, seltzer, Fee Foam and a Russian Caravan smoked tea from Bloomington’s Cup & Kettle Tea Co.
See the menu: elmbloomington.com
Did you know?
Dan Thomas, executive chef at The Elm, won the last Bloomington Chefs’ Challenge competition on July 29, 2023, at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Thomas and his sous chef Michael Kadarabek were first-time competitors against two Bloomington chefs who had won the contest before.
Also, most, if not all, the photographs adorning the walls at The Elm were taken by owner David Moore on his travels to Iceland, Alaska, Africa, Washington state and other locales. Be sure to take a close look while you’re there.
Details: The Elm, 614 E. Second St., Bloomington, IN 47404; 812-407-4339; elmbloomington.com.
Reach Carol Kugler at [email protected].