Best pizza place now best restaurant

Mother Bear’s has now been named Best Pizza for the sixth year in a row as part of the 10th edition of Best of Bloomington. But this year the iconic local eatery was also voted Best Restaurant for the first time.

Owner Ray McConn said he agrees with being named Best Pizza but was shocked to find out they had won Best Restaurant.

“I’m really amazed that we won,” he said.

McConn started Mother Bear’s in 1973, but it was only in the past decade that the restaurant has expanded to its current occupancy of about 130 customers. Kitchen manager Mark Hajduk said the restaurant used to close at 10 p.m., but now it does the same amount of business in one hour of work on a Friday night that it used to do in an entire Friday.

He credits the expansion to more recognition from people.

“It’s taken us this long to reach that level,” Hajduk said.

Their recognition for Best Restaurant might also have something to do with the reasonable prices. McConn said out of the half dozen or so restaurants that also deserved the award, Mother Bear’s is “the most affordable.”

While Mother Bear’s is popular with pre-gaming students, McConn said the restaurant is open to everyone.

“Good food and good service doesn’t need a generational label,” he said.

The Mother Bear’s specials are another factor for the popularity among college students, as students cannot typically afford the more high-end restaurants in town.

But they offer more than just good pizza.

For people looking for traditional restaurant food, there’s ravioli, lasagna, spaghetti and chicken parmesan. Their selection of subs and wings are also popular. 

But it’s the pizza that draws the customers.

“They’re amazed at how good it is and how consistently good it is,” McConn said.