While students were out of session for the summer, a dessert shop with southern flare was cooking in downtown Bloomington.
Indiana University alumnus Wade Johnson and his business partner Robert Thompson III opened the Peach Cobbler Factory in July on North College Avenue.
“I just wanted to bring joy and comfort food to Bloomington,” Johnson said. “I think it's such a great fit.”
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Johnson describes the Peach Cobbler Factory as an impulsive indulgence. It is the type of dessert you don’t know you need until you see it. You’ll have plenty of time to check it out, too, since the shop is open daily until 10 p.m.
“We are a fun environment with delicious food and open late,” Johnson said. “You'll find things you didn't know you love because there’s so much variety. Everything is unique and delicious, and there's a southern flavor to it.
This, I can attest to. Once I discovered the Peach Cobbler Factory, I knew I wanted to try it. My dad was visiting me a week into the semester, and I instantly planned for him to take me there.
Before my official visit to the Peach Cobbler Factory, I familiarized myself with its menu. To my surprise, the Peach Cobbler Factory offers far more than just peach cobbler. They have 12 flavors of cobblers, dessert waffles, churros, brownies, cookies and banana pudding.
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Even though they have an array of options, I knew I had to try the cobbler for my first visit. I ordered the honey apple cobbler, and my dad ordered the caramel apple cobbler.
We each received a hefty serving of warm cobbler paired with a scoop of ice cream. The cobblers were served in bright orange bowls and filled to the brim with pie filling. A flakey piece of crust sprinkled in cinnamon sugar laid on top.
It is a tradition for my family to commemorate special occasions with apple pie, so as my dad and I ate our cobbler together, it evoked nostalgia.
My dad gave the shop a positive review and I knew I had to come back. As I left the shop, I was already thinking about what dessert I wanted to try next. The churros and sweet potato pecan cobbler are definitely the contesting favorites.
I don’t think there is a Bloomington dessert shop quite like the Peach Cobbler Factory. I can order one serving of complex desserts I wouldn’t even attempt to bake at home.
I am not saying you must try it, but if you can walk by the Peach Cobbler Factory and resist going in… your self-control is way stronger than mine.
