As soon as I entered the doors, my eyes instantly met with an overwhelming amount of Italian goods. I walked down the first aisle and saw hundreds of bags of pasta, numerous types of tomato sauce and rows of Italian olive oil. Within minutes, I knew I had discovered a Bloomington gem.
The Little Italy Market is off Third Street in Colstone Square and has been in business for about ten years. I had seen rave views online and knew I needed to stop by this week for lunch. I had such a wonderful experience and want to share all the details of my fun lunch visit.
The main goal of my trip was to order lunch. The market had a kitchen in the back of the store and customers could order off their food menu. The menu had hot and cold sandwiches, pizza, pasta dishes and cannoli. I chose the turkey sandwich which contained sliced turkey, fresh provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, pesto and balsamic glaze on a toasted baguette.
I took a bite of the sandwich and was instantly shocked. The baguette was surprisingly soft which made the sandwich easy to bite into. The turkey slices were extremely thick and paired well with the slices of provolone cheese. My sandwich was drizzled with balsamic glaze which added a bittersweet flavor to the meal.
The sandwich cost $15, and I would argue it is worth every penny. The sandwich had luxurious ingredients and was made fresh to order. I can confidently say this is the highest quality sandwich I’ve ever had in Bloomington, and I will return to try other sandwiches.
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While my sandwich was being made, I walked around the market looking to try new things. In the dessert aisle, I picked up Italian chocolate sandwich cookies. The cookies resemble a store-bought Milano cookie and after trying them, I would say they are a yummier version of them. I also picked up frozen chicken tortellini which I am excited to have for dinner next week.
The best part of the trip came as I was ready to check out. The owner was ringing up my items and began to look startled. With a concerned look on his face, he asked me if I had any good sauce to pair with the pasta I bought. Since my usual pasta sauce came from Kroger, I figured he brought up a great point.
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I told him I needed a recommendation, and he brought me a large can of Sugo all'arrabbiata, which translates to “spicy sauce” in English. He told me the sauce was made in Italy and that the tomatoes came directly from the summer season. I was then informed of all the necessary cooking instructions and was gifted two pounds of pasta on the house.
The owners have such a clear passion for this market, and it was a pleasure to stop by. Whether you are looking for an extravagant sandwich, high quality tomato sauce or just a lovely conversation with the owners, this is the place for you.
