The familiar taste of home doesn’t have to be far away when you’re in Bloomington. The city boasts a wide variety of international markets and groceries that offer ingredients, snacks and produce from all over the world.
This comprehensive list should be your first stop, whether you’re trying to recreate a classic recipe, find a new snack or want to cook something different than usual.
B-Town International Market
This grocery store, located at 2901 E. Covenanter Drive and across the street from the Kroger at College Mall, is a great place to find a variety of Asian foods. Inside, you can find a mix of fresh, frozen and packaged foods like kimchi, tteokbokki or ramen. There is also a fresh foods section that includes meat and vegetables. Additionally, a wide range of popular snacks like flavored seaweed, cookies, candy and chips comprise a large amount of the market’s offerings.
Apna Bazaar International Market
Located at 2556 E. Third St., Apna Bazaar is an Indian grocery store that also offers prepared food such as hot samosas and sweets like jalebi. You can find spices, meats and sauces among the shelves of the store. The market’s offerings also include ingredients used in certain Central Asian and multicultural dishes, such as Manchurian balls in the market’s frozen section, as well as paratha, a South Asian flatbread that can also be purchased hot at Afghan teahouse, Kabul Corner.
La Bodega Latin Market
This market, located at 1915 S. Walnut St., doubles as a restaurant that sells Mexican cuisine, baked goods and tacos. The breakfast menu features a long list of French toast, pancakes and egg dishes, such as omelets and skillets. Other restaurant items include burritos, enchiladas, a variety of seafood and agua fresca. As far as groceries, this market sells meat, classic Hispanic beverages and dessert items like dulce de leche and tres leches ingredients.
World Foods Market
World Foods Market, located at 106 E. Second St., has a range of items from Europe, Asia, Latin America and beyond. If you’re looking for a market with international groceries from across the globe, this is the place to go. The market sells various sweets and pastries such as dates, dried fruits and cookies from the Chicago-based Nazareth Sweets, a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern bakery. The market’s bread and grain selections include basmati rice and multiple kinds of flatbreads. Other offerings include kalamata olives, tzatziki, dairy, meat and coffee. coffee.
4th Street International Market
Last but not least, this market, located at 408 E. Fourth St., is both a deli and a grocery. Their deli menu includes Mediterranean classics like gyros, spanakopita, hummus and tabouli salad. And the grocery offers kitchen staples like spices and halal meats. This is a convenient stop if you’re in the mood for a sit-down meal, as the market is in the same building as Dat’s Cajun and Btown Gyros, two restaurants focused on Creole and Mediterranean cuisine. There are many other international restaurants along Fourth Street if you’re looking for some more variety. along Fourth Street.
It can be difficult knowing where to shop in a new place, but Bloomington is a city filled with all kinds of food. Regardless of whether these cuisines are familiar to you or not, college is the time to explore new foods and cultures, and these groceries are a great starting point.
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's 2026 International Student Guide.
