Bloomsbury Bistro Serves Unique Lunch

The Bloomsbury Bistro, a hidden gem tucked away in an old antique mall, is a dining experience that no one should miss out on. Thankfully, my mom introduced me to the delicious food when I was 10. Writing this review was an excellent excuse to go back.

The restaurant is located in the Mission Road Antique Mall, a part of the Corinth Square Shopping center. Walking in the building, you would never expect to find two levels of antiques, let alone a restaurant from the small exterior.

Although it is a maze to reach the dining area, getting lost is part of the fun. My walk through the endless number of antique booths was filled with anything from oriental antiques to a Marilyn Monroe poster. It came to an end when I reached a sign that read “one of these things is not like the others” and a chalk board with the daily specials on it which designated the entrance to the restaurant.

Small tables were scattered around the chatter-filled room and the use of warm colors and flowery pictures on the walls created a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. At first sight, you can tell that the Bloomsbury Bistro tends to attract an older, mostly female crowd. Still, who wouldn’t be attracted to a quaint little bistro that serves wonderful food?

It’s the perfect place for a low-key lunch with a friend or a luncheon with all your best girlfriends. Due to their limited hours (Mon-Sat 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.), the place is always packed. I recommend dining there if you have a little bit of time on your hands since there is usually a wait, but with all the antiques around the wait is entertaining and goes quickly.

As I was seated by a waitress, it was obvious that the staff had enjoyed working at the bistro by their genuine smiles and desire to help their customers. Each dish that passed by my table made it harder to decide what my lunch would consist of that day, and although I am very familiar with the menu, I read over it again.

A feature of the menu that stands out to me every time is what they call a “Bistro Special” which includes your choice of any two of the following items: a half sandwich, a small bowl of soup, a side of any salad or a half-order of an appetizer. A restaurant that allows you to pick two items from the menu automatically earns some bonus points in my book. Despite all the mouth-watering items on the menu like the Roasted Pear and Goat Cheese Salad, I stuck to my usual—the Bistro Special with a half-order of the Spinach-Artichoke Dip appetizer and a half of the Bistro Turkey sandwich. The Bistro Turkey is understandably a crowd favorite with the perfect combination of oven-roasted turkey, fresh ripe pear, bacon and soft brie on multi-grain bread with honey-mustard sauce. Not to my surprise, my lunch was perfect. I made sure to save enough room for the Toasted Carrot Cake, my favorite dessert.

Some may be skeptical of a restaurant in the back of an old antique mall with some of the strangest thingamabobs you’ll ever see, but I’m telling you, go to this restaurant. The Bloomsbury Bistro never fails to provide me with a good meal.