Takeout Tuesday: On the Square in Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON — For this week’s Takeout Tuesday, we head south to Monroe County. On the square in the heart of Bloomington, you will find Social Cantina and SmokeWorks side by side.

During regular times you can walk between the two without even going outside. However, with dining in not an option right now, both places feature carryout and delivery. So, if some of your family is feeling Mexican and the other half BBQ, this solves all your problems. Just pull up to the curb between the two and the issue is settled.

Social Cantina is a modern Mexican restaurant with your traditional tacos to cantina bowls that feature different proteins with rice and excellent sauces all mixed in. Of course, there are your traditional appetizers of chips and salsa and guacamole but also some really out of the box tasty ones as well as plenty of tequila!

In fact, there are over 100 different kinds to choose from. On the takeout menu is also a Social Margarita Kit that you can order, take home, and make your own. It features tequila and their homemade margarita mix, and now that the weather is getting warmer, how well do tacos and margaritas sound on your deck or patio?

SmokeWorks is a Memphis style BBQ joint that features brisket, ribs, chicken, sausage, and made from scratch southern sides. If you are thirsty and looking for a large selection of bourbon, whiskey, and moonshine, they have that too. I love to sit at the bar in the back and have a craft bourbon cocktail and order one of their BBQ trays. You get your choice of various meats along with sides and the best homemade BBQ sauces you will find. This way, I can sample a bunch of things as once. All the meat is smoked up to 18 hours using Indiana hickory wood and don’t forget the banana pudding for desert

Not only do these two locally-owned restaurants feature great food and drinks, but I love the décor on the inside of both. It really makes them stand out compared to places with tables and just a few pictures on the wall. I could try to explain it all to you but won’t do it justice, so you’ll have to go check it out yourself. I guarantee you’ll be picking up your phone to take some pictures and creating some social media memories in front of the creative, well-lit sayings/signs on the walls.

Both restaurants are on Facebook and Instagram, and the menus are posted online, so check them out and support local.