Blackbird is an inviting coffeehouse in downtown Valparaiso.

Blackbird is an inviting coffeehouse in downtown Valparaiso.

Downtown Valparaiso, Indiana is home to a lot of great restaurants, and that may be why I overlooked the eclectic Blackbird Cafe for too long.

I thought of it as a place to get coffee and a muffin (both of which Blackbird does, and does well), but I have since discovered it is also a great place for a casual meal!

Blackbird Cafe in Valparaiso, Indiana

Blackbird is first and foremost a coffee shop, a place where friends often sit and around and chat over a cup of coffee or someone sips tea while looking at their laptop computer or tablet.

They offer an amazing selection of coffees and espresso drinks (with the Blackbird Blend being the best seller). Against the wall you’ll find containers which hold dozens of different teas.

On a recent visit to the Porter County cafe, my wife and I started with a gluten-free morning glory muffin (they always have gluten-free and regular baked goods) and a bagel with smoked salmon, capers, cream cheese, tomato and red onion. Both were great.

All of their baked goods are made fresh each morning, except for the bagels and croissants, which are delivered fresh from Labriola Bakery in Chicago.

Valparaiso, Indiana Cafe

Great food at Blackbird Cafe.

Great food at Blackbird Cafe.

I then ordered the hummus veggie wrap, which is packed with lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumber, spinach and onion. I upgraded the wrap by adding a veggie burger in it. It was fresh and tasty.

My wife opted for the special, a pulled pork sandwich which she raved about.

Blackbird makes its menu offerings from scratch each day, using high-quality ingredients and local produce. Their menu features quiche, sandwiches, salads, soups and more. The breakfast choices include oatmeal, yogurt and breakfast sandwiches.

When a person orders at the counter, they are given a card to display at their table so the staff can bring their food when it’s ready. Our card had a picture of a monkey on it, which makes me think I should have ordered a strawberry banana smoothie.

Go There

The sign at our table.

The sign at our table.

One of the things I like about Blackbird is that it’s open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, so when other downtown restaurants are closed in the morning, on a Sunday or on a Monday, Blackbird is a good option.

They even have a small outdoor seating area that gets used from spring to fall.

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Blackbird Cafe
114 E. Lincolnway
Valparaiso, IN 46383
219.548.2811

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