C3 Bloomington Earns “Best Cocktails in Bloomington” in Bloom Magazine’s First Restaurant Survey

Bloomington, IN - April/May 2024

In the inaugural Bloomington Restaurant Survey conducted by Bloom Magazine, C3 Bloomington was named Best Cocktails in Bloomington, marking a standout moment for the restaurant’s bar program and the beginning of what would become a defining standard in the local cocktail scene.

At the center of that recognition was Nick Matio, Bar Manager and sole mixologist at C3, whose approach to cocktail development set the tone for the program’s success. From the outset, Nick was responsible for researching, designing, and crafting the restaurant’s seasonal cocktail menu-building a lineup that balanced originality, technique, and guest experience.

The win highlighted not only the quality of the drinks themselves, but the intention behind them. Each cocktail on C3’s menu was developed with a clear purpose,whether through layered flavor profiles, thoughtful ingredient sourcing, or presentation that elevated the overall dining experience.

For C3, this first-place recognition reflected the strength of the restaurant as a whole, a space that prioritized creativity, consistency, and hospitality. For Nick, it marked the first major public acknowledgment of a cocktail philosophy rooted in both innovation and precision.

This inaugural win laid the foundation for what would become a continued presence at the top of Bloomington’s cocktail landscape, establishing C3 as a destination for thoughtfully crafted, consistently exceptional drinks.

It also reflected the early formation of the ideas that would later shape Mixed By Matio—an approach centered on intentional menu design, seasonality, and creating cocktail programs that resonate beyond the glass.