The 8 Best Cocktail Bars in Washtenaw County
Eight bars where the drinks are as good as the atmosphere.
The Smash Burger at Echelon
Wood-fired, double-stacked, with a sear that makes the whole dining room smell like what you wish your backyard smelled like. We've been back four times.
Features
View all →Echelon Named James Beard Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant
Chef Joseph VanWagner's wood-fired kitchen on South Main just earned a James Beard semifinalist nod.
This City's Restaurant Scene Is Booming. Its Food Media Isn't.
James Beard semifinalists and a USA Today pick. So why is nobody writing about it properly?
What Spencer's National Recognition Means for Ann Arbor's Food Identity
The downtown wine shop and fine dining room earned national recognition for its seasonal, farm-driven cooking.
Just Opened · Just Closed
Guides
What We're Reading
This week's picks from elsewhereThe Restaurants That Define American Dining Right Now
Their annual list is out, and the Midwest is finally getting real attention.
Why Your City's Best Restaurant Might Be Inside a Gas Station
Applies to more places around here than you'd think.
The Quiet Radicalism of Cooking With What You Have
Gorgeous essay on seasonal constraints as creative fuel. Spencer would approve.
Walking, Eating, Paying Attention
Not about Ann Arbor, but about the posture of noticing what's good. Our north star.
What Happened to Restaurant Reviews?
A meditation on how food criticism lost its authority. We have thoughts.
The Midwest Food Renaissance, Explained
They noticed. About time.
Why Independent Food Media Matters in 2026
Basically our business plan, written by someone else.
The Case Against Comfort Food
Provocative, even when you disagree. Especially when you disagree.
Ann Arbor has two James Beard-recognized restaurants, a USA Today Restaurants of the Year pick, and a tiki bar in somebody's basement. If you're not paying attention to this food city, now would be a good time to start.