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March 2026
Spring Eating in Washtenaw County
Morels, asparagus, and the farmers market shift. What to eat and where to find it.
A guide to eating seasonally in Washtenaw County this spring, from morel mushrooms and asparagus to the farmers market's outdoor expansion.
Chelsea Is a Day Trip. Here's How to Do It.
Twenty minutes west of Ann Arbor, a small town with more good food than it should have.
Chelsea is 20 minutes from Ann Arbor and most people never go. A day-trip guide covering breakfast through dinner, with stops worth the drive.
Raterman Bread Haus Does One Thing and Builds Everything Else Around It
A 100% sourdough bakery on Grand Street in Dexter that turned bread into a bistro.
Raterman Bread Haus & Bistro at 8080 Grand St in Dexter is a 100% sourdough bakery that expanded into pizza, sandwiches, and seasonal soups. Nick and Violet Tiani Raterman built it from a farmers market stand.
Hunã After Dark
The tiki bar underneath Echelon has been open for two weeks. The rum is serious. The bamboo is committed.
Hunã Tiki Bar at 200 S Main St (basement) in Ann Arbor is a 78-seat rum-forward cocktail bar below Echelon. Two weeks in, here's what it's actually like down there.
Zamaan Grill Closes After 15 Years on Eisenhower
The Middle Eastern restaurant at 865 W Eisenhower served its last meal this week.
The Middle Eastern restaurant at 865 W Eisenhower served its last meal this week.
February 2026
The Lakehouse Bakery Is Chelsea's Morning Anchor
Scratch-baked pastries on Main Street, from a baker who chose a small town on purpose.
The Lakehouse Bakery on Chelsea's Main Street bakes everything from scratch. The croissants alone justify the drive from Ann Arbor.
Espy Cafe Roasts Its Own and Shares the Profits
The employee-owned coffee shop on West Huron is doing something different with its business model and its beans.
Espy Cafe at 404 W Huron St roasts its own coffee, runs a no-tip model with higher wages, and gives employees ownership shares based on hours worked. Two weeks in, the coffee justifies the structure.
Filipino-Inspired Cooking Is Coming to Southwest Detroit
Calamansi, from Tyler Olivier and Marcee Sobredilla, will open on West Vernor Highway.
Calamansi will bring Filipino-inspired cooking to Southwest Detroit's West Vernor corridor.
Tabe Fusion, One Year Later: The Promise and the Reality at 209 South Main
We said we'd come back once the kitchen settled. A year later, the omakase has a reputation. The rest is more complicated.
A year after its ambitious opening on South Main Street, Tabe Fusion's omakase program has earned its reputation. The regular menu still hasn't figured out what it wants to be.
Huna Tiki Bar Opens in Echelon's Basement on South Main
A tiki bar underneath a James Beard semifinalist? Ann Arbor just got more interesting.
A tiki bar underneath a James Beard semifinalist? Ann Arbor just got more interesting.
Espy Cafe Brings House-Roasted Coffee to West Huron
A new local cafe at 404 W Huron St. They roast their own beans.
A new local cafe at 404 W Huron St. They roast their own beans.
Sunda New Asian Brings Its Chicago Concept to Downtown Detroit
The 200-seat pan-Asian restaurant opens near Comerica Park this week.
The 200-seat pan-Asian restaurant opens near Comerica Park this week.
A Walking Guide to Chelsea's Main Street
Six blocks, seven stops, and the best small-town food crawl in Washtenaw County.
Chelsea's Main Street packs more good food into six blocks than most towns manage in a mile. A walking guide from Agricole to Ugly Dog.
January 2026
Ann Arbor Is Finally Getting a Proper Bagel Shop
Bev's Bagels plans to open on East Liberty Street this summer, between Spencer and RoosRoast.
Bev's Bagels plans to open on East Liberty Street this summer with hand-rolled, kettle-boiled bagels.
Three Closings and a Question: What Fills Ypsilanti's Gaps?
Wurst Bar, Beezy's, and Bobcat Bonnie's are gone. Here's what's coming next.
Ypsilanti lost three restaurants in a year. The spaces aren't all empty — new concepts are moving in, and what they look like says something about what the city needs.
Where to Eat with Kids in Washtenaw County
Twelve restaurants across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Dexter, and Chelsea where children are welcome and the food is still good.
Finding restaurants that work for kids without boring the adults is harder than it should be. Twelve spots across Washtenaw County that thread the needle.
Ziggi's Coffee Opens Its First Washtenaw County Location
The Colorado-based chain lands on Dexter-Ann Arbor Road with a drive-through and a specialty drink menu.
The Colorado-based chain opens on Dexter-Ann Arbor Road with a drive-through and specialty drinks.
Jeff Daniels Is Opening a Restaurant in Chelsea. It's Not a Vanity Project.
JD's Stage Bistro brings wood-fired pizza, live music, and a seasonal scratch kitchen to Main Street this spring.
JD's Stage Bistro brings wood-fired pizza, live music, and a seasonal scratch kitchen to Chelsea's Main Street.
Ann Arbor Restaurant Week 2026: What the Lineup Tells Us About the Scene
Forty-plus restaurants, prix fixe menus, and a few new names worth noting.
Forty-plus restaurants, prix fixe menus, and a few new names worth watching.
Lady of the House Is Gone
Kate Williams' restaurant closed in September and won't reopen. The lawsuits, the move, and what Detroit lost.
Lady of the House closed its Core City location in September 2025 amid dueling lawsuits. Kate Williams confirmed in December it won't reopen. Detroit's first closing article.
December 2025
Blue Leprechaun Closes After 17 Years on South University
The Irish bar at 1220 South University served its last pint on December 13.
The Blue Leprechaun closed after 17 years on South University, another loss on a campus corridor that keeps getting shorter.
Tower Inn Closes on West Huron After Decades
The campus-area bar at 701 W Huron served cheap pitchers and no pretense for longer than most of its customers were alive.
Tower Inn closed in December after decades on West Huron Street, another campus-area institution lost to a changing Ann Arbor.
Zingerman's Roadhouse Reopens After Six-Week Renovation
New floors, better acoustics, and the same Buttermilk Fried Chicken. The 23-year-old institution on Jackson Avenue is back.
The Roadhouse is back after a six-week renovation with new floors, better acoustics, and the same fried chicken.
ZingTrain Sells the Thing That Can't Be Shipped
The ninth stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. At 3728 Plaza Drive, a small team teaches other companies how to run like Zingerman's.
ZingTrain at 3728 Plaza Dr is Zingerman's training and consulting arm, founded in 1994 with $1,000 and a desk in an attic. The ninth entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
November 2025
Monahan's Has Been Selling Fish in Kerrytown for 46 Years. Mike Monahan Is Still Behind the Counter.
The co-founder of Ann Arbor's most enduring seafood market hasn't missed many days since 1979.
Forty-six years in Kerrytown. Mike Monahan is still behind the counter.
Holiday Dining in Washtenaw County
Thanksgiving reservations, holiday parties, and New Year's Eve. Where to celebrate and what to book now.
A guide to holiday dining in Washtenaw County. Thanksgiving dinner, holiday party venues, New Year's Eve, and catering options from November through December.
BAKE! Puts the Flour in Your Hands
The eleventh and final stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. The teaching kitchen on Plaza Drive that turns customers into bakers.
BAKE! with Zing is Zingerman's hands-on teaching bakery at 3723 Plaza Dr, tucked between the Bakehouse and the Creamery. The eleventh and final entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
Where to Eat in Corktown
Detroit's oldest neighborhood has one of its deepest dining corridors. Ten restaurants that make Corktown a destination.
A guide to eating in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood, from Northern Thai at Takoi to smoked meat at Slows and Alpine-inspired plates at Alpino.
Zingerman's Cornman Farms Is the One That Doesn't Look Like Work
The eighth stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. A 27-acre event venue near Dexter where the food is the reason people show up and the farm is the reason they stay.
Zingerman's Cornman Farms at 8540 Island Lake Rd near Dexter is a 27-acre event venue, working farm, and culinary destination. The eighth entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
Where to Eat in Southwest Detroit
Vernor Highway and the Mexicantown corridor: the most flavorful stretch of road in the metro area.
Southwest Detroit's Vernor Highway corridor has the best concentration of taco shops, Vietnamese cooking, and bakeries in Michigan. A guide to eating your way through it.
Miss Kim Is the Zingerman's Business That Didn't Need the Name
The tenth stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. Ji Hye Kim's Korean restaurant on Fifth Avenue rewrites what a ZCoB business can be.
Miss Kim at 415 N Fifth Ave is a Zingerman's Community of Businesses restaurant serving seasonal Korean food with Michigan ingredients. The tenth entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
October 2025
Zingerman's Mail Order Packs the Whole Thing in a Box
The seventh stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. From a prep table in the Deli basement to a 24,000-square-foot operation that ships Ann Arbor's food to the rest of the country.
Zingerman's Mail Order at 620 Phoenix Dr started in 1992 on a prep table in the Deli basement. Now it ships bread, cheese, coffee, and confections nationwide. The seventh entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
Four Closings in Eleven Months
Red Hawk, Tower Inn, Blue Leprechaun, Zamaan Grill. Ann Arbor lost four restaurants between May 2025 and March 2026. What's the pattern?
Ann Arbor lost Red Hawk, Tower Inn, Blue Leprechaun, and Zamaan Grill in under a year. The closings share a pattern that says something about the city's restaurant economics.
Zingerman's Candy Manufactory Turns Sugar Into Something Serious
The third stop on our tour of the Zingerman's universe. On Plaza Drive, a small team makes candy by hand, and the Zzang! Bar is only the beginning.
Zingerman's Candy Manufactory at 3723 Plaza Dr makes Zzang! Bars, toffee, brittle, and caramels by hand. The third entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
Venue Puts Five Restaurants and a Coworking Space Under One Roof. Somehow, It Works.
Chef Thad Gillies brings a Zingerman's-to-Union Square Cafe resume to Ann Arbor's most ambitious dining experiment.
Five restaurants, one coworking space, and a chef with a resume that starts at Zingerman's and runs through Union Square Cafe.
The Roadhouse Is the Loud One, and That's the Point
Twenty-three years in, Zingerman's full-service restaurant on Jackson Avenue is still the most democratic table in Ann Arbor. Fried chicken, pit barbecue, mac and cheese made with Martelli pasta, and a room that seats hundreds.
Zingerman's Roadhouse has been serving fried chicken, pit barbecue, and Martelli mac and cheese at 2501 Jackson Ave for 23 years. It's the big, loud, full-service arm of the Zingerman's community, and it earns every decibel.
Zingerman's Coffee Company Roasts Quietly and Means It
The fourth stop in our Zingerman's Universe series. On Plaza Drive, a small roasting operation takes single-origin beans seriously enough to make you rethink your morning cup.
Zingerman's Coffee Company at 3723 Plaza Dr roasts single-origin beans in small batches. The fourth entry in our Zingerman's Universe series.
Frita Batidos Opens in Brooklyn. Ann Arbor's Cuban Street Food Goes National.
Eve Aronoff Fernandez's 15-year-old Ann Arbor concept just opened its third location. In New York.
Eve Aronoff Fernandez's Ann Arbor Cuban street food concept just opened in Brooklyn.
B2A2: The Rankings After Six Burgers
We've eaten our way from a cocktail bar to a Corktown slider joint. Here's how they stack up.
Six entries into the Best Burger in Ann Arbor series, it's time for an updated scorecard. From Raven's Club to Green Dot Stables, ranked and reasoned.
At Zingerman's Creamery, the Cheese Is the Easy Part
Next door to the Bakehouse on Plaza Drive, a small operation turns Michigan milk into some of the best fresh cheese and gelato in the state.
Zingerman's Creamery makes fresh cheese and gelato from Michigan milk in a small production facility on Plaza Drive. The fromage blanc alone is worth the drive.
September 2025
Ma Lou's Has the Best Fried Chicken in Michigan. It's on Michigan Avenue in Ypsi.
K.C. Knipple grew up here. He opened a chicken spot. The rest of the state noticed.
Named best fried chicken in Michigan by multiple publications. Ma Lou's is a Ypsilanti original.
Zingerman's Bakehouse Has Been Ann Arbor's Bread for 34 Years
On Plaza Drive, a mile from the airport, the most important bakery in the Midwest keeps doing what it does. Plus: the baking school you should have tried by now.
The Bakehouse has been supplying Ann Arbor's bread since 1992. On Plaza Drive, far from downtown, it remains the quiet engine of the Zingerman's universe.
Little Kim Eight Months In
Ji Hye Kim's fast-casual vegetarian Korean cafe in Kerrytown has found its rhythm. Here's what the menu looks like now.
Little Kim at 207 N Fifth Ave has been open since July 2025. Ji Hye Kim's all-vegetarian Korean cafe and mini-mart has settled into its identity, and the build-your-own bowls are the reason to go.
B2A2: Green Dot Stables
Entry six takes the burger series to Corktown for $3 sliders that ask the same question the frita did: what counts?
B2A2 Entry #6 takes the series to Detroit's Corktown for Green Dot Stables, where $3 sliders challenge the definition of what belongs in a burger ranking.
Beezy's Closes Quietly in Downtown Ypsilanti
The café at 20 N Washington Street served its last coffee and pastry in September.
Beezy's closed in September after years of scratch-made breakfasts and baked goods at 20 N Washington in downtown Ypsilanti.
The Farm-to-Table Pipeline That Actually Works
Inside the ecosystem that connects Washtenaw County's farms to its best restaurant kitchens.
Washtenaw County's farm-to-table movement isn't a marketing phrase. It's actual infrastructure.
The Slice: Jolly Pumpkin's Wood-Fired Pizza
The third entry takes us to Dexter for brewery pizza that refuses to be an afterthought.
Jolly Pumpkin Dexter runs a wood-fired pizza program in a sour brewery. Our third Slice entry measures it against the first two.
Fall Eating in Washtenaw County
Cider mills, apple farms, and the restaurants that cook with what October gives them.
A guide to fall eating in Washtenaw County. Cider mills, apple farms, U-pick, and which restaurants build menus around Michigan's best harvest season.
August 2025
The Slice: Supino Pizzeria
The second entry takes us to Eastern Market for New York-style thin crust and seventeen years of consistency.
Supino Pizzeria in Detroit's Eastern Market has been making thin-crust pizza since 2008. Our second entry in The Slice measures it against the wood-fired benchmark.
Wurst Bar Closes on Cross Street
The gourmet sausage and craft beer bar at 705 W Cross Street served its last plate in August.
Wurst Bar closed in August after years on Cross Street in Ypsilanti, leaving a gap in the corridor's identity.
Where to Eat on Michigan Football Game Days
The Big House holds 107,000 people. The restaurants hold fewer. Plan accordingly.
A dining guide for Michigan football game days in Ann Arbor. Where to eat before and after the game, how to avoid the crush, and which restaurants are worth a reservation.
The Slice: Mani Osteria's Wood-Fired Pizza
The first entry in our Best Pizza series comes from a pasta restaurant. That tells you something.
Mani Osteria is known for handmade pasta, but the wood-fired pizza from its East Liberty kitchen deserves its own spotlight. Our first entry in The Slice.
The Slice: Best Pizza in Ann Arbor
A living series tracking the pizza worth eating in this town, one pie at a time.
A living guide to our Best Pizza in Ann Arbor series. We're eating through the arguments, from wood-fired Neapolitan to Detroit-style deep dish.
The Zingerman's Effect: How One Deli Shaped an Entire City's Food Culture
In the mid-1990s, Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw made a decision that changed Ann Arbor. They chose to stay.
In the mid-1990s, Zingerman's chose to stay local instead of franchising. That decision shaped everything.
The Fold: The Rankings After Five Tacos
We've eaten our way from Ann Arbor's west side to Southwest Detroit. Here's how they stack up.
Five entries into The Fold taco series, it's time for a mid-series scorecard. From Dos Hermanos to Taqueria El Rey, ranked and reasoned.
July 2025
The Fold: Taqueria El Rey
The taco series crosses the county line into Southwest Detroit for the first time.
The Fold Entry #5 takes the series to Southwest Detroit's Vernor Highway, where Taqueria El Rey has been serving some of the best tacos in the metro area for years.
The Dexter Food Guide: A Small Town With a Big Appetite
Michigan's oldest cider mill, the country's first all-sour brewery, and a downtown that punches above its weight.
Fifteen minutes from Ann Arbor, Dexter has more good food per capita than any town in the county. Updated for spring 2026 with new openings.
Black Pearl Has Been on Main Street for 17 Years. It Still Surprises People.
Ann Arbor's seafood-and-sushi stalwart defies easy categorization, and that's the whole point.
Seventeen years on Main Street. Black Pearl still defies easy categorization.
RoosRoast Is Ann Arbor's Coffee. Twenty Years of Roasting Proves It.
Solar-powered, locally roasted, and stubbornly independent since 2005.
Solar-powered, locally roasted, and stubbornly independent. RoosRoast is Ann Arbor's coffee identity.
Where to Eat During Ann Arbor Art Fair
Half a million people descend on downtown for three days in July. Here's how to eat well without losing your mind.
A dining guide for the 2026 Ann Arbor Art Fair (July 16-18). Where to eat near the fair footprint, how to avoid the crowds, and which restaurants take reservations.
The Fold: Tmaz Taqueria
The taco series comes back to Ann Arbor for a Packard Street institution open until 4 a.m.
The Fold Entry #4 returns to Ann Arbor proper for Tmaz Taqueria on Packard Street, where the al pastor has been turning heads for years and tacos run $2.50 when you buy two.
Ji Hye Kim Opens Little Kim in Kerrytown With All-Vegetarian Asian Food and a Mini-Mart
The James Beard-nominated chef's third concept brings build-your-own bowls and an Asian grocery counter to North Fifth Avenue.
Ji Hye Kim's third concept: all-vegetarian bowls, kimbap, and an Asian mini-mart in Kerrytown.
June 2025
Detroit Is 45 Minutes Away. That's Not an Excuse. It's an Invitation.
An Ann Arbor food writer on why Washtenaw County diners who ignore Detroit are cheating themselves out of the best meals in the region.
Washtenaw County has great restaurants. Detroit has a different kind of great. An argument for making the drive east.
Ann Arbor's Restaurant Closure Problem Is Real — and Getting Worse
The closures keep coming. The replacements keep getting more expensive. Something has to give.
The closures keep coming. The replacements keep getting more expensive. Something has to give.
The Common Grill Has Been Here for Thirty Years. Chelsea Still Needs It.
Chef Craig Common built a real restaurant in a town of 5,000 and kept it alive through everything.
Chef Craig Common has been running The Common Grill in Chelsea since the mid-1990s. Thirty years in a town of 5,000 is a story about food, loyalty, and stubbornness.
Chelsea Has a Food Scene. You Just Haven't Been Paying Attention.
A town of 5,000 with a 30-year restaurant anchor, a farmers market, and now Jeff Daniels opening a bistro. What does Chelsea's food identity actually look like?
Chelsea has a food scene most Ann Arbor residents have never explored. With JD's Stage Bistro on the way, it's time to start paying attention.
Where to Eat in Chelsea
Seven places on a Main Street that's been quietly feeding its town for decades.
Chelsea has been building a food identity for longer than most of Washtenaw County realizes. Seven restaurants that justify the twenty minutes on I-94.
Ji Hye Kim Built Two Restaurants and a Mini-Mart. She's Not Done.
From Miss Kim to Little Kim to an Asian grocery counter, the James Beard-nominated chef is quietly building a food empire.
From Miss Kim to Little Kim to an Asian grocery counter, the James Beard-nominated chef is quietly building a food empire.
The 8 Best Cocktail Bars in Washtenaw County
From a speakeasy on Huron to a tiki bar in somebody's basement.
Eight bars where the drinks are as good as the atmosphere.
Best Patios in Washtenaw County
Seven outdoor dining spots worth planning your summer around. The season is short. Use it well.
Seven patios across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Dexter that are worth the wait for warm weather. The outdoor dining season in Michigan is short, so spend it in the right places.
La Serre Is a Hotel Restaurant That Actually Earns the Reservation
Inside The Vanguard on Glen Avenue, chef Michael Polsinelli is building a French brasserie worth visiting on purpose.
Inside The Vanguard on Glen Avenue, a French brasserie that's worth visiting on purpose.
May 2025
B2A2: Sidetrack's Signature Burger
Entry five heads to Ypsilanti. A crooked building in Depot Town where GQ once told you to eat.
The fifth entry in our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series crosses into Ypsilanti. Sidetrack Bar & Grill's wagyu signature burger at 56 E Cross St is the pub burger the series was missing.
Ann Arbor Has a Food Truck Scene. Why Does Nobody Write About It?
The trucks are out there every day, feeding the lunch rush, taking the risks. The coverage hasn't caught up.
Ann Arbor's food trucks feed thousands of people a week and get almost zero coverage. The economics are different, the risks are real, and the food deserves attention.
Jolly Pumpkin Put Sour Beer on the Map. The Dexter Taproom Is Where You Should Drink It.
The country's first all-sour brewery has a kitchen that keeps up with the beer.
Ron Jeffries built America's first all-sour brewery in 2004. The Dexter taproom pairs oak-aged ales with wood-fired pizza and the best patio in Washtenaw County.
Supino Pizzeria Has Been Doing One Thing Right for Years. That's the Whole Point.
In Eastern Market, Dave Mancini makes pizza that doesn't need a concept, a rebrand, or your Instagram post.
Supino Pizzeria in Eastern Market has spent years making thin-crust pizza with patience and consistency. No gimmicks. No reinvention. Just pizza worth the drive.
The Fold: Chela's
The taco series heads west on Dexter-Ann Arbor Road.
The Fold Entry #3 takes us to the Dexter corridor, where Chela's serves Mexico City street tacos from a family recipe and puts birria on the board every Friday and Saturday.
Echelon Named James Beard Semifinalist for Best New Restaurant
Chef Joseph VanWagner's wood-fired kitchen on South Main earned a James Beard semifinalist nod. Ann Arbor should pay attention.
Chef Joseph VanWagner's wood-fired kitchen on South Main just earned a James Beard semifinalist nod.
B2A2: Raven's Club Smash Burger
Our search for Ann Arbor's best burger starts in a dark cocktail bar on Main Street.
The first entry in our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series. Raven's Club serves a smash burger with a deep sear, excellent fries, and a garlic aioli that ties the whole plate together.
Red Hawk Bar & Grill Closes After 33 Years on State Street
The longtime Ann Arbor institution served its last meal on May 3.
Red Hawk Bar & Grill closed after 33 years on State Street, citing pandemic impacts and rising costs.
April 2025
The Fold: MAIZ Mexican Cantina
The taco series crosses the Huron River into Ypsilanti for the first time.
The Fold Entry #2 takes us to Depot Town, where MAIZ Mexican Cantina builds tacos from scratch daily and makes a strong case for expanding our search beyond Ann Arbor's borders.
Ann Arbor Has a Natural Wine Problem (the Good Kind)
How a college town became one of the best small cities in the Midwest for natural wine.
How a college town quietly became one of the Midwest's best natural wine destinations.
Lady of the House Is the Detroit Restaurant That Made Me Start Driving East
Chef Kate Williams runs a whole-animal kitchen in Corktown that's worth the 45-minute drive from Ann Arbor. Plate & Press's first Detroit restaurant profile.
Chef Kate Williams runs a whole-animal kitchen in Corktown, Detroit. Plate & Press's first full Detroit restaurant profile covers four dishes, a serious bread program, and why the drive is worth it.
The Fold: Dos Hermanos Express
Our search for Ann Arbor's best taco starts on a commercial strip in Scio Township.
The first entry in our Best Taco in Ann Arbor series. Dos Hermanos Express serves tacos built on house-made tortillas, from-scratch salsas, and meats that taste like someone cares.
The Fold: Best Taco in Ann Arbor
A living series tracking our taco contenders across Ann Arbor and the surrounding area.
A living guide to our Best Taco in Ann Arbor series, including methodology, current contenders, and how we judge what makes a great taco.
Takoi Does Thai Food the Way Detroit Does Everything: On Its Own Terms
In Corktown, chef Brad Greenhill cooks Thai-inspired food with Michigan ingredients and a cocktail program that keeps you past dessert.
Chef Brad Greenhill's Corktown restaurant blends Thai technique with Michigan ingredients. Three visits, four dishes, and a cocktail program worth driving 45 minutes for.
Dos Hermanos Express Is a Family Tradition Made Fresh Every Day
Brothers Alex and Hiram Arreola are carrying on a family legacy with from-scratch Mexican food on Jackson Industrial.
Two brothers, a family tradition, and from-scratch Mexican food on Jackson Industrial Drive.
B2A2: Frita Batidos
Entry two in our burger series isn't technically a burger. That's what makes it interesting.
The second entry in our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series. Frita Batidos serves a Cuban-style frita that challenges what 'burger' means in the first place.
March 2025
Thompson & Co. Occupies 160 Years of Ypsilanti History. The Food Holds Up Its End.
Southern comfort food in a Civil War-era building that survived arson, abandonment, and an oak tree through the roof.
At 400 N River St in Depot Town, Thompson & Co. serves Southern comfort food inside the restored Thompson Block — a Civil War barracks that nearly burned to nothing in 2009.
Hyperion Coffee Is Ypsilanti's Answer to a Question Ann Arbor Thinks It Already Solved
At 306 N River St in Depot Town, a roaster treats coffee the way a winery treats grapes. RoosRoast should be paying attention.
Hyperion Coffee roasts single-origin, direct-trade beans at 306 N River St in Ypsilanti's Depot Town. A profile of the roaster challenging Ann Arbor's coffee assumptions.
734 Brewing Is Ypsilanti, Poured Into a Glass
On Cross Street, a taproom built by Ypsi graduates brews beer that belongs to this city.
Founded by Ypsilanti High School graduates, 734 Brewing is a taproom that runs on local pride, rotating taps, and Cross Street foot traffic.
B2A2: Echelon's Smash Burger
Entry three takes us to the wood-fired kitchen on South Main. The James Beard semifinalist has a burger, and it has opinions.
The third entry in our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series. Echelon's wood-fired smash burger at 200 S Main St may be the one to beat.
Flowers of Vietnam Started as a Sunday Pop-Up. Now It's One of Detroit's Best Restaurants.
In Southwest Detroit, Palestinian-American chef George Azar cooks Vietnamese food that doesn't explain itself. It doesn't need to.
George Azar's Flowers of Vietnam in Southwest Detroit started as a Sundays-only pop-up inside a coney island. Now it's a full-service restaurant where a Palestinian-American chef cooks some of the best Vietnamese food in Michigan.
Tabe Fusion Opens at 209 South Main With Three Floors of Asian Fusion and Omakase
Fish flown from Japan three times a week. South Main Street just got more competitive.
Asian fusion and omakase across three floors at 209 South Main.
B2A2: Blimpy Burger
Entry four goes to the counter where you've always built your own. No chef's vision. No cocktail menu. Just a flat-top and your choices.
The fourth entry in our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series. Blimpy Burger at 304 S Ashley St is the populist counterargument to everything we've eaten so far.
Best Burger in Ann Arbor (B2A2): The Running List
A living series tracking our current contenders, notes, and repeat-order recommendations.
A living guide to our Best Burger in Ann Arbor series, including methodology, current contenders, and where we're headed next.
February 2025
Ypsilanti Is Having a Moment. This Time It Might Stick.
Lower rents, creative chefs, and a dining scene that's finally finding its footing.
Lower rents, creative chefs, and a scene that's finally hitting its stride.
Marrow Is a Butcher Shop That Happens to Be Detroit's Most Important Restaurant
Chef Sarah Welch built a whole-animal operation on Kercheval Avenue where the butcher counter and the dining room share the same supply chain. The food is better for it.
Chef Sarah Welch's Marrow in Detroit is a whole-animal butcher shop and restaurant built around a single supply chain. Four dishes, one butcher counter, and the case for knowing where your meat comes from.
Detroit's Restaurant Renaissance Isn't New. But It's Never Been This Good.
From Corktown to Eastern Market, the city's dining scene has matured beyond the comeback narrative. It's time we covered it properly.
From Corktown to Eastern Market, Detroit's dining scene has matured past the comeback narrative.
Where to Eat in Detroit
Ten restaurants across four neighborhoods, from an Ann Arbor writer who finally stopped making excuses not to drive east.
Ten Detroit restaurants across Corktown, Midtown, Eastern Market, and downtown. A practical guide from a publication that should have written it sooner.
What Spencer's National Recognition Means for Ann Arbor's Food Identity
The downtown wine shop and restaurant just made USA Today's 2026 Restaurants of the Year list.
The downtown wine shop and fine dining room earned national recognition for its seasonal, farm-driven cooking.
Aventura and the Table That Started Everything
At 216 East Washington, a Spanish tapas restaurant built on an old building and a trip to Spain is still the best argument for sharing.
Aventura brings Spanish tapas to downtown Ann Arbor with enough authenticity to satisfy and enough personality to stand on its own. Thirteen years in, it's still the best date-night format in town.
Cardamom Takes Indian Food Seriously. Ann Arbor Should Return the Favor.
On Plymouth Road, away from downtown's foot traffic, a kitchen is producing Indian food with ambition and attention to detail.
On Plymouth Road, a kitchen is producing Indian food with the kind of ambition and care that deserves more attention from downtown diners.
Hola Seoul and the Case for Kimchi Fries
Korean-Mexican fusion on North University that gets the balance right.
Hola Seoul at 715 N University Ave serves Korean-Mexican fusion with kimchi fries that justify the concept. The Korean fried chicken is the other reason to go.
January 2025
Tomukun Has Been Doing This for Sixteen Years. You Should Pay Attention.
The East Liberty noodle bar and Korean BBQ started as a comfort-food bet. It became Ann Arbor's most reliable bowl of ramen.
Tomukun opened in 2010 as a noodle bar on East Liberty. Sixteen years later, it's still the best place in Ann Arbor for a bowl of ramen, and the Korean BBQ next door might be the most underrated meal downtown.
Bellflower Is the Best Restaurant in Ypsilanti. The Rest of the County Should Know.
In a former Michigan Bell telephone exchange, chef Dan Klenotic is cooking food that rivals anything across the river.
In a former telephone exchange on Pearl Street, a James Beard semifinalist is cooking food that rivals anything in Ann Arbor.
The People Who Cook Your Food
Every story we tell is about chefs and owners. The kitchen runs on people we never name.
Every story we tell is about chefs and owners. The kitchen runs on people we never name.
Date Night Guide: Washtenaw County
Eight restaurants where the food, the room, and the company all work together.
Eight restaurants across Washtenaw County where the food, the room, and the company all work together.
Vegetarian and Vegan Guide to Ann Arbor
Eight restaurants where the plant-based food isn't an afterthought.
Eight restaurants in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti where the vegetarian and vegan options are the reason to go, not a consolation prize.
Where to Eat in Ypsilanti
Bellflower, Sidetrack, and 12 more reasons Ypsi's restaurant scene deserves your full attention.
Fourteen places that prove Ypsilanti's food scene has never been stronger.
December 2024
Mani Osteria and the Case for Handmade Pasta in a College Town
At 341 East Liberty, a kitchen rolls its own pasta every day. In a city full of good restaurants, that still matters.
Mani Osteria makes its pasta by hand every day. In a college town with no shortage of Italian options, that commitment still sets it apart.
Late-Night Eats in Ann Arbor: What's Still Open After 10 PM
The kitchen closed an hour ago at most places. Here's where to go when it hasn't.
Ann Arbor's late-night dining options are thinner than they used to be. These spots are still feeding people after 10 PM — some of them all night.
Seva Has Been Vegetarian Since Before You Cared. It's Still the Standard.
On Jackson Avenue, a restaurant that's been doing plant-based cooking for over fifty years doesn't need your permission to keep going.
Seva has been serving vegetarian food in Ann Arbor since the early 1970s. Over fifty years later, it's still the standard for plant-based dining in Washtenaw County.
Best Coffee in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti
Eight roasters and cafes that take the cup seriously. No drive-through chains allowed.
Eight coffee shops across Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti where the beans are sourced with care, roasted with intention, and served by people who actually drink the stuff.
November 2024
Sidetrack Has Been Anchoring Depot Town Since Before You Were Born
An 1850s building, a 1929 train wreck, and a burger that GQ told you to eat. The full story of Ypsilanti's most durable bar.
Sidetrack Bar & Grill has been feeding Depot Town from an 1850s building that a train once hit. The burger made GQ's must-eat list. The patio might be the best in Washtenaw County.
Best Breakfast and Brunch in Ann Arbor
Eight places that justify getting out of bed on a Saturday. No reservations required at most of them.
Eight breakfast and brunch spots in Ann Arbor, from the 24-hour diner with Hippie Hash to the Korean rice bowls you should have been eating all along.
Budget Eats in Ann Arbor: Nine Great Meals Under $15
The affordable middle is disappearing. These places are still holding the line.
Ann Arbor has lost dozens of restaurants in recent years. Most of the replacements are more expensive. These nine places prove you can still eat well for under $15.
Saturday Morning at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market
The building is gone. The market isn't. Why that matters more than you'd think.
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market lost its office building in 2025 but continues to operate in its 107th year. A Saturday morning visit and a case for why this market matters.
October 2024
Bobcat Bonnie's Ypsilanti Is Gone
The Detroit chain's Michigan Avenue location closed in October amid a labor dispute.
Bobcat Bonnie's closed its Ypsilanti location at 200 W Michigan Ave in October 2024 after employees filed a petition over bounced paychecks and working conditions. The space is becoming a bistro and speakeasy.
The Fleetwood Diner Is Not Nostalgic. It's Just Still Here.
Seventy-seven years of hash browns, feta, and the flattop grill at 300 South Ashley.
The Fleetwood Diner has been open 24 hours at 300 S Ashley St since 1949. The Hippie Hash made it famous. The consistency kept it standing.
Zingerman's Deli Is the Most Important Restaurant in Ann Arbor. It Might Also Be the Most Misunderstood.
Forty-four years after opening in a 900-square-foot grocery building on Detroit Street, the Deli remains the anchor of everything Zingerman's became. But it's not a museum piece. It's a working deli that still makes tens of thousands of Reubens a year.
Zingerman's Delicatessen at 422 Detroit St is the founding business of the Zingerman's Community of Businesses, opened March 15, 1982. Forty-four years later, it remains the anchor — and the best argument for what happens when a deli refuses to cut corners.
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?
James Beard semifinalists and a USA Today pick. So why is nobody writing about it properly?
The Essential Ann Arbor Food Guide
Twenty restaurants that define the city right now, from James Beard semifinalists to the taco stand your Uber driver told you about.
Twenty restaurants that define Ann Arbor dining right now.