Guide
Opinionated guides to the best eating and drinking in the region.
Ramp Season Is Here. It Won't Last.
Wild leeks have a two-week window in Michigan. Here's what to do with them while you can.
Michigan ramps peak in mid-April and disappear by May. This is what they are, where to find them, and which local restaurants are actually doing something interesting with them.
The Pour: Best Cocktail Bar in Washtenaw County
A running series evaluating the county's serious cocktail programs, one drink at a time.
The Pour is a new Plate & Press series: one bar, one drink, one honest evaluation. Starting with The Last Word on West Huron, working through every cocktail bar in Washtenaw County worth arguing about.
Where to Find the Food Trucks: A 2026 Season Guide
The trucks, the lots, the lunch windows. Everything you need to eat well on four wheels this spring and summer.
A practical guide to Ann Arbor's food truck season. Where the trucks park, when they're open, what to eat, and how to track the rotating lineup.
The Detroit Restaurants That Could Actually Win a Michelin Star
Inspectors are already in the city. Here is where the stars might land.
With Michelin inspectors already visiting Detroit restaurants, here are the candidates most likely to earn stars when the Great Lakes edition debuts in 2027.
A Day in Dexter: How to Eat Your Way Through a Small Town
Fifteen minutes west of Ann Arbor, a town that keeps surprising the people who bother to show up.
Dexter is 15 minutes from Ann Arbor and has more good food per capita than any town in the county. A day-trip guide from coffee to last call.
Patio Season 2026: What's New and Where to Sit
The tables are going outside. Here's what opened since our last patio guide and where to spend a warm evening.
A companion to our best patios guide, updated for 2026. New outdoor seating at JD's Stage Bistro, Calamansi, and Huna Tiki Bar, plus the perennial favorites.
Where to Take Mom: A Mother's Day Dining Guide for 2026
Nine restaurants across Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, and Chelsea. Call this week.
Mother's Day is May 10. The best tables in Washtenaw County will fill within weeks. Nine restaurants, one guide, no time to wait.
Best Ramen in Ann Arbor (2026): Where to Eat Noodles in Town
Three noodle bars, one Thai institution, and the case for eating with your head down.
Ann Arbor's noodle scene is deeper than most people realize. Tomukun's tonkotsu, Slurping Turtle's chef-driven bowls, No Thai's pad see ew — ranked and reviewed by someone who has eaten at all of them. Updated 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.
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.
Every Restaurant That Opened in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti: 2025-2026
A running list of new restaurants, cafes, and bars across Washtenaw County.
From a Korean kitchen above Jolly Pumpkin to a Filipino restaurant on Vernor Highway, here is every restaurant that opened in the Ann Arbor area in 2025 and 2026.
The 15 Best Restaurants in Detroit Right Now
An opinionated ranking from an Ann Arbor writer who keeps driving east.
Fifteen Detroit restaurants, ranked. From Corktown to Midtown to Southwest Detroit, these are the places worth the drive right now.
New Detroit Restaurants 2026: Every Opening Worth Knowing About
A running tally of notable openings, from a 200-seat pan-Asian room near Comerica Park to a Filipino bar on Vernor Highway.
Every notable Detroit opening from 2025 through 2026 — Sunda New Asian, Alpino in Corktown, a Filipino bar on Vernor Highway, and more. Tracked and updated as new spots open. Updated April 2026.
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.
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.
Budget Eats in Detroit: Eight Great Meals Under $20
The city with $45 entrees at Selden Standard also has $4 tacos on Vernor Highway. Both versions of Detroit are real.
Detroit's dining revival has been well documented. Less discussed: you can still eat extraordinarily well for under $20 in every neighborhood that matters. Here are eight places that prove it.
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.
The Best Brunch in Detroit
Saturday morning in Midtown, Sunday in Corktown, and the case for crossing the county line before noon.
Detroit's brunch scene has grown past the usual eggs-and-mimosa formula. From Midtown to Corktown to Eastern Market, here is where to eat on weekend mornings.
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.
Where to eat in Ann Arbor after 10 PM: the spots still serving when most kitchens have closed. Some run until 2 or 3 AM. The most useful list for late nights in town, updated 2026.
Where to Eat in Greektown, Detroit
A neighborhood with real history, a stadium crowd problem, and a few places worth finding between the games.
Greektown is Detroit's oldest dining district and its most complicated. Between the stadium crowds and the tourist menus, here is what's actually worth eating.
Best Coffee in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti
Seven roasters and cafes that take the cup seriously. No drive-through chains allowed.
Seven 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.
Date Night in Detroit
Six restaurants and one cocktail bar, organized by how much you want to impress someone.
Where to take someone on a date in Detroit, from a casual first dinner in Corktown to the room on Woodward that closes the deal. Plus the cocktail bar for before or after.
Where to Eat Near Eastern Market, Detroit
America's oldest open-air market anchors a neighborhood that eats as well as it shops.
Eastern Market on a Saturday morning is one of the best food experiences in Michigan. Here is where to eat before, during, and after the market.
The Best Pizza in Detroit
Detroit invented a style. These are the places still doing it right, plus the ones doing something else entirely.
Detroit-style pizza is famous for a reason: crispy cheese edges, thick focaccia-like crust, and sauce on top. Here is where to eat it in the city that invented it.
The Best Bakeries in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County
Five places where the bread is real, the pastry case matters, and someone showed up before dawn to make it happen.
A guide to the best bakeries in Ann Arbor, Dexter, and Chelsea. Sourdough, croissants, bagels, and the ovens behind them.
The Best Chinese Food in Ann Arbor
A shorter list than it should be, and an honest look at a gap in a city that prides itself on its food scene.
Ann Arbor's Chinese dining options are thinner than the city's reputation suggests. Here are the places worth knowing, and an honest accounting of what's missing.
The Best Desserts and Ice Cream in Ann Arbor
Three ice cream operations, two bakery counters, and the honest truth that the list should be longer.
A guide to the best desserts and ice cream in Ann Arbor and nearby. Blank Slate Creamery, Zingerman's Creamery, Dexter Creamery, and the bakeries that double as dessert destinations.
Where to Eat in Midtown Detroit (2026): The Essential Restaurant Guide
Between the DIA and Wayne State, Detroit's densest dining neighborhood keeps getting better.
Midtown Detroit packs more serious restaurants per block than anywhere in the city. Between the DIA and Wayne State, a James Beard semifinalist sits two blocks from a brewery that helped anchor the neighborhood. The essential guide, updated 2026.
The Best Mediterranean Food in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County
Falafel, shawarma, tapas, and French technique: the Mediterranean runs deep here.
Ann Arbor's Mediterranean dining runs from a $8 falafel plate on East Liberty to a French-inflected tasting menu on Glen Avenue. Here are the restaurants that define it.
The Best Bars in Ann Arbor
Not just cocktail bars. The full spectrum: dives, beer bars, sports bars, wine bars, and the places where the drink is the point.
The complete guide to drinking in Ann Arbor, from the speakeasy on Huron to the sour beer program on South Main to the tiki bar in the basement.
The Best Indian Food in Ann Arbor
A solid scene that deserves more attention, even if it can't match the Korean or Mexican depth.
Ann Arbor's Indian dining runs from a tablecloth-and-cocktails spot on Plymouth Road to a cash-friendly lunch counter on South Main. Here are the restaurants doing it best.
The Best Happy Hours in Ann Arbor
Where to drink well for less on a Wednesday afternoon. A guide to the deals worth building your schedule around.
Ann Arbor's happy hour scene ranges from hotel bars with serious cocktail programs to neighborhood pubs with $3 drafts. A guide to the ones worth building your week around.
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.
The Best Thai Food in Ann Arbor
A shorter list than it should be, but the restaurants on it are real.
Ann Arbor's Thai dining options are limited but genuine. No Thai! on North Fourth and Pacific Rim on West Liberty anchor a scene that deserves more competition.
The Best Mexican Food in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti
Beyond the taco rankings: burritos, enchiladas, mole, tortas, and the full picture.
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti have more serious Mexican restaurants than most people realize. From a Jackson Road drive-through to a Depot Town cantina, here is the full picture.
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.
Fine Dining in Washtenaw County: Where to Spend the Money
Seven restaurants where the check is high and the food justifies it.
From a James Beard semifinalist on South Main to a tasting menu inside a wine shop, here are the restaurants in Washtenaw County where spending more gets you something genuinely better.
The Best Sushi in Ann Arbor
From a 17-year-old seafood bar on South Main to a three-floor omakase newcomer, here is where to eat raw fish in town.
Ann Arbor's sushi scene runs from a veteran seafood bar to a brand-new omakase counter. Four restaurants, four approaches to raw fish, all worth knowing.
The Best Italian in Ann Arbor
Handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, and a tapas bar that learned from Spain. Three restaurants worth knowing.
Ann Arbor's Italian dining runs from handmade pasta on East Liberty to late-night pizza on Church Street. Here are the three restaurants that matter.
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.
The Best Korean Food in Ann Arbor
Five restaurants, two philosophies, one city that quietly became one of the best places to eat Korean food in Michigan.
Ann Arbor's Korean dining scene runs from a James Beard-nominated chef's seasonal kitchen to kimchi fries on North University. Here are the five restaurants that define it.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Where to Eat Near the University of Michigan
The complete campus-area food guide: quick lunch, study spots, dinner with parents, late-night fuel, and the coffee that gets you through finals.
A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to the best restaurants near the University of Michigan campus. State Street, South University, Liberty, Main Street, and beyond.
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.
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.
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 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.
Where to Eat in Dexter Michigan (2026): The Complete Restaurant Guide
Michigan's oldest cider mill, the country's first all-sour brewery, and a downtown that punches above its weight.
Where to eat in Dexter MI: 42 North Social House, Jolly Pumpkin, Raterman Bread Haus, Dexter Brunch House, and more. The complete guide to Dexter restaurants, 15 minutes from Ann Arbor.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Best Burger in Ann Arbor (B2A2): The Running List
A living series tracking our current contenders, notes, and repeat-order recommendations.
The B2A2 running list: best burger in Ann Arbor rankings after 13 entries. Current top three: Frita Batidos, Echelon, Grange Kitchen & Bar. Updated April 2026.
Date Night Guide: Washtenaw County
Eight restaurants where the food, the room, and the company all work together.
The best date night restaurants in Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County: Echelon, Spencer, Bellflower, Mani Osteria, and more. Eight picks for a real dinner out, updated 2026.
Where to Eat in Ypsilanti (2026): The Complete Restaurant Guide
Bellflower, Sidetrack, and 12 more reasons Ypsi's restaurant scene deserves your full attention.
Where to eat in Ypsilanti: Bellflower, Sidetrack Bar & Grill, MAIZ Mexican Cantina, Ma Lou's Fried Chicken, and more. The complete restaurant guide for Ypsi, updated 2026.
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.
Nine Ann Arbor restaurants where you can eat well for under $15: Dos Hermanos, Frita Batidos, Fleetwood Diner, Jerusalem Garden, Tomukun, and more. Updated April 2026.