Restaurant Profile
The restaurants worth knowing about, written by someone who eats there.
The Pour: The Last Word
Entry 1. Why the bar that started this series is still the one every other bar has to answer for.
The first entry in The Pour visits The Last Word on West Huron, where the namesake cocktail is the best version in Washtenaw County and the room earns the reference it makes.
Afternoon Delight Has Fed Ann Arbor Breakfast Since 1978
Pan-grilled pancakes, muffins baked throughout the day, and a no-freezer policy on East Liberty Street for nearly fifty years.
Afternoon Delight has been at 251 E Liberty St since 1978, nearly fifty years of pan-grilled pancakes, made-to-order omelets, and a rotating muffin selection baked fresh each day. Ann Arbor's longest-running breakfast spot, and mostly uncelebrated.
The Slice: Detroit-Style Pizza and the Case for the Rectangle
The fourth entry goes to the source: a thick crust, crispy cheese edges, and the pan that started it all.
Detroit-style pizza is having a national moment, but it started here. The fourth Slice entry goes to the source: Buddy's Pizza and the pan that changed everything.
The Dexter Cider Mill Has Been Pressing Apples Since 1886
Michigan's oldest continuously operating cider mill, still pressing after all these years.
The Dexter Cider Mill has been pressing apples on Central Street since 1886. Three families, one oak press, and the best cider donuts in Washtenaw County.
42 North Social House Is Dexter's Most Ambitious Restaurant
A seasonal scratch kitchen in a 19th-century farmhouse on Ann Arbor Street.
42 North Social House operates out of a restored Arts and Crafts farmhouse in Dexter. The kitchen runs seasonal and scratch, and the building deserves the effort.
Smokehouse 52 Does the Slow Work on Main Street
Chelsea's BBQ joint has been smoking brisket since 2013. It deserves a profile that isn't about Jeff Daniels.
Smokehouse 52 BBQ at 125 S Main St in Chelsea has been smoking brisket, pulling pork, and running five sauces since 2013. Phil and Jenn Tolliver built it from a hog farm education and a Mike Mills apprenticeship.
Sunda New Asian Detroit — Pan-Asian Menu, Hours & First Look
Two weeks in, Detroit's biggest restaurant opening is finding its footing. Here's what the 200-seat pan-Asian room on Columbia Street actually delivers.
Sunda New Asian at 33 W Columbia St, Detroit. 200-plus seats, pan-Asian menu spanning sushi, dim sum, noodles, and more. What works, what to order, and whether the hype holds up — from an actual visit two weeks after opening.
Bori Korean Kitchen & Bar Has Been Waiting for You to Notice
Chef James Park's restaurant on the second floor above Jolly Pumpkin is four months old and worth your attention
Four months in, Bori Korean Kitchen & Bar above Jolly Pumpkin on South Main is one of downtown Ann Arbor's best recent additions: dakgangjeong, japchae, and a noraebang in the back.
Grand Trunk Pub and the Reuben That Justifies the Drive
In a former railway ticket station on Woodward Avenue, a pub does exactly what a pub should do.
Grand Trunk Pub occupies a 1879 building on Woodward Avenue that spent three decades as a railway ticket station. The vaulted ceilings are original. The Reuben is the reason to go.
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.
Wright & Company Turns a Jewelry Store Into Detroit's Most Interesting Dining Room
On Woodward Avenue, a second-floor restaurant in a building from the 1890s serves small plates and cocktails worth the stairs.
Wright & Company occupies the second floor of a historic Woodward Avenue building in downtown Detroit. The small-plates menu and cocktail program have made it one of the city's essential reservations.
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.
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.
Alpino Fills the Hardest Space in Corktown and Makes It Look Easy
In the brick building where Lady of the House used to be, an Alpine-inspired kitchen is melting raclette, pouring northern Italian reds, and earning its own reputation.
Alpino occupies the former Lady of the House space at 1426 Bagley St in Corktown. Dave Mancini's Alpine-inspired restaurant has raclette, wood-fired cooking, and a wine list that doesn't apologize for butter.
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 Shares the Profits
The employee-owned coffee shop on West Huron is doing something different with its business model and its sourcing.
Espy Cafe at 404 W Huron St runs a no-tip model with higher wages and gives employees ownership shares based on hours worked. Here is what to expect when the doors open March 1.
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.
The Chop House Does Not Need to Reinvent Itself. It Hasn't.
On South Main Street, a steakhouse in the classic American tradition still does what steakhouses are supposed to do.
The Chop House on South Main Street is a proper American steakhouse: dry-aged beef, white tablecloths, a wine list with depth. In a city obsessed with the new, it endures by being exactly what it is.
Jolly Pumpkin Ann Arbor: The Sour Beer Standard, Downtown
Ron Jeffries' sour brewery moved into 311 South Main and gave the block a beer program that most cities would kill for.
Jolly Pumpkin's Ann Arbor taproom on South Main brings oak-aged sour ales, wood-fired pizza, and a rooftop that fills fast. The beer is the draw. The food keeps you there.
Comet Coffee Is the Smallest Great Coffee Shop in Ann Arbor
In Nickels Arcade, a sliver of a room with a few seats and an espresso machine proves that less is more, as long as the cortado is right.
Comet Coffee in Nickels Arcade serves precise espresso drinks in a room barely bigger than a hallway. The cortado is the best in Ann Arbor, and the size is the point.
Joe and Rosie Coffee Is Dexter's Gathering Place
At 8074 Main St, a coffee shop that does more than pour espresso.
Joe and Rosie Coffee at 8074 Main St in Dexter has been serving espresso, soups, and sandwiches on Main Street since 2010, functioning as the town's de facto living room.
The Pretzel Bell: South Main's Comeback Story
A name that dates to 1934 now anchors Ann Arbor's most interesting cocktail block. The history is real. So are the drinks.
The Pretzel Bell on South Main Street carries a name that dates to 1934 and a cocktail program that earns its place on Ann Arbor's densest bar block.
Aubree's Dexter Gives Main Street Its Pizza Option
At 8031 Main St, the franchise that Ypsilanti built finds its footing in a small town.
Aubree's Pizzeria & Grill at 8031 Main St in Dexter brings the same pizza, feta bread, and beer formula that has worked in Ypsilanti since 1972 to Dexter's Main Street.
The Beer Grotto Is Dexter's Living Room
On Main Street, a craft beer bar that doubles as the town's gathering place.
The Beer Grotto at 8059 Main St in Dexter serves craft beer, wine, and a food menu that gives the town a place to gather on Main Street. The tap list is deep and the room is right.
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.
Bar Lupulus Is the Best Beer Bar in Ann Arbor. You Might Not Know It Exists.
On the ground floor at 311 South Main, a sour beer cocktail program and the deepest Jolly Pumpkin tap list in the state operate under a name most people walk past.
Bar Lupulus at 311 South Main is technically the bar at Jolly Pumpkin's Ann Arbor taproom. In practice, it is its own animal: sour beer cocktails, a deep tap list, and one of the better micheladas in Michigan.
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.
La Marsa Brings Mediterranean to the Dexter Corridor
At 7049 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd, kebabs and hummus seven days a week.
La Marsa at 7049 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd serves grilled kebabs, hummus, shawarma, and tabbouleh seven days a week, giving Dexter a Mediterranean option outside the burger-and-pizza orbit.
Zou Zou's Cafe Holds Down the Middle of Chelsea's Main Street
Between the bakery and the bistro, a cafe that feeds the town without making a fuss about it.
Zou Zou's Cafe at 101 N Main St in Chelsea serves sandwiches, salads, soups, and coffee in the heart of Main Street. It is the casual option on a block that has been building toward something more ambitious.
Slurping Turtle Wants You to Make Noise. So Make Noise.
Chef Takashi Yagihashi's ramen-and-izakaya joint on East Liberty is loud, casual, and better for it.
Slurping Turtle on East Liberty brings ramen, takoyaki, and izakaya energy to downtown Ann Arbor. Chef Takashi Yagihashi's menu is casual, bold, and built for enthusiasm.
Erratic Ale Co. Brews Like It Has Nothing to Prove
On Grand Street in Dexter, a small brewery makes exactly the beer it wants to make.
Erratic Ale Co. at 8080 Grand St in Dexter is a small-batch brewery with a rotating tap list, no kitchen, and zero interest in chasing trends. The beer is the argument.
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.
Agricole Farm Stop Connects Chelsea to Its Own Backyard
At 109 S Main St, a farm market that stocks what the land around town produces.
Agricole Farm Stop at 109 S Main St in Chelsea sells produce, meat, dairy, and pantry goods from regional farms on a consignment model that sends 75 cents of every dollar back to the producer.
Republic Earns Its Regulars
On West Grand Boulevard, a Midtown tavern with a kitchen that outpaces the label.
Republic at 3011 W Grand Blvd in Detroit serves American tavern food with a kitchen that keeps surprising. The burger is excellent, the seasonal dishes rotate with purpose, and the room invites you to stay.
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.
Dexter Creamery Scoops the Best Ice Cream in the Country
At 8106 Main St, a small-town ice cream shop serves MOO-ville, and the North American Ice Cream Association agrees.
Dexter Creamery at 8106 Main St scoops 38 flavors of MOO-ville Ice Cream, which the North American Ice Cream Association named the best in the nation. Seventeen soft-serve flavors round out the menu.
The Last Word Earns Its Name
On West Huron, a cocktail bar built around the speakeasy conceit actually delivers on the promise. The bartenders know their history, and the drinks prove it.
The Last Word on West Huron Street is a cocktail bar named after one of the great classic drinks. The bar program is organized around eras of American cocktail making, and the execution is the best in Washtenaw County.
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.
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.
Knight's Steakhouse Is Ann Arbor's Oldest Restaurant. It Doesn't Care If You Know That.
On Dexter Avenue, a wood-paneled dining room has been serving prime rib and hand-battered onion rings since 1959.
Knight's Steakhouse on Dexter Avenue has been family-owned since 1959. The prime rib, the onion rings, and the wood-paneled dining room haven't changed because they don't need to.
Biercamp Is a Butcher Shop That Happens to Make Great Sandwiches
South of the stadium on State Street, a charcuterie counter and deli where the meat is the message.
Biercamp at 1643 S State St is Ann Arbor's best argument for knowing your butcher. House-cured bacon, handmade sausages, smoked meats, and breakfast sandwiches that justify the drive south of campus.
Dexter's Pub Is the Neighborhood Bar Done Right
At 8114 Main St, a small-town pub that doesn't overthink it.
Dexter's Pub at 8114 Main St serves baby back ribs, burgers, and cold beer on Dexter's Main Street. Patio seating in warm weather. Closed Mondays.
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.
Folk Detroit Cooks Breakfast Like It Means Something
At 1701 Trumbull in Corktown, Rohani Foulkes built a restaurant from pastry, jollof rice, and a point of view.
Folk Detroit on Trumbull Avenue in Corktown draws from West African, Caribbean, and Southern cooking traditions. The pastry case is the first thing you see, and the jollof rice is the reason to stay.
Ugly Dog Distillery Pours the Only Spirits Made on Chelsea's Main Street
A craft distillery that started with vodka and now makes a bourbon worth sitting with.
Ugly Dog Distillery at 328 S Main St in Chelsea makes vodka, bourbon, rum, and a peanut butter whiskey that outsells them all. The tasting room is the only place to drink spirits made in Chelsea.
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.
Casablanca Is the Ypsilanti Stop You Keep Driving Past
In a strip mall on Washtenaw Avenue, a kitchen is making lamb tagine, handmade couscous, and merguez worth pulling over for.
Casablanca at 2333 Washtenaw Ave in Ypsilanti serves Moroccan and Mediterranean cooking in a strip mall that gives no indication of what's inside. The lamb tagine with preserved lemon is the dish to order.
Dexter Brunch House Does Not Cut Corners on Breakfast
On Main Street, a scratch kitchen that puts all its energy into the morning.
Dexter Brunch House at 8124 Main St serves scratch-made breakfast and brunch in the heart of downtown Dexter. Fresh-squeezed orange juice, house-made sausage gravy, and real hollandaise.
Crawdaddy's Creole Brought Louisiana to Washington Street
In the old Beezy's space in downtown Ypsilanti, a Creole kitchen is serving gumbo, po'boys, and a spice level that means what it says.
Crawdaddy's Creole at 20 N Washington St in Ypsilanti serves gumbo, po'boys, and jambalaya in the former Beezy's space. The Creole kitchen fills a gap in Ypsilanti's dining lineup that nobody else was trying to fill.
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.
Basil Babe Brought Real Thai Cooking to Ypsilanti's West Side
A mother-daughter kitchen at 701 West Cross Street, two doors down from where Wurst Bar used to be.
Basil Babe at 701 W Cross St in Ypsilanti serves Thai food from a mother-daughter team with deep roots in the cuisine. The massaman curry and pad see ew are the orders.
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.
Blank Slate Creamery and the Case for Seasonal Ice Cream
At 300 West Liberty, a small-batch ice cream shop makes flavors that rotate faster than you can try them all.
Blank Slate Creamery at 300 W Liberty St in Ann Arbor makes small-batch ice cream with a rotating seasonal menu. The salted caramel is the constant. Everything else is a moving target.
Encuentro Latino Feeds Its Block for Under Twelve Dollars
At 228 W Michigan Ave in Ypsilanti, Guatemalan and Latin American food priced for the neighborhood.
Encuentro Latino at 228 W Michigan Ave in Ypsilanti serves Guatemalan and Latin American food, including pupusas, tamales, and combination plates, with most items under $12.
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.
Wiard's Orchards Is Fall in Washtenaw County
At 5565 Merritt Rd, a farm that becomes a destination every September.
Wiard's Orchards at 5565 Merritt Rd in Ypsilanti runs a cider mill, corn maze, hayrides, and U-pick pumpkins every fall. The orchard store opens in early September.
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.
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails Puts Vegetables at the Center and Dares You to Miss the Steak
In Midtown's Park Shelton building, a small-plates restaurant with a cocktail program that changes fast enough to keep regulars guessing.
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails in Midtown Detroit serves vegetable-forward small plates and inventive cocktails in the Park Shelton building. The beet dish, the cocktails, and why this restaurant rewards repeat visits.
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.
The Bomber Has Been Feeding Ypsilanti Since Before the Bombers Flew
At 306 East Michigan Avenue, a WWII-themed diner that earned the theme.
The Bomber at 306 E Michigan Ave has been feeding Ypsilanti since 1936. Cap'N Crunch French Toast, laminated menus, and the kind of breakfast that fortifies you for the rest of the day.
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.
Sava's and the State Street Trick
A restaurant that looks like it was built for Instagram has quietly become one of Ann Arbor's most reliable kitchens. The brunch is the draw. The range is the surprise.
Sava's on South State Street draws crowds with its dramatic space and broad Mediterranean-American menu. The brunch is the draw, but the dinner menu is the stronger argument.
Vertex Coffee Roasters Is Worth the Drive to Maiden Lane
On Ann Arbor's north side, a roaster doing quiet, serious work with single-origin beans.
Vertex Coffee Roasters at 1029 Maiden Ln roasts its own beans and rotates single-origin offerings by season. The cold brew and pastries are strong, and the room is built for focus.
Pita Kabob Grill Does Not Need Your Attention to Be Good
At 529 East Liberty, the other Middle Eastern counter on the block keeps feeding the neighborhood without the line out the door.
Pita Kabob Grill at 529 E Liberty St serves falafel wraps, shawarma plates, and beef kebabs at prices that make East Liberty Ann Arbor's best affordable lunch corridor.
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.
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.
Aubree's Has Been Holding Down Depot Town Since 1972
At 39 East Cross, a pizza-and-beer joint that outlasted everything around it.
Aubree's Pizzeria & Grill at 39 E Cross St in Ypsilanti has been serving pizza, feta bread, and cold beer in Depot Town since 1972. The feta bread is the sleeper hit.
No Thai! Is Not Kidding Around
On North Fourth Avenue, a counter-service Thai kitchen has been quietly winning the noodle argument for years.
No Thai! at 226 N Fourth Ave serves some of the best pad see ew and khao soi in Ann Arbor. The prices are low, the wok is hot, and the name is the only joke in the building.
Selden Standard Built Midtown's Dining Scene, Then Kept Cooking
At 3921 Second Ave, a wood-fired kitchen and a vegetable-forward menu have made this the restaurant Detroit's food community orbits around.
Chef Andy Hollyday's Selden Standard has been a James Beard semifinalist and the anchor of Detroit's Midtown dining corridor since 2014. The wood-fired kitchen, the vegetable dishes, and the reasons to keep driving east.
Sweetwaters Is Everywhere in Ann Arbor. That's the Point.
A local coffee chain that chose scale over scarcity, and built a model that actually works.
Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea has multiple locations across Ann Arbor. The drinks are consistent, the spaces are comfortable, and the model proves that local chains can grow without losing what made them local.
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.
312 Underground Is the Bar Beneath the Bar
Below street level on South Main, a cocktail bar operates in the space most people don't know is there.
312 Underground is a subterranean cocktail bar beneath 312 South Main Street in Ann Arbor. The drinks are serious, the room is small, and you have to know to look for the stairs.
RoosRoast Liberty Is the Downtown Outpost That Earns Its Block
At 117 E Liberty St, the smaller, busier half of Ann Arbor's independent roaster.
RoosRoast's Liberty Street shop at 117 E Liberty St is the downtown cafe of Ann Arbor's independent roaster, smaller and busier than the Rosewood roastery, on a block that keeps getting better.
Bill's Drive-In Has Not Changed. That Is the Entire Point.
Since 1939, the mustard-colored building on East Michigan Avenue has been serving root beer and hot dogs from the same window.
Bill's Drive-In at 1292 E Michigan Ave in Ypsilanti has been open since 1939. House-made root beer in a chilled mug, carhop service, and hot dogs that taste like they always have.
Pacific Rim Has Been Here the Whole Time
A pan-Asian restaurant on West Liberty that has outlasted nearly every trend in downtown Ann Arbor.
Pacific Rim at 114 W Liberty St has served pan-Asian food in downtown Ann Arbor for years. The pad thai is reliable, the sushi is competent, and the longevity tells its own story.
Tmaz Taqueria Beyond the Fold
The Packard Street taqueria earned its spot in our taco series. Here is everything else on the menu.
Tmaz Taqueria at 3182 Packard St serves tacos, pupusas, tamales, and enchiladas until 4 a.m. The full profile of Ann Arbor's best late-night taqueria.
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.
Pizza House Has Been Feeding Ann Arbor at 2 a.m. for Decades
On Church Street near campus, a pizza institution that outlasted trends, turnover, and the death of the late-night dining economy.
Pizza House at 618 Church St has been feeding Ann Arbor's students, families, and late-night crowds for decades. The deep dish, the breadsticks, and the 2 a.m. delivery window are institutions in their own right.
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.
Slows Bar BQ Opened Before Corktown Had Anything, and It Is Still Here
At 2138 Michigan Ave, the restaurant that sparked a neighborhood's revival keeps smoking brisket. Eighteen years later, the line still forms.
Slows Bar BQ opened in Corktown in 2005 and helped turn a quiet stretch of Michigan Avenue into Detroit's best dining corridor. The brisket, the mac and cheese, and the case for the restaurant that started it all.
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.
BTB Burrito Feeds You for Under $10 and Does Not Apologize
On South University, a burrito counter built for the budget and the clock.
BTB Burrito at 1140 S University Ave serves customizable burritos, bowls, and tacos at counter speed. The salsas are made in-house and the habanero has real heat.
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.
Argus Farm Stop Is Not a Grocery Store
At 325 W Liberty St, a retail model that puts local farms directly in front of local eaters.
Argus Farm Stop at 325 W Liberty St in Ann Arbor works with hundreds of local farms and producers to sell produce, meat, dairy, eggs, baked goods, and coffee under one roof. It is a distribution system disguised as a storefront.
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.
Ji Hye Kim Built Two Restaurants and a Mini-Mart. She's Not Done.
From Miss Kim to a forthcoming Little Kim and an Asian grocery counter, the James Beard-nominated chef is quietly building a food empire.
From Miss Kim to a forthcoming Little Kim and an Asian grocery counter, the James Beard-nominated chef is quietly building a food empire.
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.
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.
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. One Thing Is Enough.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.