The focal point of this guide is on places to eat in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is home to hundreds of restaurants, bakeries, and other dining opportunities.
Restaurants are known by a variety of names. Often, the name is simply chosen by the owner, who decides whether to call his dining establishment a restaurant, a diner, a cafe, or something else, but the name sometimes describes its operation or cuisine. There are several types of restaurants.
Traditional restaurants are places where guests are seated at a table, where a waiter takes their order and serves the prepared food when it is ready, while diners were places where people sat at counters, although they often had tables as well. Today, the terms are interchangeable, for the most part.
A restaurant might be classified or named according to its perceived price or formality, according to the type of cuisine, or the manner of service offered. For example, there are Mexican restaurants, Chinese restaurants, Greek restaurants, and so on. Fast food restaurants emphasize the speed of their service, and it is generally accepted that the quality of the food will be lower than that found in a fine dining restaurant, and that the menu choices will be more limited. Fine dining restaurants promise a higher quality of cuisine, and they often enforce a dress code on customers. Casual dining or family-style restaurants are in between, often offering a good dining experience, but without the formality of the fine dining restaurant or the limitations of a fast food place.
Restaurants marketed as buffets or smorgasbords offer a selection of food at a fixed price. Food is served on trays set around bars, from which customers with plates serve themselves. The range of food choices may be eclectic or it might focus on a specific type of cuisine, such as Chinese or Swedish food. Family style restaurants sometimes offer a buffet as an optional choice, commonly a breakfast buffet, while giving customers the option of ordering from a menu instead.
Although family style or casual dining restaurants often style themselves as cafes or diners, these are informal dining facilities that offer a selection of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches or rolls. Traditional cafes were not full restaurants because their focus was on serving hot coffee or tea, and are sometimes known as coffee houses in the United States.
The focus of this category is on Ann Arbor dining establishments, by any name. These may be known as restaurants, diners, cafes, or fast food places. Also appropriate for this category would be bakeries, ice cream shops, or yogurt shops, if the business model is that customers generally purchase prepared foods to be eaten on the premises, at outdoor seating places, or in their cars.
When the business model is to serve drinks to be consumed on the premises, these places may also be listed here, so bars, saloons, pubs, and other places that primarily serve alcohol in Ann Arbor are suitable for this category. The majority of them serve food, as well.
However, retail businesses selling food or drinks to be taken home, such as grocery stores or liquor stores, should be listed in a Places to Shop category, instead.
As one of the ten most populated cities in Michigan, and home to the main campus of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor has a lot to offer in the way of places to eat or drink. The city has a diverse food scene, with numerous ethnic restaurants, places specializing in gourmet desserts and hand-crafted ice creams. Diners with pets can find patio dining downtown, as well as local food trucks and vendors.
Craft beer is popular in Ann Arbor, as the city is home to brewers specializing in ales and lagers, many of which also serve traditional pub cuisines, such as burgers and barbecue, as well as more exotic foods, like vegan poutine or ethnic choices.
Vegetarians and vegans won’t be disappointed in Ann Arbor. Several local restaurants specialize in plant-based cuisine, while others offer vegan options to standard fare.
Whatever the cuisine, or the business model that the restaurant uses, places to eat or drink in Ann Arbor, Michigan are the focus of this category.
Recommended Resources
In business since 1974, the Ann Arbor, Michigan restaurant features a menu made up of homemade dinner selections prepared from scratch, homemade soups, salads, sandwiches, and a large breakfast menu. Its location, operating hours, and telephone numbers are published to the site, along with its soups and salads menu, breakfast menu, sandwich list, hamburgers and coneys menu, dinner menu, desserts and beverages, and its kids’ menu. Take-out is available.
http://achillesdiner.com/
The biannual celebration of local food is designed to give residents the opportunity to try as many Ann Arbor restaurants as they can for one fixed price, with options for a lunch or a three-course dinner, with some participating restaurants offering a two-for-one price, as well as vegan or vegetarian options. Participating restaurants and their menus are featured, sorted alphabetically, or by their specific offerings. Sponsors are acknowledged, and a photo contest may be in effect.
https://www.annarborrestaurantweek.com/
In the tradition of Indian cuisine, which has been influenced over the centuries by several cultures, the chefs take outside flavors and cooking techniques and combine them with native spices. Its address is posted and a map shows the location of the restaurant, its hours of operation, take-out policies and contacts, and reservation policies are included. Its menu is posted to the site, along with photographs, press information, and employment opportunities.
http://www.cardamoma2.com/
Specializing in Mandarin, Szechuan, Hunan, Shanghai, and Taiwan styles of Chinese cuisine, the restaurant is located on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Statements as to its legacy, health awareness policies, and a video presentation are put forth, along with a gallery of photographs, customer reviews, reservation policies, and catering services. Its menu may be viewed through the site, and orders can be placed online. Reservations may also be placed online.
https://www.evergreen-restaurant.com/
With locations in Lansing and Ann Arbor, the Fleetwood Diner is open 24 hours a day, offering a family dining atmosphere, including a variety of vegetarian options and traditional Greek cuisine. Its special meals and offers are highlighted, and menus for both locations are posted to the site, along with directions and a map showing its locations, as well as a blog that discusses upcoming events, gift offers, and new menu items. Announcements are posted to the site.
http://thefleetwooddiner.com/
Located on Washtenaw Avenue, the Ann Arbor, Michigan restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine. Directions, hours of operation, and telephone numbers are posted, along with its regular menu, carry-out menu, and wine list. Gift cards of any amount, with a minimum of $20, may be purchased, and information about this is given. Awards and reviews of the business are posted on its site. Promotional offers and community service projects are highlighted.
https://www.paesanoannarbor.com/
Featuring Tuscan dishes, the authentic Italian restaurant is located in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, where its rooftop patio - Palio Del Sole - is a summer favorite, offering a panoramic view of the city. Another location is in Grand Rapids. Its locations, hours of operation, menus, special offers and events, and private dining options are published to the site, which includes an overview of its community involvement programs and a photo gallery.
http://palioannarbor.com/
Under the same ownership since its opening in 1975, Real Seafood Company is on South Main Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its address and a map showing its location are featured, along with its hours of operation, reservation policies, and contacts for guest services and carry-out orders. Its menus, Happy Hour schedules, and a calendar of events are featured, a gallery of photographs and an overview of its community involvement services are included. Gift cards may be purchased online.
http://realseafoodcoannarbor.com/
Spencer is a small restaurant on East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Its menus change frequently because its ingredients are as local and seasonable as possible. Utilizing counter service and communal seating, the restaurant is open for dinner five nights a week, for brunch on weekends, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The chef and management are introduced, its menus are posted to the site, and its location, hours of operation, and contacts are included.
http://www.spencerannarbor.com/
