Ann Arbor is a true foodie city!
Click here for my Ann Arbor itinerary, University Days Spotify 80s and 90s playlist, and Destination Ann Arbor + The Mint Chip Mama Podcast!
Ann Arbor is a foodie town. It has tons of coffee shops, restaurants ranging from simple to fancy, tons of cuisines from international to locally grown, and some of the best ice cream we’ve ever had!
Let’s Start With Dessert And Coffee
As a true foodie city, Ann Arbor has tons of great restaurants. But like every good college town, she has tons of fresh ice cream shops, dessert lairs, and coffee haunts (I miss Rendezvous Café), encouraging conversation and warmth.
Blank Slate Creamery
We loved Blank Slate Creamery so much that we went there twice! We couldn’t stop thinking (or talking) about the dairy-free peanut butter and cookies and cream flavor. In fact, when we went back for more, it wasn’t a featured flavor, so we just split a pint into the two fresh, handmade waffle cones that come with it, and went to town. I would have bought all of them if they could have survived the ten-hour car ride home. I miss that incredible taste! This hopping ice cream shop makes all of its ice cream locally and has a ton of flavor choices. It’s located on W. Liberty Street in the Main Street area, making it a fun walk from central campus.
Sweetwaters
Heading over to Kerrytown from Main Street, we stopped in to Sweetwaters for our first Pumpkin Spiced Lattes of the season while enjoying their cozy atmosphere. This Sweetwaters, in the Kerrytown Market and Shops, was always my favorite. I loved bringing my family in here, sitting by the fire, and people watching out the window.
Michigan Creamery
Michigan Creamery was also a hit and perfectly fills the big shoes of its former tenant Stucchi’s. Located right on State Street, across from the State Street Theater, it’s the perfect place to go in between classes, after dinner, or before a show.
Ann Arbor Foodie Experiences On Campus
Ann Arbor is a city filled with international students and professors galore; it’s not a surprise that the food choices are as rich and varied as the intellect.
Pizza House
As a University of Michigan alum, my first stop is always Pizza House for a chapati. My kids have been hearing about them for years and were so excited to finally try one for themselves. This student fan favorite tastes even more delicious after years of longing for one. If you’ve never had a chipati, I’ll explain… picture it Ann Arbor 1996… You stuff a salad into a giant pita and add a side of delicious sauce. This Church Street staple is always our first stop, and often where we bump into everyone else visiting campus for the weekend.
Sava’s
We had an amazing brunch at Sava’s, in the former space of my beloved Zanzibar on State Street. The similarly looking high-brow interior still offers lots of light and prime people watching from its big windows (minus the tropical wallpaper). I think this restaurant, where I spent four years of special occasions, was the most nostalgic foodie stop on our trip.
Be sure to get the block M Belgian waffle or what I consider the trip-winning best bowl of oatmeal. Seriously, I’ve been thinking about this oatmeal for longer than one should think about oatmeal… Also, those waffles kind of made my day. I may buy us a block M waffle maker for football Saturdays at home to instantly transport us.
Tomukun Korean BBQ
My kids loved Tomukun Korean BBQ and really enjoyed the simultaneous activity of cooking the food on the table-top grill and eating the meal. This was a complete food bonanza with tons of meat choices for us to cook and a great family-friendly activity that kept my kids busy and engaged. With its great location on E. Liberty Street, it was an easy walk from central campus and a lot of fun. Plus, we loved the fruit-flavored Korean wine!
Ann Arbor Foodie Experiences Off Campus
So many incredible restaurants are within walking distance of campus. However, Ann Arbor – which spans 29 square miles – offers tons of choices for those willing to venture outside of the University’s immediate area. Returning as an alum twenty-five years later, this is what I found so interesting and cool. There was so much more to the city! Additionally, it’s what makes this foodie city a fabulous family vacation destination.
York
York was a fantastic off-campus restaurant with a giant outdoor seating area filled with beautiful murals and sculptures. The food and drinks were great, and it had an awesome atmosphere. Plus, very funny toilet paper (which is something I’ve never said before…). The healthy lunch choices were perfect for adults and kids, and the coffee drinks were fantastic. We loved sitting outside and relaxing in the sun, surrounded by all of the beautiful art.
Sam Hill
Speaking of great outdoor seating areas, Sam Hill was top-notch. This restaurant had a huge off-campus property with an outdoor event space and a giant back lawn filled with yard games and brewery vibe activities. We had dinner with one of my college friends and loved seeing our kids run off together to play in the back while we relaxed, caught up, and watched the sunset together.
Plate Sushi
When my sushi-obsessed kids heard we had a sushi restaurant on our itinerary, they were very excited! Plate Sushi was a great spot with a relaxed vibe and really excellent corn tea (something new to us!). The portions were huge, and the menu was interesting. We ate here after kayaking at Argo Park, and the location couldn’t be beat. My kids loved the fun slushy desserts as well.
Juicy Kitchen
Juicy Kitchen is a little hidden gem tucked into a small strip mall on N. Maple Road. The homey, warm feeling of the restaurant is emphasized by the delicious home-cooked food. I was sent looking for the breakfast burrito, and was not let down when I found it! They also had great drinks, delicious French toast, and everything a young family could want for a great country breakfast.
Michigan Stadium Food
What does one do when it’s a night game and you want to take advantage of all the pre-game fun? Eat dinner at the stadium, of course! From chicken fingers to acai bowls to salads and shwarma, the choices were endless. Add in fun boxes of popcorn, pretzel bites, fries, and more, and you definitely won’t leave hungry.
Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market
Every Saturday morning, vendors assemble in Kerrytown for one of the biggest farmers’ markets in the area. I remember coming back in college and thinking it was so cool. Now it’s even bigger and more expanded. My kids loved grabbing fresh, HUGE muffins and checking out all the locally made items.
The Zingerman’s Empire
One of my favorite college memories is getting an authentic Jewish deli sandwich from Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Kerrytown. Apparently, everyone else loved it as much as I did, and over the years, this single deli has expanded into a full foodie empire!
While we only had time to hit a few of their hotspots on this trip, my goal was achieved because my kids now long for it as much as I do. If you can’t make it to Ann Arbor right now, order one of their beautifully illustrated boxes – which will immediately transport you back to their historic Kerrytown location.
The OG Zingerman’s Delicatessen
As mentioned above, Zingerman’s deli is an institution in Ann Arbor and the greater foodie community. Started by two friends in the 80s (craving Jewish deli food), it’s since blossomed and expanded tenfold. But at its core lies this Kerrytown deli. It’s almost a disservice to call Zingerman’s a deli… It’s a magical food emporium! From the 900 million remarkable treats displayed in their twice-expanded footprint to their cheese and meat counters handpicked by experts, each offering is astounding. This is not hyperbole, it’s a fact.
As a student, Zingerman’s was my aspirational lunch spot. As an adult, I couldn’t wait to get back to this amusement park for your senses. The sandwiches are a roller coaster of emotions because they’re so big, beautiful, and delicious. I never thought I’d use such emotional words to talk about corned beef – especially as a New Yorker, but let me tell you, one bite of that rye and you’re seeing rainbows and cartoon hearts. It’s heaven.
Zingerman’s Next Door
Quite literally next door to the deli, this confection-filled cafe is hard to avoid. From the drinks, truffles, and muffins to the vast packaged treats, you can spend hours here just reading the beautiful labels and deciding what to buy. Everything was colorful, tasty, and unique, as one expects from this powerhouse. Plus, with the warm and cozy welcoming coffeehouse decor, your senses instantly activate, and you can’t help but be happy.
Zingerman’s Roadhouse
A sister sit-down restaurant to the deli, Zingerman’s Roadhouse is a must for all Ann Arbor visitors. Situated on Jackson Avenue, you’ll find lots of unique seating areas and fun, quirky decor. The restaurant offers a wide variety of inventive food, locally grown and homemade choices, and a smile-filled, knowledgeable staff. Plus, you’ll often see Ari – one of the Zingerman’s founders – filling up water cups and chatting with the starstruck clientele.
Zingerman’s Mozzarella Making Class
In addition to all the great food you can buy, Zingerman’s offers really enjoyable cooking and baking classes too. We took a mozzarella-making class after dinner one night, which was the perfect family-friendly evening activity. Not only was this class interactive and super fun, but we made so much mozzarella we packed it in ice and brought it home with us to New York! Dare I say – it was the ultimate Ann Arbor foodie souvenir!
Weber’s Restaurant and Hotel
We really enjoyed staying (and dining!) at the historic family-run Weber’s Restaurant and Hotel. With that said, as a U of M alum, I’ve seen this hotel – 10 minutes from campus – before, but never realized it was such a fantastic hidden gem. Nor did I realize their special restaurant existed.
We arrived in the welcoming lobby, greeted their big moose sculpture, and checked into our adjoining earthy decorated rooms.
The hotel also offered a fantastic pool and hot tub area, billiards, ping pong, a full gym, and a poolside cafe under a beautiful windowed atrium.
Add in their outdoor lounge, giant chess set, and full arcade, and there’s no place better for a family to stay. However, with all of these amenities, my kids loved the rain showers and fancy Bluetooth-enabled ring light-esque bathroom mirrors the most. Needless to say, getting ready for dinner each night was a big party.
On our first morning, we went right to the Weber Restaurant. This expertly decorated, warm, welcoming dining space offered a delicious breakfast (another amazing bowl of oatmeal) as well as lunch and dinner – including their famous Prime Rib. When we left our round table – tucked into the perfect corner – we had to walk around looking at and reading all the interesting historic decor.
I especially loved the stained glass windows. Plus, they have live jazz at Habitat – the adjoining lounge – on the weekends.
Ann Arbor Is A GREAT Family Vacation Destination!
Click here for my full Ann Arbor itinerary! But wait, there’s more – listen to my Spotify playlist while planning your trip, on your trip, or simply fantasizing about your old college days in the 90s. It’s chock full of songs that remind me of my university days from 1996-2000. Aka it’s the best late 90s playlist you’ll find that will bring you right back to Rick’s! Thong Song and all… I accidentally went a bit overboard while creating it, and it’s over 24 hours long, whoops! Thank you to my partner, Destination Ann Arbor, for inviting this proud, obsessed Michigan alumni back to campus and gifting us this incredible family vacation.
Be sure to check out my other Ann Arbor posts: 25 Years Of My University Of Michigan Alumni Obsession and Discover Ann Arbor Now: The Best Art And Activity Guide.
For forever and always: GO BLUE!
Ann Arbor Foodie Related Hashtags
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