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Sautéed fiddle heads, purple rice, and fried egg.
Sautéed fiddle heads, purple rice, and fried egg.
Miss Kim/Website

9 Fresh Ann Arbor Restaurants to Try Right Now

A guide to Tree Town's most exciting new and revamped dining destinations

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Sautéed fiddle heads, purple rice, and fried egg.
| Miss Kim/Website

Ann Arbor's dining scene is proving to be healthier than ever as new eateries and drinking establishments have popped up all over town with menus showcasing cuisines from all over the world. From fine dining to fast-casual — and even a humble chicken shack — there's something for all tastes and budgets.

It used to take several years before national trends would reach this quaint Midwestern college town, but this newest batch of eateries are showing that Tree Town can keep up with the times. Trendy dishes like Nashville hot chicken and poke bowls abound.  Another exciting development: the willingness of intrepid business owners to open in locations outside of the lively downtown area in previously underserved neighborhoods where rents are cheap and parking is plentiful.

This map features nine new places that have opened around Ann Arbor in the past few months. Expect to see it updated bi-annually with fresh destinations. For more established eateries, don't miss Ann Arbor's essential restaurants map.

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The Session Room

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Session Room features 70 beers on tap and a menu with updated versions of bar food made from fresh, local ingredients. The loft-like space with its exposed brick walls and steel-beamed ceilings has large televisions for watching sports and a lounge area that hosts live music several times a week. In warmer months, revelers will get to enjoy a large beer garden and adjoining green space.

Mikette

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The award-winning team that brought Mani’s updated take on simple Italian food and Isalita’s inventive Mexican street food menu has turned their sights on classic southern French cuisine with Mikette. In addition to classics such as beef bourguignon and ratatouille, MIkette’s menu has French-influenced items like Moroccan meatballs and the “Le Mec” burger.

Miss Kim

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Ann Arbor has plenty of Korean restaurants, but only a few have full beverage menus for a complete fine dining experience. The latest in the Zingerman’s empire, Miss Kim’s features family-style Korean food in a bright minimalist atmosphere. The menu features traditional dishes that are updated based on locally-available, in-season ingredients.

Allen Rumsey Supper Club

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Housed in the lobby of the newly-opened Graduate Ann Arbor, Allen Rumsey continues the unabashedly retro feel of the hotel with its nod to Midwestern supper clubs. Amid sumptuous wood paneling and plaid booths, diners can enjoy classic meals such as steaks with creamed spinach, a Friday fish fry, or tableside-prepared cherries jubilee.

Avalon Cafe & Kitchen

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The popular Detroit-based bakery Avalon opened this eatery which is equal parts coffee shop, full-service restaurant, and grab-and-go bakery. The generous, innovative takes on brunch items have become very popular amongst Ann Arborites and those who come for dinner enjoy fresh farm-to-table entrees with a selection of fine wines and local beers.
The bright, airy corner dining room of this fast-casual restaurant and coffee bar creates a mood that echoes the fresh and light items on the menu. Trendy items such as avocado toasts and poke join fruit bowls, smoothies, and salads for those interested in healthy food choices.

Baba Dari Mediterranean Grill

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The founders of Ali Baba, the longtime Ann Arbor Middle Eastern restaurant, have retired and passed on the business to the next generation. With that new ownership comes Baba Dari, a new eatery featuring build-your-own wraps and rice bowls using regional favorites like shawarma, falafel, and mujadarah.

Rappourt Brew & Chew

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Electronic menus listing over 40 beers on tap are paired with elevated bar food at Rappourt, the first watering hole in the fast-growing north side of Ann Arbor. Coolers with wine available for a nominal corkage fee are holdovers from the its former wine store incarnation.

Ma Lou's

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Ricewood proprietor Frank Fejeran's first brick-and-mortar venture is a fried chicken shack in the middle of Michigan. The chicken is perfectly cooked and optionally topped with sauce that lives up to its “Hot AF” moniker. While the chicken is deservedly front and center, the biscuit donut — glazed deep-fried biscuit dough — is dangerously close to upstaging the main attraction.

The Session Room

Session Room features 70 beers on tap and a menu with updated versions of bar food made from fresh, local ingredients. The loft-like space with its exposed brick walls and steel-beamed ceilings has large televisions for watching sports and a lounge area that hosts live music several times a week. In warmer months, revelers will get to enjoy a large beer garden and adjoining green space.

Mikette

The award-winning team that brought Mani’s updated take on simple Italian food and Isalita’s inventive Mexican street food menu has turned their sights on classic southern French cuisine with Mikette. In addition to classics such as beef bourguignon and ratatouille, MIkette’s menu has French-influenced items like Moroccan meatballs and the “Le Mec” burger.

Miss Kim

Ann Arbor has plenty of Korean restaurants, but only a few have full beverage menus for a complete fine dining experience. The latest in the Zingerman’s empire, Miss Kim’s features family-style Korean food in a bright minimalist atmosphere. The menu features traditional dishes that are updated based on locally-available, in-season ingredients.

Allen Rumsey Supper Club

Housed in the lobby of the newly-opened Graduate Ann Arbor, Allen Rumsey continues the unabashedly retro feel of the hotel with its nod to Midwestern supper clubs. Amid sumptuous wood paneling and plaid booths, diners can enjoy classic meals such as steaks with creamed spinach, a Friday fish fry, or tableside-prepared cherries jubilee.

Avalon Cafe & Kitchen

The popular Detroit-based bakery Avalon opened this eatery which is equal parts coffee shop, full-service restaurant, and grab-and-go bakery. The generous, innovative takes on brunch items have become very popular amongst Ann Arborites and those who come for dinner enjoy fresh farm-to-table entrees with a selection of fine wines and local beers.

Fred's

The bright, airy corner dining room of this fast-casual restaurant and coffee bar creates a mood that echoes the fresh and light items on the menu. Trendy items such as avocado toasts and poke join fruit bowls, smoothies, and salads for those interested in healthy food choices.

Baba Dari Mediterranean Grill

The founders of Ali Baba, the longtime Ann Arbor Middle Eastern restaurant, have retired and passed on the business to the next generation. With that new ownership comes Baba Dari, a new eatery featuring build-your-own wraps and rice bowls using regional favorites like shawarma, falafel, and mujadarah.

Rappourt Brew & Chew

Electronic menus listing over 40 beers on tap are paired with elevated bar food at Rappourt, the first watering hole in the fast-growing north side of Ann Arbor. Coolers with wine available for a nominal corkage fee are holdovers from the its former wine store incarnation.

Ma Lou's

Ricewood proprietor Frank Fejeran's first brick-and-mortar venture is a fried chicken shack in the middle of Michigan. The chicken is perfectly cooked and optionally topped with sauce that lives up to its “Hot AF” moniker. While the chicken is deservedly front and center, the biscuit donut — glazed deep-fried biscuit dough — is dangerously close to upstaging the main attraction.

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