Warm weather is finally here! Take advantage of the sunshine and cool night breezes with these incredible Ann Arbor area outdoor dining and imbibing options!
Aventura
Serving up Spanish fare designed to be shared among friends and family, Aventura offers a warm and inviting atmosphere. Offering small plates (tapas), paella, an extensive Spanish wine list, and craft cocktails including playful gin & tonics, Aventura is a must for your list of spring and summertime dining destinations!
Biercamp
On State Street, you’ll find Biercamp microbrewery, artisan deli, and butcher shop. The owners work directly with local farmers and producers to source only the highest quality meats and other ingredients, which are used to create the delicious food on the menu like handmade sausages, sandwiches, soups, salads, and sides.
Bill’s Beer Garden
Bill’s Beer Garden is pure genius. During the day, the location is the parking lot for Downtown Home and Garden where clients can be seen loading their vehicles with garden tools, topsoil, and home goods. At night, Bill’s Beer Garden comes alive, serving up primarily beer, wine, cocktails, and light snacks. Bill’s Beer Garden is comfortable, casual, and offers a chill vibe downtown.
Casa Dominick’s
Known to the locals simply as Dominick’s, the menu features a variety of Italian-American favorites, including pasta dishes, sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. The portions are generous and the prices are reasonable, making Dominick’s a popular spot for students, locals, and visitors alike. Dominick’s is especially known for their signature sangria, which is served in large pitchers and made with their own secret recipe.
Chela’s
Chela’s has won the prestigious title of “Best Tacos in Michigan” and consistently wins “Best Mexican Food” in the Ann Arbor area against fierce competition. Chela’s has two locations, one in Ann Arbor (the one pictured above with the colorful patio) and one in Dexter (no outdoor seating in Dexter). As you might expect from one of Michigan’s best Mexican restaurants, Chela’s serves up authentic, delicious, and flavorful Mexican dishes from tacos, to street corn, to tamales along with margaritas and horchata.
Corner Brewery Ypsilanti – Arbor Brewing Company
Arbor Brewing Company’s Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti offers a relaxed atmosphere, GREAT beer, and GREAT food. Arbor Brewing Company is owned by locally famous chef and restaurateur, Luciano DelSignore, who is especially known for his restaurant Bacco and the chain of upscale pizza restaurants, Bigalora. Needless to say, the food at Corner Brewery is outstanding – mostly pizza, hot specialty sandwiches, and also plenty of vegetarian options. When in Ypsilanti, Corner Brewery is a hands down easy decision if you’re looking to unwind with friends, play board games and yard games, or even enjoy a good book in the shade.
Gandy Dancer
The Gandy Dancer is an upscale seafood, steak, and American fare restaurant housed in the beautifully restored original Ann Arbor train station. Some of the standout menu items include the lobster bisque, crab cakes, and you can never go wrong with the filet mignon. The portions are generous and the presentation is beautiful, making it a popular spot for special occasions and romantic dinners. They have a fantastic happy hour too!
4M Venue
4M Venue, also known as Venue, is an interesting, artistic, and versatile space that combines a restaurant, co-working space, and an event venue suitable for both small groups and up to 100 people. 4M Venue offers four food menus curated by Chef Thad Gilles, including Mesa Taqueria, Pasta Forum, Pizza Forum, and Brasserie for French cuisine. Customers can dine in or take out, enjoy a full bar, lounge, and outdoor patio. It’s an ideal place for dining, drinks, and socializing.
HOMES Brewery
HOMES Brewery is a popular craft brewery located in Ann Arbor’s west side. They are known for their unique and creative beer offerings, with a focus on New England-style IPAs, fruited sours, and stouts. The brewery has a modern and industrial feel, incorporating shipping containers into their design, with a spacious taproom and outdoor beer garden. They also offer a small food menu featuring Asian, mostly Korean-inspired, dishes from pork tacos, to bulgogi fries, to tuna poke bowls. HOMES has gained a reputation as one of the top breweries in the Midwest and has received numerous awards and accolades for their beers.
HOMES Campus
HOMES Campus is a creative community of businesses centered around the HOMES Brewery production facility, just down the road from the brewpub. These businesses include Dozer Coffee, The Can Shop + Smooj Lab, and The Gallery. Dozer Coffee offers fresh coffee, from-scratch in-house baked goods, breakfast burritos and sandwiches. The Can Shop + Smooj Lab offers beer, wine, liquor, and Smooj – which is basically a hard smoothie, also made by HOMES. The Gallery is an art gallery portion of the facility that thematically seems to be modern and contemporary. HOMES Campus regularly features pop-ups, food trucks, and local events.
Jolly Pumpkin
The Jolly Pumpkin in Downtown Ann Arbor, MI is known for its sour, barrel-aged beers, which are made using traditional Belgian brewing methods. The restaurant serves up sandwiches, artisanal pizzas, burgers, and salads, with an emphasis on locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. They were one of the first to serve up truffle fries in the area, and they are quite the indulgence! The Jolly Pumpkin has won numerous awards for its beers, including multiple medals at the Great American Beer Festival and the World Beer Cup.
Paesano
Paesano is an Italian restaurant located in Ann Arbor’s east side that’s been a fixture in the area since 1952. Paesano is known for its traditional Italian dishes, extensive wine list, and cozy atmosphere. The menu features a range of classic Italian dishes, such as pasta, pizza, and seafood, as well as steaks, chicken, and vegetarian options. The restaurant also offers a daily lunch menu and a Sunday brunch menu. Paesano is popular with locals and visitors alike and is a great option for a romantic dinner or special occasion.
Palio
Palio, one of the Main Street Ventures restaurants, has been a popular spot for over 25 years, serving classic Italian dishes in a warm and inviting atmosphere with exposed brick walls, high ceilings, and rustic wooden accents. Palio’s menu features a variety of pasta dishes, wood-fired pizzas, and traditional Italian entrees, as well as a selection of salads, appetizers, desserts, and wines. Palio features a spacious outdoor rooftop patio that is perfect for dining al fresco during the warmer months.
The Dixboro Project: The Boro & Dixboro House
The Dixboro Project is the combination of two restaurants, The Boro and Dixboro House, that share the same venue on Ann Arbor’s north side in the charming village of Dixboro. The Boro offers woodfired pizzas, baked goods, a cafe, and a takeout counter. Dixboro House offers multiculturally-inspired high-end fare for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. This place is gorgeous inside and out!
York
York, formerly Morgan and York, has evolved into one of the coolest spots in Ann Arbor. Literally just a minute or two outside of Downtown, York offers an outdoor gathering space for you to enjoy their selection of estate-bottled wines, beer, craft cocktails, handmade cheeses, espresso drinks, homemade soups & European-inspired sandwiches. Bao Boys food truck and Ricewood BBQ have been a seemingly permanent fixture of York, serving up some of the areas best barbecue and incredible Asian bao buns.
Zingerman’s Deli
Zingerman’s Deli is synonymous with Ann Arbor, and they have a ton of outdoor and semi-outdoor seating! Between Zingerman’s Deli and Zingerman’s Next Door (their café right next door) you can grab a flavorful artisanal deli sandwich, specialty food items, a latte, or some gelato!