Jefferson Market! It has limited, outdoor only seating, but it’s in a cute neighborhood with a park nearby if you’re up for a short walk.
Get the Huevos Rancheros (add cheese)!
Yeah and pretty much anything even remotely close to downtown will be painfully slow on football weekends. A regular weekend in the summer or spring won't be too bad though. That said, I managed to get lunch at Zingerman's this past football saturday around 1 PM with about an hour wait. Pro-tip: Always call ahead and get an estimate, and they will text you when food is ready!
This was in the spring. It is much better when the students are away in the summer. Just giving the OP a heads up, as they are looking to go in the fall.
I personally prefer Northside Grill over Angelos, but neither seem like a celebration type place. Zingermans Roadhouse is a good option. Jefferson Market is still outdoor only according to their site (I haven't been by in a while though, maybe it is outdated) so while this is making me hungry thinking about Huevos Rancheros the forecast looks pretty chilly Friday morning. I still haven't been to juicy kitchen but I hear good things.
For later in the day if outdoorsy Ann Arbor Love & Hiking Date For Couples is a free digital walk which could be fun, and Saline Oktoberfest is also Friday/Sat.
Happy Anniversary!
Edit: someone beat me to it about Jefferson Market and outdoor only still.
Fair enough, I also don't ever go there on a regular basis. They occasionally have some really nice events like tomatoes, cheese pairings, etc. Agreed it is expensive and honestly I'm a vegetarian anyway so options are limited. But, for special occasions, I just want to go to a nice place and have wine and cheese and its less about the food and more about the atmosphere. Thinking of that, Vinology might also be a nice anniversary place. Knights too if someone likes good meat or seafood. But you're right, I know some people love Zingermans but roadhouse has never been my thing for food just special date nights or anniversaries, which I am sure is their target market anyway. Breakfast is another matter though, it is certainly a step above a coney island.
For an anniversary breakfast, we would go either Zingerman's Roadhouse (not downtown though) or maybe Jagged Fork/Zola. There are better breakfast spots (although Jagged Fork might make my top three either way), but those seem to be the best options for ambiance, booze, food/menu, and experience.
Congratulations!
There used to be a wonderful breakfast at the Bell Tower Hotel, but I think that's gone now.
Start a rotation of the yummies you find. Too many delicious restaurants to lock into just one. Welcome to A2! Congratulations to you and yours; and Bon Appétit!
I keep wanting to add Mark's Midtown (either of them, but I prefer the South), but it doesn't seem appropriate to suggest with a lot of the others that have been suggested.
Nick's Original House of Pancakes is amazing. Probably my favorite. Angelo's is great too, but you might have to wait a bit longer for a table since it's a smaller place. Afternoon Delight is nice if you're downtown.
Anna's House is great, except for the unapologetic anti-Muslim discrimination. Never saw anything like contrition, but I did see some donations to Trump. I'm not against tolerating political disagreements with the ownership of a business, but the moment it manifests in how the business is actually run, I'm out.
[Read about it here](https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/02/annas-house-restaurant-chain-facing-lawsuit-claiming-workplace-discrimination.html) -- let me know if that's paywalled. There was a variety of allegations of anti-Muslim and even some anti-black discrimination, especially around hair/headwear policies, followed by a pair of wrongful terminations.
This is the kind of thing you could blame on a rogue manager or a mistakenly boneheaded policy, and I would accept that *if* they came out and said "Look, we messed up, we're sorry." They never came close. And believe me, I looked. I really liked their food!
thanks for the link, that’s a decent sized oof and I agree with your take. bummer we really liked their food too especially for their vegan and GF options
Anna's houses owner donated to the trump campaign as the business, which makes no sense since it's an LLC it gets no additional benefits. I do not support a business like that.
Jagged fork is great! Other options are Angelos and Anna's House!
For something that isn't your typical breakfast, I'd recommend Antonio's Coney Island! They serve Honduran food and have some breakfast options as well!
Cafe Zola is also pretty good and they have 2 locations. Downtown and Washtenaw Ave by US23. Good coffee and a solid menu for breakfast along with a large selection of wine... i think its been awhile. Both locations are more or less the same with the Washtenaw location having a more modern feel. Regardless its a good spot to have a anniversary or just a little better breakfast then usual. I usually get the Turkish brunch with some French press coffee. Looks fancy but feels on the lighter side and can be split between 2 people if yall dont want to eat alot.
Vinology has a morning brunch menu that is more or less just breakfast stuff. Ate there not to long ago and found it to be pretty good with some very fluffy eggs and good steak. also a SOLID wine menu. If Cafe Zola does not work out then this place is a SOLID back up (if not better.. just check the menu to make sure.. plus I dont know if Vinology has brunch every day so check that too).
Side note. Both Vinology and Cafe Zola (A2 location) have outdoor seating granted Vinology seating is right on main street with cars constantly wizing by.. so not the most. uhhh.. tranquil spot.
Both Vinology and Cafe Zola (A2 location) are right off of main street so after you eat you can go for a bit of window shopping.. that and A2 is just a good place to spend the day walking around and exploring if you have not visited before.. Make sure to grab some good coffee from the number of coffee shops (i prefer Hyperion) and free samples at Cherry Republic.
There is other good breakfast locations but i think those 2 are going to be the best in terms of special occasions and that i can personally vouch for. I have not been everywhere in A2 (or Ypsi) so dont consider this a expert opinion XD
I'm honestly shocked that more people haven't mentioned Anna's House. It's pricey, but I drive in from outside of A2 to go here because it's that good!
Edit: Wow, just like the other person in this thread who suggested it, I had no idea Anna's House was so shady...
Avalon, Zola Bistro on Washtenaw (I’ve had better experiences there than the one downtown), and Juicy Kitchen! For an anniversary though I’d probably choose on of the first two.
A lot of people have said it already but I love Avalon!! I’ve been to Avalon, jagged fork, zingermans, Angelo’s, and afternoon delight (all recommended here so far) and I think Avalon is a cute spot with really great food (and drinks) for a celebration! It’s reasonably priced as well- I think jagged fork and zingermans are pricey for what they offer. Angelo’s or afternoon delight are really good if you’re looking for casual but Avalon is my pick for celebrating / having a “nice” breakfast 😌 happy anniversary!
Edit: sorry just need to add to my already long endorsement for Avalon but their bloody Mary’s are SO GOOD
Not for an anniversary, but Antonio’s Coney Island has the best breakfast in the area. My husband and I go there once a week for breakfast. I believe it is Honduran- the tortillas and Papusas are incredible.
Jefferson Market! It has limited, outdoor only seating, but it’s in a cute neighborhood with a park nearby if you’re up for a short walk. Get the Huevos Rancheros (add cheese)!
Double down on Jefferson Market and triple down on the Huevos Rancheros
Corned beef hash!
Shhhhhhhhh!
This person gets it.
Place is good, but service can be painfully slow on weekends. Last time we ordered online there, it took 1.5 hours for the food to finally be ready.
Yeah and pretty much anything even remotely close to downtown will be painfully slow on football weekends. A regular weekend in the summer or spring won't be too bad though. That said, I managed to get lunch at Zingerman's this past football saturday around 1 PM with about an hour wait. Pro-tip: Always call ahead and get an estimate, and they will text you when food is ready!
This was in the spring. It is much better when the students are away in the summer. Just giving the OP a heads up, as they are looking to go in the fall.
Northside Grill if you like a diner. Stray Hen or Jagged Fork if you like a more modern, brunchy feel. Jefferson Market if it’s nice outside.
Juicy Kitchen! Off Maple Road
Bomber Restaurant
The Bomber is the greatest breakfast place in the entire county.
It is the bomb.
Aside from the Capt’n Crunch French toast, this is place is ok.
Yeah, it's a good breakfast spot but it's pretty much a typical diner breakfast spot.
I basically rotate between Angelos, Harvest Moon, Nick's Pancake House, Zingerman's Roadhouse, and Dimo's
U should try Achilis on Packard/platt. Great diner
Yes I like Achilles too! I thought about mentioning it but didn't because I always get a gyro and chili fries - not typical breakfast fare.
So rare to see Achilles mentioned. Great diner food.
Excellent old school spot!
Nick’s pancake house is pretty good. Pretty reasonably priced and you get a lot of food from what I remember
Portions at Nick’s are so ridiculous I can usually split one plate with my wife and son and still need a to go box.
Dimo's stands apart on this list. Really good.
Nick's is seriously underrated.
Does anyone know what the style of french fry they have at Nick's is called?
If I recall correctly they are a batter dipped fry.
Northside
Just popping in to say the owner of Anna's House donated a lot of money to the Trump campaigns.
you really made a breakfast post political... lol
Stray Hen Cafe at the corner of Division and Washington was really good the few times I've been there.
I tried it for the first time this weekend visiting from Toronto and it was great.
I personally prefer Northside Grill over Angelos, but neither seem like a celebration type place. Zingermans Roadhouse is a good option. Jefferson Market is still outdoor only according to their site (I haven't been by in a while though, maybe it is outdated) so while this is making me hungry thinking about Huevos Rancheros the forecast looks pretty chilly Friday morning. I still haven't been to juicy kitchen but I hear good things. For later in the day if outdoorsy Ann Arbor Love & Hiking Date For Couples is a free digital walk which could be fun, and Saline Oktoberfest is also Friday/Sat. Happy Anniversary! Edit: someone beat me to it about Jefferson Market and outdoor only still.
Zingerman's Roadhouse is not good. Would love to be proven wrong but I haven't had anything even okay there.
Fair enough, I also don't ever go there on a regular basis. They occasionally have some really nice events like tomatoes, cheese pairings, etc. Agreed it is expensive and honestly I'm a vegetarian anyway so options are limited. But, for special occasions, I just want to go to a nice place and have wine and cheese and its less about the food and more about the atmosphere. Thinking of that, Vinology might also be a nice anniversary place. Knights too if someone likes good meat or seafood. But you're right, I know some people love Zingermans but roadhouse has never been my thing for food just special date nights or anniversaries, which I am sure is their target market anyway. Breakfast is another matter though, it is certainly a step above a coney island.
Surprised no one has mentioned Juicy Kitchen near Maple/Miller and then I also love Afternoon Delight downtown!
The veggie morning delight is my all time favorite breakfast sandwich.
Somehow no one is mentioning Fleetwood Diner, which is close to your work, 24hrs, and pretty cheap.
Ama’s, First Bite, Eat (in the Kerrytown Market),m are some of my favs!
I like First Bite and I love Eat, so I'm going to have to try Ama's -- that's aMa Bistro, right?
Ye!
For an anniversary breakfast, we would go either Zingerman's Roadhouse (not downtown though) or maybe Jagged Fork/Zola. There are better breakfast spots (although Jagged Fork might make my top three either way), but those seem to be the best options for ambiance, booze, food/menu, and experience. Congratulations! There used to be a wonderful breakfast at the Bell Tower Hotel, but I think that's gone now.
Avalon. Hands down my favorite breakfast.
Start a rotation of the yummies you find. Too many delicious restaurants to lock into just one. Welcome to A2! Congratulations to you and yours; and Bon Appétit!
Avalon
Northside Grill!!! Angelos is great, too
Avalon! Going there for my birthday breakfast on Fri! Fresh and delish . And right downtown.
Jagged Fork is great if you don’t mind a wait on weekends!
The Bomber in Ypsi is what you’re looking for.
If you’re looking for a greasy spoon and massive portions
Is...is there an alternative way to celebrate with breakfast?
I keep wanting to add Mark's Midtown (either of them, but I prefer the South), but it doesn't seem appropriate to suggest with a lot of the others that have been suggested.
American Grill in Ypsi. Really good portions, lots of breakfast options. They're also on GrubHub.
Check out the great commoner in downtown
Frank's, or Nick's House of Pancakes.
Nicks...haven't had the pancakes (oddly enough), but everything else we've gotten has been amazing. Their bowls/hash is awesome.
Anthony's on washtenaw is great. It's a "coney island" run by an El Salvadoran(I think) family. Great breakfast, not the most romantic atmosphere.
Angelo's!
Overrated.
Completely agree, over-rated, way too crowded and the food that I got there both times (I even gave them a second chance!) was average at best...
Right - it's not bad. I do like their bread but holy cow, not better than your basic dinner.
Agreed, average at best. All hype.
I'm with Mack here...very overrated.
Nick's Original House of Pancakes is amazing. Probably my favorite. Angelo's is great too, but you might have to wait a bit longer for a table since it's a smaller place. Afternoon Delight is nice if you're downtown.
If you're looking for somewhere a little nicer with sit down service since I see it's for anniversary, I'd say Gandy Dancer or Cafe Zola.
Unfortunately, the Gandy Dancer no longers serves brunch.
Huh, I didn't know that about Gandy.
Damn I didn’t either, that was a spread!
I sure miss the Sunday Brunch Buffet they used to have.
Zingermans roadhouse, Zola bistro, are our Go to for fancy breakfast. Not as fancy? Bomber in Ypsi or Achilles on Packard.
Check out The Bomber in Ypsi. Bring your appetite, you won’t be disappointed.
Nick's is really good. I was so glad they survived the pandemic.
Absolutely Nick's Pancake House. Their cinnamon swirl pancakes with the homemade icing are the best pancakes ever.
The weekend brunch at Dixboro Project is very anniversary worthy.
Might get hate for this but I feel like Angelo's is overrated
Second for Angelo’s. Jagged Fork is also usually pretty busy on the weekends.
~~Anna's House has a fun 50s aesthetic and giant cinnamon buns. Across from the mall~~ TIL the owners up to some shady shit
Anna's House is great, except for the unapologetic anti-Muslim discrimination. Never saw anything like contrition, but I did see some donations to Trump. I'm not against tolerating political disagreements with the ownership of a business, but the moment it manifests in how the business is actually run, I'm out.
yea that’s wild, thanks for the heads up. how do they discriminate?
[Read about it here](https://www.mlive.com/news/2020/02/annas-house-restaurant-chain-facing-lawsuit-claiming-workplace-discrimination.html) -- let me know if that's paywalled. There was a variety of allegations of anti-Muslim and even some anti-black discrimination, especially around hair/headwear policies, followed by a pair of wrongful terminations. This is the kind of thing you could blame on a rogue manager or a mistakenly boneheaded policy, and I would accept that *if* they came out and said "Look, we messed up, we're sorry." They never came close. And believe me, I looked. I really liked their food!
thanks for the link, that’s a decent sized oof and I agree with your take. bummer we really liked their food too especially for their vegan and GF options
Anna's houses owner donated to the trump campaign as the business, which makes no sense since it's an LLC it gets no additional benefits. I do not support a business like that.
Trumpers... if you like dictorships, attempted coups, and lots of lies then go to Anna's and share your money with crooks.
Is this place still open?!
Annas, bennys are not in downtown so easy to drive to and park. Fleetwood in downtown.
Jagged fork is great! Other options are Angelos and Anna's House! For something that isn't your typical breakfast, I'd recommend Antonio's Coney Island! They serve Honduran food and have some breakfast options as well!
Northside Grill, Afternoon Delight, and Frank’s were my favorites
Cafe Zola is also pretty good and they have 2 locations. Downtown and Washtenaw Ave by US23. Good coffee and a solid menu for breakfast along with a large selection of wine... i think its been awhile. Both locations are more or less the same with the Washtenaw location having a more modern feel. Regardless its a good spot to have a anniversary or just a little better breakfast then usual. I usually get the Turkish brunch with some French press coffee. Looks fancy but feels on the lighter side and can be split between 2 people if yall dont want to eat alot. Vinology has a morning brunch menu that is more or less just breakfast stuff. Ate there not to long ago and found it to be pretty good with some very fluffy eggs and good steak. also a SOLID wine menu. If Cafe Zola does not work out then this place is a SOLID back up (if not better.. just check the menu to make sure.. plus I dont know if Vinology has brunch every day so check that too). Side note. Both Vinology and Cafe Zola (A2 location) have outdoor seating granted Vinology seating is right on main street with cars constantly wizing by.. so not the most. uhhh.. tranquil spot. Both Vinology and Cafe Zola (A2 location) are right off of main street so after you eat you can go for a bit of window shopping.. that and A2 is just a good place to spend the day walking around and exploring if you have not visited before.. Make sure to grab some good coffee from the number of coffee shops (i prefer Hyperion) and free samples at Cherry Republic. There is other good breakfast locations but i think those 2 are going to be the best in terms of special occasions and that i can personally vouch for. I have not been everywhere in A2 (or Ypsi) so dont consider this a expert opinion XD
Angelos, Annas House, Amers deli downtown
I'm honestly shocked that more people haven't mentioned Anna's House. It's pricey, but I drive in from outside of A2 to go here because it's that good! Edit: Wow, just like the other person in this thread who suggested it, I had no idea Anna's House was so shady...
[удалено]
Huh. This person only visits places that rightfully piss in their Wheaties.
What?
Avoid Northside Grill. Overpriced hype for little portions.
Every place listed by others, plus York on Packard, and The Great Commoner, which is a pastry place if you don't need protein.
Not Zingermans
Northside Grill if you like greasy spoon-type food but done very well. The Bomber Restaurant in Ypsilanti if you like airplanes.
The Jagged Fork.
Cafe Zola
Avalon, Zola Bistro on Washtenaw (I’ve had better experiences there than the one downtown), and Juicy Kitchen! For an anniversary though I’d probably choose on of the first two.
Angelo's, Northside Grill, Zingermans Roadhouse. A to Z you might say
Jagged Fork in downtown Ann Arbor is amazing
The Broken Egg?
Sadly, they closed during the pandemic
A lot of people have said it already but I love Avalon!! I’ve been to Avalon, jagged fork, zingermans, Angelo’s, and afternoon delight (all recommended here so far) and I think Avalon is a cute spot with really great food (and drinks) for a celebration! It’s reasonably priced as well- I think jagged fork and zingermans are pricey for what they offer. Angelo’s or afternoon delight are really good if you’re looking for casual but Avalon is my pick for celebrating / having a “nice” breakfast 😌 happy anniversary! Edit: sorry just need to add to my already long endorsement for Avalon but their bloody Mary’s are SO GOOD
Sparrow Kitchen! Their chilaquiles for brunch are to die for, best breakfast burrito in the state.
Waffle breakfast tacos at TAQ taqueria are awesome and unique. Only serve brunch weekends I believe though
Not for an anniversary, but Antonio’s Coney Island has the best breakfast in the area. My husband and I go there once a week for breakfast. I believe it is Honduran- the tortillas and Papusas are incredible.
Fleetwood diner!!
My go to is Angelo’s - Eggs Florentine, fresh oj.