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Hi neighbors!

2024 is nearly over - and in light of the New Year ahead, I wanted to put together a recap of some of the new local businesses (to the best of my knowledge) that joined our local community this past year.

I also want to THANK YOU for being part of this little community right here. Hearing from so many of you that you enjoy this newsletter, look for it every week, share it with friends, etc.. really makes it worth all the hours invested!

And while I know this isn’t ALL of the businesses that opened in 2024, it’s a pretty long list that I’ll keep adding to! Feel free to send me any that you know I missed (you can always get in touch by replying to this email directly) or you can just reply to say hi too. 🙂 

Next week we’ll go back to the usual format, but last week’s poll showed that the majority of you wanted to see this recap of Ann Arbor restaurants and businesses that opened in 2024!

🍴  New Ann Arbor Restaurants in 2024
(with some new restaurants in Ypsi, Dexter, etc. as well)

🌯 Dos Hermanos Express - An underrated fast-casual spot for awesome Mexican food run by two brothers (dos hermanos) who are super kind and serve up great food. Located at 25 Jackson Industrial Dr. Ann Arbor

🏔️ Base Camp - Himalayan inspired restaurant specializing in Himalayan and Nepalese cuisine, offering dishes like momo (dumplings), thukpa (noodle soup), and various curries. Located at 5060 Jackson Rd. Ann Arbor

🌯 Gran Maya Mexican - Mexican restaurant offering classic dishes like tacos, enchiladas, fajitas & more. Located at 497 N Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor

🌮 Texacano - A fusion of Tex-Mex and barbecue, this restaurant offers slow-smoked meats, house-made salsas & bold flavors. Located at 207 E Washington St. Ann Arbor

🥟 HanJan Pocha - A Korean gastropub with street-food-inspired dishes, sized for sharing and late-night cravings. Located at 106 S 1st St.

🥢 Palace Tang - Hot pot restaurant with Szechuan flavors. Located at 1771 Plymouth Rd. Ann Arbor

 🍲 Fuel’d - A fast-casual spot for customizable stir-fry, bowls, salads & smoothies when you need something quick and at least somewhat healthy. Located at 980 W Eisenhower Pkwy. Ann Arbor

🍞 Toastique - Café specializing in fancy toasts, fresh smoothies, and açaí bowls. Located at 200 E Washington St. Ann Arbor

🌭 Plant Based Coneys - This spot specializes in plant-based (aka vegan) coney dogs along with other vegan sandwiches & more. Located at 42 E Cross St. Ypsilanti

🦞 42 North Social House - A contemporary new restaurant in Dexter with a highlight on seafood dishes as well as a variety of other options + a full bar. Located at 7954 Ann Arbor St. Dexter

🥣 KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot - a unique new spot in Ypsi with an all-you-can-eat experience merging traditional hot pot with Korean BBQ flavors. Located at 3769 Carpenter Rd. Ypsilanti

🍕 Pizza Cat Max - A quirky new pizza joint featuring unique & creative topping combos and a mission to keep pizza weird. Located at 640 Packard St. Ann Arbor

🥘 Madras Masala - this restaurant known for authentic Indian food opened a 2nd “express” location focused on takeout and delivery with a smaller dine-in area and

🍹 Peridot - Vietnamese-inspired small plates, unique cocktails, and a laid-back vibe make this a perfect spot for a date night or night out with friends. Located at 118 W Liberty

🥙 Spiedo - A Mediterranean-ish spot with fresh sandwiches, bowls, and spit-roasted meats. One of my personal faves! Located at 307 S 5th Ave. Ann Arbor

🍕 PizzaPazza – A quick and casual spot for Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza in Kerrytown market. Located at 318 S Main St

🚌 1923 Taco Bustaurant - Unique and laid-back spot serving globally inspired tacos and rolled ice cream from a classic London style double-decker bus. Located at 552 S Main St. Ann Arbor

🇵🇪 Culantro - This family-run spot specializes in traditional Peruvian dishes, bringing authentic flavors to Ann Arbor’s downtown. Located at 223 N Main St. Ann Arbor

🍴 Sam Hill - A casual American eatery with a full menu, bar, and massive outdoor space—ideal for families and group gatherings. Located at 5827 Jackson Rd.

🍴  New Ann Arbor Bakeries

🥐 Enchanted Oven & Bakery - A bakery offering a variety of freshly baked goods, including artisan breads, pastries, and custom cakes. Located at 5241 N Territorial Rd. E Ann Arbor

🥯 Ondo Bakery & Cafe - Downtown café featuring brunch, baked goods & coffee in downtown Ann Arbor. Located at 324 S. State St. Ann Arbor

🧁House of Chimney Cakes - Bakery specializing in handcrafted Hungarian chimney cones along with other sweet treats & coffee drinks. Located at 216 S 4th Ave. Ann Arbor

🥐 B-Cubed Bakery - Artisan bakery focused on fresh-milled whole grains, sourdough breads, pastries & coffee. Located at 741 Emerick St. Ypsilanti

🥟 Q Bakehouse & Market - Asian American bakery serving up a variety of delicious and unique pastries, desserts and great coffee from Strider Coffee. They also have frozen dumplings & a variety of pantry items. Located at 1608 Jackson Ave. Ann Arbor

🍞 Bird Dog Baking - This is a great bakery that really focuses on staying local by using organic, regional flours to make its well-loved sourdough breads and grain-forward pastries. Located at 100 W Michigan Ave. Ypsilanti

🍴  New Ice Cream & Smoothie Shops in Ann Arbor

🍫 Candy Coated Creamery - Ice cream shop with hand-spun milkshakes, ice cream nachos & all kinds of decadent desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth. Located at 1076 N Huron River Dr. Ypsilanti

🍒 Samba Bowls - A clean and modern spot serving up authentic açai bowls & smoothies made with fresh, tropical fruits and ingredients imported directly from Brazil. Located at 113 W Washington St. Ann Arbor

🍦Cold Comfort Ice Cream - Handmade novelty ice cream treats taken to the next level to remind you of the ones you had as a kid — but so much better. Located at 10 N Washington St. Ypsilanti

🥤The Milkshake Factory - Hand-spun milkshakes made with homemade ice cream & decked out with toppings that make it look like a full meal. Located at 326 S Maple Rd. Suit 326 Ann Arbor

🧋Bobalee Co - Family-run shop offering a variety of bubble tea, coffee and pastries/desserts. Located at 1286 Anna J Stepp Dr. Ypsilanti

☕️ Pulse Nutrition - This Dexter spot features a variety a smoothies, teas, coffee & healthy protein snacks for nutrition on the go. Located at 7045 Dexter Ann Arbor Rd. Dexter

🫖  New Ann Arbor Cafes

☕️ Qahwah House - A coffee house serving up organic, Yemeni coffee & a variety of pastries in Maple Village. Located at 211 N Maple Ann Arbor

☕️ Moka & Co - Another Yemeni coffee shop serving specialty coffee & teas with authentic flavors. Located at 333 S Main St. Ann Arbor

🏬  More New Ann Arbor Businesses

🎥 Friday Soft Goods - An Ypsi based shop with a unique blend of entertainment and local art that features a free movie screening on the last Friday of every month. Located at 21 E Cross St. Ypsilanti

🤸‍♀️ We Rock The Spectrum Kid’s Gym - An awesome indoor playground/sensory gym for kids to move, play & explore. Tons of awesome equipment for them to get their energy out as well as other areas for slower play. Located at 4370 Varsity Dr. Ann Arbor

👗 Nuuyuu Collective - A spot where you can shop a variety of booths for secondhand clothing, bags, etc. (or sell your own on a consignment basis!) Located on the 2nd floor of Kerrytown Market at 407 N 5th Ave. Ann Arbor

🎭 hear.say brewing & theater - A combination of a microbrewery and improv theater where you can see a comedy show, take an improv class or just grab a beer! Located at 2350 W Liberty St. Ann Arbor

🏳️‍🌈 Uplift - A queer bar in downtown Ann Arbor providing a safe space for LGBTQ+ folks to build community and have fun with trivia nights, live performances & more. Located at 210 S 1st St. Ann Arbor

🐴 Revel Run - This unique spot is an equestrian center, event venue & biergarten. It regularly has food trucks, live music & family-friendly events and plenty of space to hang out! Located at 555 S Dancer Rd.

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And if you haven’t already… make sure you follow me on Instagram to get more updates & ideas of things to do and see in the area! 

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