There’s a ton of brunch places in Ann Arbor, but Avalon takes the cake, and not only for brunch, nor for merely organic eats. It’s a farm-fresh brunch, dinner, cafe, bakery, AND bar all in one. The place has lovely decor, and has got its game together in every aspect, so here’s why you need to try it sooner rather than later.
Its Beginnings
The restaurant started out as a bakery in Detroit in 1997, and just this December opened up shop on Liberty Street in Ann Arbor. Their goal is to stay farm fresh AND delicious —it opened functioning as a healthy restaurant option. All of their foods are Michigan-based (hey locavores), coming mostly from Washtenaw County, and take it from me, their bread is delicious.
The Experience
My friend Erin started working here in November, before it opened. “I love the staff at Avalon,” she says. “Everyone looks out for one another, while working, and has adopted each other as family.” Having a friend that works here has its perks. I got to try their dinner out this December (the night before it opened), and it was wonderful. My friend and I decided to start out with the grilled ciabatta bread with “loaded” hummus, but the rest of the options seemed just as divine. We’re talking salt-roasted sweet potatoes and flash-fried cauliflower.
For dinner, my friend Julia decided to try the grilled cheese and egg sandwich with seeded honey and a side of greens. For me, the vegetable dish under the “Fork” category (adorable — sorry, Spoon!)
Avalon functions not only as a restaurant, but also as a cafe, and now, it’s one of my absolute favorites. Personally, I love sitting and sketching in cafes, and Avalon did not disappoint me. This is also the perfect spot, if you want to do homework. The environment is nice, not too loud, and the lighting allows me to draw to my heart’s content (as pictured above).
Avalon Cafe and Kitchen seems to be something that, despite all of the wonderful cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and bars there already are in Ann Arbor, we all could seriously enjoy. This place has got it all: breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, AND a bar — you could happily spend all day here.