Local Mediterranean
Mediterrano is a local Ann Arbor restaurant that brings the tastes of the Mediterranean right to Michigan. It all started on November 21, 1995 when the owner, John Roumis, found a space available with a map of the Mediterranean on the wall. Roumis is originally from Greece. After securing space, Roumis decided to create a menu where the customers could have food from all over the Mediterranean. If you look at the map on the wall, the dots follow the ingredients of the menu. You can sail around the Mediterranean cuisine through your tastebuds.
The Menu
As most restaurants change with season, so does Mediterrano. The restaurant has a core base of proteins that stay on the menu, including the octopus which has been served since the restaurant first opened. The pastas have been on the menu since the restaurant opened, and they switch them out seasonally while always keeping a minimum of 5 pasta dishes on the menu. Even thought the members of Spoon didn’t get to try the three Greek dips, we were told it is one of the most popular items and has always been on the menu. We cannot wait to go back to Mediterrano and try this dish. One of their main and most popular dishes is the pear salad. They also continue to serve the rack of lamb, which is a must try when you visit Mediterrano.
Covid-19
As the world moves away from masks and isolation, Mediterrano welcomes customers in. Even though COVID hit most of the restaurant business hard, Mediterrano is excited that it is still in Ann Arbor. They decided to create a patio which makes for lovely outdoor seating. You also have the opportunity to sit inside and enjoy the beautiful decor. While the restaurant makes small changes to the interior, the map will always stay the same. After about 27 years of business, Mediterrano hopes to stay in Ann Arbor forever.
What We Ate
When the 5 members of the University of Michigan’s Spoon Chapter visited Mediterrano, we took our waitresses advice for dishes. We started off with the Patatas Bravas, the Bacon Wrapped Dates, the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, the Pear y Valdeon, and the Halloumi. The Halloumi has been on the menu since the restaurant first opened and was by far our favorite dish. We then moved onto the main course with the Pasta Norcina and the Ora King Salmon. After speaking with our waitress we decided to also get the La Casa Paella, which is one of their most popular dishes. The size of La Casa Paella can be overwhelming, but it is so good you won’t want to stop eating it.
Thank You Mediterrano!
We absolutely loved dining at Mediterrano. The culture and the food behind the restaurant made it one of our new favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor. They are located at 2900 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48108 which is only a 10-15 minute drive from Campus. We recommend getting a reservation now because the food is just too good to not enjoy!