Azure 625 Hilton...in the ring around the mall...that used to be Jojos. Middle Eastern/North African/Fusion
Bell's Cafe The original, not to be confused with the Korean version on Stadium. Located on the corner of Ann and North Main. Open 6 am to 2 pm. Cheap breakfasts, Good Service, Terrible coffee!
Bill Knapp's two Ann Arbor locations were the hangouts for the Lawrence Welk crowd for a long time. The one on Carpenter is now Charlie's La Shish and the one on Stadium is Zingerman's Roadhouse.
Continental For anyone who worked on State in the late 1980s, the Continental was the lunch spot.
Count of Anti-Pasta Corner of S. University and Church, above Good Time Charlie's. Either late 70s or early 80s discoe era restaurant with great pasta and pizza. Used to be quite popular and mysteriously closed.
Dino's on South University Where Steves Lunch was across from Village Corner (Breakfast)
Don Carlos on Main--originally on Detroit's west side. Until real Mexican food came to Washtenaw County, their sincronizada was one of the better Mexican dishes around
Escoffier, Thayer (Before Escoffier took over the space on Thayer in the Bell Tower Hotel, it was called the Stage Door, going after the theater crowd from Hill and Lydia Mendelssohn).
Kerrytown Bistro in the spot in Kerrytown that is now occupied by eve: the restaurant
Krazy Jim’s, now Blimpy Burger (Krazy Jim had a second store on Ann St. too, where Jimmy Johns is now.)
La Pinata At Stadium and Liberty, now the site of Bank of Ann Arbor. Margaritas swirling in a lemonade dispenser, just like a Woolworth's counter. A waiting list out the door, for they didn't take reservations.
Olga's, 205 S. State, (Before Olga's on the corner of State and Washington, the restaurant was a hamburger joint, part of a short-lived chain called Gino's.
Pizzeria Uno's, S. University (Started out as the Village Bell (a branch of the Pretzel Bell) after the Division Street dryline ordinance was rescinded, and likker could be served on that side of campus.
Pretzel Bell, 120 E. Liberty; legions of alumni had their first legal beer there
The Round Table, West Liberty (a legendary townie place -- a favorite of judges, lawyers and bankers, but also visited regularly by a few academics from campus. Presided over by Evelyn Stack, who had been a waitress at the restaurant's former location, on West Huron (where a parking lot is now)
Road Runner in the ring around the mall...that used to be Jojos.
Roy’s Squeeze-In, next to the Beer Vault on Detroit Street, across from the Farmers Market. A tiny hole in the wall burger joint, with a sign outside that said "Capacity 5000 (8 at a time)." For those who miss the greasy minimalism of Roy's, there's still one in Ypsilanti (best place around to feel like you've stepped into an Edward Hopper painting) and one in Milan
Saco Taco, on William, at Thompson, in a former gas station (whose picture is on the signs site). For the last 20 years or so, the restaurant there has had 2 or 3 different Korean names; now Maru.
Second Chance, 516 E. Liberty, now Nectarine; (First called “Chances Are” but had to change the name after a few years when they were told they were infringing on a national trademark.
Southside Grill corner State and Packard (640 Packard), circa 1986
Stadium Tavern Basically a big white house. Across Stadium from La Pinata was this funky old townie bar. Way back in the day, when the bar first opened, it was in the country, on the outskirts of town.
Sun Bakery on fifth avenue, between Liberty and Washington. Delicious brownies and big gooey slices of whole-wheat veggie pizza. Was torn down to make way for a bank.
