Southeast Michigan is home to some of the Midwest’s most innovative farms, outstanding farmers’ markets and landmark restaurants. So, when you’re looking for delicious salads made with garden-fresh ingredients, it isn’t difficult to track something down in the Ann Arbor area.
To help you narrow down the options, we rounded up some of our favorite salad spots in A2! Whether you’re just looking for a healthy bite to eat or want to find somewhere to help keep your 2021 health resolutions on track, these amazing restaurants have exactly what you need.
Salads Up
611 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
Photo courtesy of Salads Up
Robert and Max were seniors at the University of Michigan when they discovered their dream of creating a healthy, fast-paced restaurant that would be accessible to students, visitors and townies alike. Today, they have two locations in Ann Arbor and one in Madison, Wisconsin, each offering a massive menu of salads, wraps, grain bowls, smoothies and more. They even offer you the chance to create your own salad or wrap by choosing from a long menu of bases, toppings, meats and meat substitutes, plus incredible dressings made in-house. Click here to explore their Ann Arbor menu and to place your order online for curbside pickup!
NeoPapalis
500 East William Street, Ann Arbor
The family of masterminds behind NeoPapalis has been in the Michigan pizza business for more than 29 years. So it’s no surprise to us that they have the best pizza in town. It doesn’t hurt that they use the best ingredients available as well, including fior di latte cheese, fresh basil, and tomatoes from the foot of Southern Italy’s Mt. Vesuvius. But pizza night isn’t complete without an amazing salad, and luckily, NeoPapalis has plenty of tasty green dishes that fit the bill. Choose between a Greek Salad, Caesar Salad, Antipasta Salad or John’s Salad. Or, if you’d rather create your own, they have a Custom Salad option on their menu, complete with everything you’ll need to create your perfect bowl.
Vedge Cafe
205 North Main Street, Ann Arbor
Owned and operated by Amanda, a Registered Dietitian and a plant-based eater since 2005, Vedge Cafe is where she gets to combine her love for cooking with her passion for educating and sharing diet alternatives. Amanda and her team offer a menu of scratch-made vegan food like Korean BBQ Jackfruit Tacos, The Vedge Stromboli with house-made dough and pepperoni seitan, Reubens and more. And you won’t find any boring salads here! Their menu includes selections like a Taco Salad, Kale Salad and a Chopped BBQ Tofu Salad, featuring mixed greens and topped with BBQ-marinated tofu, avocado, corn, shredded carrot, black beans and house-made BBQ ranch dressing.
Amer’s Deli
314 South State Street, Ann Arbor
Part coffee house, part deli, part catering business and part frozen yogurt spot—Amer’s Deli is a one-stop-shop for almost anything. While everything you can get at Amer’s is amazing (including their açaí bowls!), we are partial to their fantastic salads, which you order by the pound! No matter what your diet is, they’ve got a salad for you. Vegan? Try their Spinach Tofu Salad. Pescatarian? Don’t miss their Darren & Sam Salad topped with succulent turkey! They also offer an incredible fruit salad, if you’re just looking to add a sweet side to your sandwich order. Click here to peruse their vast menu and to place an order online!
aMa Bistro
215 South State Street, Ann Arbor
Photo courtesy of aMa Bistro
Located downtown, aMa Bistro is a family-owned and operated restaurant preparing classic, home-style foods and exciting international dishes to suit every taste. Self-dubbed “The Best Place to Eat in Ann Arbor,” aMa’s offers anything and everything from burgers and Albanian dishes to wraps, seafood risotto, chicken alfredo and a wide variety of salads. You can get any of their many salads in wrap form, including their Michigan Berry Salad, which features mixed greens, strawberries, blueberries, pecans and goat cheese. Every salad comes with a side of whole wheat pita bread and can be customized any way you like them!
Afternoon Delight
251 East Liberty Street, Ann Arbor
Locals line up for this Ann Arbor staple—and it’s easy to see (and taste!) why. Serving the area for more than 30 years, the Afternoon Delight is a breakfast, brunch and lunch favorite, offering items like fluffy eggs Benedict, avocado toast, waffles, pancakes, sandwiches, quiche and amazing salads! Choose from selections like their Asian Chicken Salad, their Cobb Salad, Lemon Chicken Salad, Chef’s Salad and Chicken & Fruit Salad. Each salad bowl comes with your choice of bread or muffin. If you’re looking for something for the whole family, during the pandemic, they are also selling large family meals like Chicken Pot Pie, Tortellini Delight and their Chef’s Salad for four that you can pick up or have delivered. Click here for all the information!
Sava’s
216 South State Street, Ann Arbor
Photo courtesy ofHayden Stinebaugh viaSava’s
What began as Sava Lelcaj’s 23-seat cafe is now one of A2’s best restaurants, with 300 seats, and a team of amazing chefs and welcoming staff. The seasonally inspired menu includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch, which they are currently providing to the Ann Arbor area in the form of carryout and delivery. Their menu of salads is one of our favorites, featuring selections like Sava’s Greek and Caesar, each of which have been highly praised by both Yelpers and food critics alike.
Juicy Kitchen
Using locally sourced produce, hormone-free chicken, and organic vegetables and grains as much as possible, Juicy Kitchen crafts meals from scratch in healthy, sustainable ways. While this Ann Arbor spot is an excellent option for anyone searching for healthy food, they also cater to specific allergies, gluten-free diets, and vegans and vegetarians during both breakfast and lunch. Because they only used locally sourced produce, their menu changes often—including their salad selections! We recommend checking back in with them every few weeks to see what new and tasty salad creation they’ve come up with. But no matter what it is, we promise it will be delicious!
Zingerman’s Delicatessen
Photo courtesy of Zingerman’s Deli
The first business that opened in the Zingerman’s Company was this historic deli; it opened in 1982 with a staff of two. Today, the deli is still located in the small, red brick building across from the Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market, but you can now choose from an enormous menu of both classic and creative sandwiches, breakfasts, housemade Jewish specialty foods, handmade pot pies and, of course, salads! Their selection of salads are made from locally sourced, fresh ingredients topped with high-quality cheeses, meats and dressing. During the pandemic, they’ve also started offering pantry and grocery staples, so while you’re picking up your salad bowls, don’t forget to grab a few loaves of Zingerman’s bread, meats, cheeses, coffee and more!
Lettuce Eat!
Did we miss your favorite salad spot in A2? Let us know in the comments below!
(Visited 987 times, 1 visits today)
