20 Ypsilanti eateries all food lovers should try

By Layla McMurtrie on Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 12:59 pm

Ypsilanti is basically Ann Arbor’s way cooler neighbor — and is lowkey a hidden gem for foodies. The town is full of great cuisine from every culture and has got you covered no matter what food mood you’re in. Don’t miss out on these highly-rated and underrated Ypsi eateries.

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Facebook, Encuentro Latino

Encuentro Latino

228 W. Michigan Ave.; 734-483-1727; facebook.com/encuentrolatinorestaurante

Ypsilanti is home to many Latin restaurants, but this family-owned Guatemalan place may be the most underrated. Encuentro Latino offers an extensive menu of breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals at great prices.

Layla McMurtrie

Basil Babe

701 W. Cross St.; 734-487-4000; basil-babe.com

Having opened its doors in January, this spot sees a mother-daughter duo serve up authentic Thai cuisine with a modern twist. The eatery began as a dumpling pop-up in 2020. With a menu that changes every week full of dumplings, curries, noodles, and rice dishes, there’s no getting bored of this spot.

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Facebook, Bomber Restaurant

Bomber Restaurant

306 E. Michigan Ave.; 734-482-0550; bomberrestaurant.net

Many people’s go-to brunch spot is The Bomber, as the family diner is also sort of a mini-museum filled with World War II history, Rosie the Riveter tributes, and model bomber planes covering the ceiling.

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Facebook, Cuppy’s Best

Cuppy’s Best Soul Food Bistro

2469 Washtenaw Ave.; 734-320-2577; cuppysbest.co

Recently moving from a gas station on Ecorse Road to a full-sized restaurant, this soul food joint serves up homestyle southern cooking to the Ypsilanti community.

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Facebook, Mama Pizza

Mama Pizza

5 N. Hamilton St.; 734-896-3843; mama-pizza-pizzatakeaway.business.site

While it just opened earlier this year, this pizza spot is already turning into an Ypsilanti favorite. The prices are great – only $8 for a large cheese or pepperoni and $12 for most large speciality pizzas. Recently, the shop’s owner is getting innovative – creating curry fusion pizzas, chorizo pizza, and a samosa pizza, which was posted to Facebook with the caption “Invented in Ypsi (patent pending).” The spot also started offering masala dosa, an Indian staple not offered at the other Indian restaurant in town, and has a combo of two pizza slices and a bottle of Bud Light for $5.

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Layla McMurtrie

Tikalito

1346 E. Michigan Ave.; 734-896-3857

This new authentic Mexican restaurant just opened this year in the spot where HANA Korean used to live. While we’re sad the old gem is gone, there couldn’t have been a better replacement.

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Facebook, Gabriel’s Cheese Steak Hoagies

Gabriel’s Cheese Steak Hoagies

2585 E. Michigan Ave.; 734-483-5846; ypsigabriels.com

Serving Ypsilanti since 1959, this old cheese steak spot is a must-visit. The best part is the hot cherry pepper relish.

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Instagram, @shrimpflavours

Shrimp Flavours

529 W. Cross St.; 734-905-7113; indianrestaurantypsilanti.com

Ann Arbor has a few Indian restaurants, but this is the only one in Ypsilanti, which is why the owners wanted to open it. Apparently when it first opened, it was supposed to mainly serve shrimp, but that’s not the case now. Don’t let the name deter you — Shrimp Flavours has all of the flavors and almost all of the traditional Indian dishes you could imagine.

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Facebook, Latin American Cuban Cuisine

Latin American Cuban Cuisine

2269 Ellsworth Rd.; 734-961-7452; latinamericancubancuisines.com

The name of this place is straight to the point. Whether you want a Cuban sandwich, yuca fries, a meal of meat, plantains, and rice and beans or tres leches cake, this spot has a variety of Latin food.

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Facebook, Macheko Grill

Macheko Grill

2283 Ellsworth Rd.; 734-434-8989; macheko.com

Located right next to Latin American Cuban Cuisine is Macheko Grill, this fusion Asian restaurant serves Korean BBQ, Shanghai hot pot, and Japanese ramen.

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Layla McMurtrie

Casablanca

2333 Washtenaw Ave.; 734-961-7828; casablancaypsilanti.com

This restaurant offers traditional Moroccan cooking, which blends Middle Eastern cuisine with hints of tastes from Europe and Africa.

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Layla McMurtrie

Dos Hermanos Mexican Grill

402 W. Michigan Ave.; 734-802-1662

Dos Hermanos Market has been open in Ypsilanti since 2007, and when their next door neighbor Abe’s Coney Island’s time came to an end, they were quick to scoop up the spot to open a new full-service restaurant serving up authentic Mexican and Central and South American food.

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Facebook, Got Burger

Got Burger

301 W. Cross St.; 734-219-7290; facebook.com/gotburgerypsi

On nights out when you’re coming home with your friends from a bar or club at 2 a.m., Got Burger is a must. The greasy burger spot provides all of your late night food cravings, from chicken tenders and fries to smoothies, cheesecakes, tons of burger options, and Middle Eastern wraps and salads too. Most importantly, it is open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

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Facebook, Ma Lou’s

Ma Lou’s

15 W. Michigan Ave.; 734-905-7994; ma-lous.com

This fried chicken spot was named Best Wings in Washtenaw in the Metro Times Best of Detroit readers poll in 2020 and 2022.

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Facebook, K&D Bistro

K&D Bistro

1290 Anna J Stepp Dr.; 734-961-8908; kdbistro.com

This family-owned Vietnamese restaurant may go unnoticed, as it is a couple miles away from the downtown and Depot Town areas of Ypsi, but it’s a must-try. The menu includes authentic Banh Mi sandwiches, various pho options, and more.

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Layla McMurtrie

The Golden Egg

2660 Washtenaw Ave.; 734-434-0100; facebook.com/GoldenEggYpsi

Family-style diners are needed in every city, and Ypsi’s got them. The Golden Egg is open for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

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Facebook, Gora’s Grill

Gora’s Grill

533 W. Cross St.; 734-544-9707; gorasgrill.com

For the vegetarians and vegans, Gora’s Grill has got a wide variety of no-meat burgers, wraps, and bowls.

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Facebook, Antonio’s Coney Island Ypsilanti

Antonio’s Coney Island

2896 Washtenaw Ave.; 734-905-7321; antoniosypsi.com

While you may think this is just a normal coney, the old-school diner actually doubles as a Honduran restaurant that also still serves up the classic coney comfort meals.

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Facebook, MAIZ Mexican Cantina

MAIZ Mexican Cantina

36 E. Cross St.; 734-340-6010; maizmexican.com

While MAIZ is not as authentic as the other Latin spots on this list, it is the largest sit-down restaurant, with a menu offering a wide variety of street tacos and margaritas.

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