Best Coffee:
Espresso Royale Caffe
With lots of locations, and this year's interior decor renovations, Espresso gives you pretty good coffee for your buck. According to their posted signs, they even promise to lower their prices once the coffee market stabilizes.
Best Burgers:
Blimpy Burger
Hey, any restaurant that can give you almost 32 patties of hamburger (their record) has got to be good. Forget the big chains, this little one is where it's at.
Best French Fries:
McDonald's
OK, can someone tell me why is it that Americans like their fries over-salted and anemic?
Best Pizza:
Jet's Pizza
Their gooey cheese, crispy crust and toppings galore beat out the stiff competition. Maybe we all should "jet" from class and grab an early lunch.
Best Hot Dogs:
Red Hot Lovers
Gotta love big juicy weiners - Red Hot's is pretty finger lickin' good. And there's only 100 percent beef here, baby. And an honorable mention has to go to the entry, "the corner hotdog stand" - I think this refers to that guy on the corner of North University and State Streets.
Best Wings:
Mr. Spot's
"Best Wings" marks this Spot. There's nothing like some good ol' chicken wings, with some spicy, dripping sauce.
Best Low-Calorie Food (tie):
Subway; Y&S
Lots of sandwich toppings makes them a college student's staple. Add Y&S's frozen yogurt, located next door in the MUG, and you've got a whole meal. So eat like a low-cal pig and still look like a million bucks.
Best Cheap Beer:
Touchdown Cafe
They have specials, two levels of drinking space and they're located on South University Avenue. Now if we can only get our football team to take this bar's name to heart more often next fall, we'll be in business.
Best Bar Drinks:
Ashley's
Ashley's is a bloody fine old Irish tavern. They have so many choices of microbrews and other drinks that it will make your head spin, before you even take a drink!
Best Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt:
Stucchi's
Could there be any other winner? They've got the gooey, creamy, rich stuff your palate longs for, and the healthier, frozen yogurt alternative that can be just as tasty.
Best Chipati:
Pizza House
There are all kinds of things in a chipati that make it a well-rounded meal - your veggies, your cheese, your pita - and of course - don't forget that meat. But what does this say about Pizza House's main export - pizza?
Best Sandwiches:
Amer's Delicatessen
I wonder where Zingermann's went? Well, Amer's is conveniently located nearer to campus on State Street, and has just about everything - coffee, dessert, even some produce if you so desire.
Best Subs:
Subway
They bake their own bread, and their prices are good. And all those toppings are worth another mention. Along with Subway's convenience, these strengths understandably helped it win in a couple of categories.
Best Cookies:
Mrs. Peabody's Cookies,
Ice Cream and Yogurt
This place has all the naughty things your mother told you never to have before dinner.
Best Bagels:
Bruegger's Bagel Bakery
The bagelwich is a lovely thing. In the ever-present battle of the bagels, it looks like Bruegger's won this round. Check out their "next morning" bagels, sold by the half-dozen.
Best Italian Food:
Gratzi
"When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore!" For classic fine dining, you can't beat the mother of eating out, the Italian restaurant. Heck, you might even learn a little Italian. (Hint: "Gratzi" means "thank you.")
Best Indian Food:
Shalamar
We're lucky Ann Arbor has such a diverse palate of ethnic foods available ... if you're a Midwesterner.
Best Middle Eastern Food:
Jerusalem Garden
One can live off of Jerusalem's babaganoug if one really tries. Besides, eggplant is one of the healthiest dishes out there.
Best Chinese Food:
Dinersty
Your fortune: "You will eat good food at Dinersty."
JONATHAN SUMMER/Daily
Rachel Holmes enjoys the cuisine at Jerusalem Garden.
Best Korean Food:
Kana Restaurant
Kana Restaurant is fancier than other Korean eateries in town. The soups are as filling as an entire meal, and the appetizers are terrific also.
Best Mexican Food:
Panchero's
Panchero's is convenient with their late hours. Good thing Village Apothecary sells Immodium AD right next door.
Best Vegetarian Food:
Seva Restaurant
Ann Arbor's house-o-veggies takes the cake in a town chock-full of non-carnivorous eateries. Try the chimichangas - they may not be the most healthful menu item (read: they're deep fried), but they're unforgettable.
Best Deli:
Amer's Delicatessen
Recently remodeled, easily accessible with two dine-in locations on campus, Amer's four-score plus sandwich selection provides something for all. And how about those pickles?
Best Restaurant Service:
Cottage Inn
Campus Dine In
"Garcon? Coffee." With free bread and olive oil, drink refills and entrees galore, the waitstaff at Cottage Inn is always on top of things.
Best Greasy Spoon:
Fleetwood Diner
The Fleetwood Diner, on S. Ashley St., may take next year's proposed category, "Most Greasy Clientele," as well, but it's no surprise winner this year. And how about the hash? Corned beef, that is.
Best Sports Bar:
Touchdown Cafe
With televisions abounding, great Happy Hour specials and decent wings to boot, Touchdown Cafe is the quintessential sports bar. And any place that has foosball in the basement has got to be great.
Best Breakfast:
Angelo's Restaurant
Known for its three-mile-high raisin French toast, Angelo's often has hour-long waits on weekend mornings. Trust us - the place really hops.
Best Lunch:
Amer's Delicatessen
Multi-category winner Amer's has the best lunches, readers say. If you have a bourgeious appetite, go for the sandwiches - all of you with proletariat pocketbooks can opt for the soup.
Best Dinner (tie):
The Real Seafood Company;
Jet's Pizza
Talk about mutually exclusive ... let's see here: "Give me two with pepperoni," or "Buffy will have the shrimp linguini, and I will have the prime rib, rare. And a bottle of your best sauvignon." You be the judge.
Best Take Out:
Pizza House
How about those chipatis? Mmm, good. If you order the pizza to go, however, be ready for quite a workout - with tons of real cheese heaped onto each pie, carrying one can be an Olympic-type experience.
Best Outdoor Eatery:
Good Time Charley's
Great people watching is Charley's strong point. The traffic watching isn't bad, either. You're bound to see at least one accident per meal, as the outdoor seating is at the intersection of Church Street and South University Avenue. Make sure to pick out auto debris from the Count Twists before you eat, however.
Best Late-Night (tie):
The Backroom; Panchero's
Let's hear it for the intestines! They're bound to be busy after a few Backroom slices or an el gordo-sized two pound burrito from Pancheros. Don't say you weren't warned.
Best Munchies (tie):
Taco Bell; Jet's Pizza
With Taco Bell's prices, one could feed a third-world country with a finski. Jet's also appears once again. What do they sell? Subliminal pizzas?
Best Place for Folks to Take You:
Gandy Dancer
As if your parents can afford this after tuition, living and ITD printing costs. But seriously, the class of Ann Arbor, Gandydancer offers the best in parental-purchased meals. Don't forget to order the most expensive thing on the menu. As if your parents are going to say, "No."
Best Romantic Evening:
Gratzi
Ahhh - the lighting, food, ambiance - bellissimo! And if the degree of romanticism is positively correlated to price, then it's the most romantic of them all!
Best Dorm Cafeteria:
South Quad
All right. No residence hall cafeteria jokes. South Quad is clearly the best. With prime rib and New York strip every night, who could argue? Just kidding. Hear they have great grilled cheese and tomato soup, however. By the way, did anyone ever notice that wherever athletes live is where the best food is located? Just wondering.
Best Happy Hour:
Touchdown Cafe
How about those specials? You can buy more beer than you can carry for around $3. But why carry it? Just park yourself under the keg. Faster, more efficient.
Best Overall Restaurant:
Seva Restaurant
The veggies win! Seva has found the philosophy - it doesn't need animal to be good. For all of you out there who refuse to eat at some "leftist-vegetarian place," do yourself a favor and grab a meal at Seva. It may be PC, but it's good.
Best Overall Bar:
Touchdown Cafe
The lines in front of Touchdown can't be wrong. Touchdown took four categories this year, so it's no surprise that it won "Best Overall Bar" as well. So be merry and drink like a fish at Touchdown. Anyone ever wonder why it is called a "Cafe?"
04-17-97
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