Coming all the way to the United States for higher education, homesickness often creeps up on me. Finding food that satisfies my Asian palate has become my little trick to ease sadness and find happiness. Asian cuisine spans many countries with diverse dishes and styles—from the warmth of a winter hotpot to the refreshing spices of summer. I hope fellow international students from Asia can find familiar tastes of home, and that others from around the world can also appreciate the charm of Asian food and culture! Fortunately, Ann Arbor is a welcoming city. Let’s explore the downtown area and discover some unforgettable Asian delicacies!
1. Chinese hot pot - Palace Tang
With thousands of years of history, hotpot is a great entry point into Chinese cuisine! The boiling broth can be spicy, tomato, mushroom, and more. Fresh vegetables and meat are cooked in the broth and dipped in sauce, warming your stomach for sure! Palace Tang, newly opened in 2024 in North Campus, is recognizable by its Chinese lanterns. I highly recommend their beef slices—affordable and delicious. Be careful if you’re not used to spicy food; their spicy broth is quite fiery!
Apart from hotpot, places like “Asian Legends” and “Evergreen Restaurant” offer a rich selection of spicy and non-spicy dishes!
2. Korean Cuisine - Macheko
While the Central Campus is home to well-known places like Tomukun Noodle Bar and BBQ, Macheko, just a 10-minute drive away, offers more flavors. It's a great spot for gathering with friends, often with no long wait. In addition to BBQ, they have dishes like fried chicken, pig's trotters, and beef tartare. The staff are very friendly, and the side dishes like fish cakes and mashed potatoes are refillable—I always have several servings!
3. Japanese Cuisine - Sanpei
Besides delicious sushi (I highly recommend anything with eel, the sauce is amazing), Sanpei offers sukiyaki! The duck pot, with its tender duck slices and an abundance of vegetables, is particularly delightful. Tofu soaked in broth has a hint of sweetness. The only downside is that Sanpei is relatively far, requiring a 20-30 minute drive, but it’s absolutely worth it! For lunch near campus, ramens in Slurping Turtles and Mamasato’s curry are perfect choices to fill you up and recharge your energy within walking distance!
4. Thai Cuisine - Siam Square
This is the restaurant I frequent the most recently! From the Tom Yum soup starter (a medium size for $11-12 is enough for two!) to the main dishes like pork and soft-shell crab, the unique Thai flavors always whet my appetite in the summer! I also recommend the desserts here—the Thai iced tea is delicious, and the mango sticky rice, with its slightly salty coconut milk, offers a delightful taste. You can choose between mango or mango ice cream. Sam Square is about a 10-minute drive from Central Campus, but you can also take the free Route 4 bus right to the door.
5. Other recommendations
Aside from these, I have a few more links to good food:
Indian cuisine:
Cardamom http://www.cardamoma2.com/ (North Campus)
Vietnamese Pho:
Tomukun Noodle Bar http://noodlebar.tomukun.com/
Dalat Restaurant https://www.dalatrestaurantannarbor.com/
Pho House [2224 Washtenaw Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48197]
These are definitely some of my top recommendations for Asian cuisine in Ann Arbor, but there are more countries and restaurants worth exploring! Once again, welcome to Ann Arbor!
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