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Art & Soul: The Culinary Arts - What's Cooking In The Washtenaw County Restaurant Scene

Lisa Barry

Zingerman’s just reopened their refurbished creamery on Plaza Drive.  Now called "Cream Top Shop," it features an expanded retail space that includes seating.  In addition to eating lunch or a snack, you can sit and watch the employees make fine cheeses and creamy gelato.

But that’s not the only thing happening with Zingerman’s.  Alex Young, former head Chef of Zingerman’s Roadhouse and 2011 winner of the James Beard award, is looking to start a French Bistro on Jackson Road this September.  It will be called Standard Bistro and Larder.  Young is well-known for his use of local ingredients in his dishes.

Credit Lisa Barry
Herbs and spices growing outside Zingerman's Deli. (I did not steal them. :D )

Chela’s Restaurant and Taqueria has been renovating the old Jerusalem Garden location on Fifth Avenue near the Library Lot in Ann Arbor to open a second location.  Jessica Webster says she believes the restaurant that serves Mexican street food may possibly have a late night menu.

Café Ollie of Depot Town in Ypsilanti has split up and is now two stores.  Ollie, the restaurant side, is now slightly more upscale and serves an excellent brunch, according to Webster. The other side of the store is called Cream and Crumb, which serves ice cream and baked goods.

Credit Cream & Crumb

Restaurants are not the only great place to get food in Washtenaw County.  With May comes the farmers markets, and now is the perfect time to buy your herbs and starter plants for the summer season.

The Ypsilanti Farmers Market is open on Tuesdays from 3 PM to 7 PM and Saturday from 6 A.M. to 1 P.M. The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M.  The Cobblestone Farms Farmer Market opens May 23 and goes from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M.

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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her atlbarryma@emich.edu

Lisa Barry was a reporter, and host of All Things Considered on 89.1 WEMU.
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