My husband and I came here for lunch yesterday per his recommendation and were seated immediately on the patio. The outdoor seating is expansive and really nice. Service was quick and friendly. We were given waters right away, and we ordered a couple of glasses of wine that came shortly thereafter. She checked on us multiple times during our meal to see how everything was and to ask if we wanted plates removed. My husband ordered the branzino ($44) which was wrapped in parchment paper and served with a chili sauce, broccolini, and rice. He's ordered it before and loved it and having tried it now I understand why. It was cooked beautifully and the flavor was amazing. I had the tagliarini ($27) which came with a lemon cream sauce and I thought it was good but not great. The pasta was cooked well and the sauce was tasty but it was pricey given the lack of protein. Overall I enjoyed our lunch and would go back despite higher than average prices. read more

Cafe Zola - Lemon Tagliarini - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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"Ok" is the perfect description for this place. We went based on a recommendation and the restaurant's proximity to our hotel. The Friday night crowd was in full summer vibes. Our dog-friendly, outdoor seating for Cafe Zola was in prime position to people watch all the other restaurants. We ordered calamari, foccacia bread, skirt steak and roasted chicken. Maybe there were better things on the menu? But I have to judge Cafe Zola on the food we had. To be honest, it was just ok. The steak was more rare than medium-rare, the spinach side wasn't seasoned, the calamari was too salty, the chicken could've been brined and more juicy. I'm not a hater. I'm just being honest about what I experienced. Still, our server Maddie was so bubbly and sweet. She was the best part of our evening. read more

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This place used to be my regular spot, I haven't been here in decades. Very cozy atmosphere, friendly knowledgeable staff, superb coffee. The food is phenomenal, no complaints . I highly recommend read more

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I never rate below a three star so this is a big deal. The only good thing was our bartender Michael. Everything else sucked. I gave a two rather than one thinking that it being Easter, it affected some things. To start, we had an 11:45 reservation. After 10 minutes the couple ahead of us checked in to find out there were no available tables. They had just seated a couple with no reservation who was in front of them. My sister and I cancled the reservation and sat at the bar which was empty. I got a special drink which was a honey lavender latte. There was no lavender flavor to it. It was not worth the $8. My sister had an ice caramel latte with almond milk and that bad boy was over $9 and she said chains have better lattes! On to the food. I ordered brussel sprouts that were supposed to be fried. I asked them to come out before our main dishes. 20 minutes later they come out and they are barely pan seared and had no flavor. People who came in after us and ordered food started getting their dishes. Finally after being there for 45 minutes I asked about our food and I was told that our ticket went in after others because of the appetizer and the kitchen staff not being competent enough to understand how to order up the food. He also mentioned that the kitchen was really small. If that's the case, then don't cram so many tables in such a small place. Fewer tables means fewer orders which means more efficient food production. My waffles were good, but for $18?!? No. And the babka French toast my sister got was defenitely not worth the $21. I'll never go back. read more

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Unfortunately, the quality seems to have declined. The food arrived cold and lacked flavor, and service was very slow, likely due to being understaffed. noticeably everyone was waiting for the food for a very long time., Basic condiments like ketchup or ranch were also unavailable, which was surprising. The overworked staff was not pleasant to interact with. Floors and bathrooms could use some TLC. Overall, this experience was disappointing and not one I'd choose to repeat. read more

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Zola was one of my favorite restaurant cafe in downtown Ann Arbor but unfortunately the disappointment made me not wanting to come back. It seems like the overall quality went down a d the prices are much higher. I don't mind spending money for high quality food with enjoyable presentations. Zola has changed during or after Pandemic. It does not meet my expectation anymore unfortunately. read more

Had the chance to check out cafe Zola for brunch. Came on a weekday, no wait and fast seating. Coffee selection was great, had a cafe au lait and espresso. Turkish brunch was amazing with a great selection of bread and a sampling platter. Hediyes breakfast was fantastic, a delicious breakfast sandwich on a bagel with egg and vegetables. Olives were delicious on both plates. Quiet casual atmosphere. read more

Cafe Zola - Turkish Brunch - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Went to Cafe Zola with friends for dinner, and it was a great experience overall. We had a reservation and were seated promptly at our reserved time, which was a nice start to the evening. The menu is limited, but what they offer is well-executed. The absolute standout dish was the Sambar Grilled Chicken Skewers--the sauce was the real star, adding a bold kick that made the dish unforgettable. The flavors still linger, making it a must-try! Though listed as a starter, the portion was generous enough to be a main course. The sauce and chicken complemented each other perfectly, making it a standout dish. We also tried: * Shrimp Tacos - Fresh and flavorful * Brussels Sprouts - Nicely done * Bread Board - A good starter to share * Tofu with Ginger Tahini Sauce - Light yet packed with flavor * Cavalo Nero (Kale pesto & spring pea shoots) - A unique and tasty combination * Tajarin ai Limone with Chicken (customized with added chicken) - So good! The chicken was cooked to perfection. * Faroe Island Salmon Fillet - Well-prepared and delicious The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring we had a great experience. They also offer outdoor seating for summer, which is something I'd love to try next time. They offer vegetarian and gluten-free options, and the staff is accommodating if you need modifications. It's best to check with them for specific dietary needs For parking, we got lucky since it wasn't too busy, but during peak hours, finding a spot can be tricky as it's located downtown. However, a private paid parking lot is just a few steps away, making it convenient. The restaurant falls on the expensive side, and the portions are small, but the flavors make up for it. Next time, I'm definitely trying their crepes and truffle fries! Overall, Great Food, Cozy Ambiance, and Friendly Service. A great spot for a nice meal with friends--just don't expect a huge menu! read more

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Probably the worst dining experience I have had in ann arbor. Which is such a shame because a lot of the food is actually pretty good. We went here last night with a group of 13. Some of the worst service possibly ever. We waited around 2 hours for our food. We were seated at 7:30pm and didn't get our food until around 9:30. The waitress was nice but incompetent. She kept forgetting things and did not seem confident whatsoever, however, she was not the issue at all. After 2 hours of waiting for our food and subpar service we asked for the manager. The owner, Hedin was so extremely rude. She came over and the conversation started civilly however we were quite upset and she began talking back in a way. Someone else in our party told her to stop talking rudely and then she snapped and wagged her finger in his face. SO unfathomably rude. I had another resy here in a few weeks, immediately cancelled that. I will never be back and would not recommend at all. read more

My husband and I's anniversary is NYE which can make it a bit challenging to go out and celebrate. Usually I pick up some snacks and sips and we just stay home but this year I hadn't thought ahead to grab anything and we entered the evening without anything in the fridge and no plan. I rolled the dice and looked up some last minute reservation options and found that Cafe Zola had quite a few openings so we snatched it up and we had THE BEST NIGHT. First, our waitress was such a doll. Truly so very nice. I also mentioned it was our anniversary in the booking and they put us a nice a window seat in quiet part of the restaurant. The entire meal was excellent, too! To start we split the burrata with blood orange and as an entree I had the filet mignon with potatoes. And OMG, so good. I hadn't ordered a filet for a very long time and I forgot how good they are when they're done well (though I did order mine medium. Badumpbump). For dessert we both got the bread pudding and it was so delicious we decided we should come back another day just for dessert at the bar so we could have it again. From start to finish the meal was excellent. I always think of the place for brunch but I'm definitely already itching to come back here again soon for dinner. read more

Out of orange juice. Out of egg tacos. Loud ass music. Cold steak. Hair on steak. The waffles were really good, and the potatoes. Overpriced. Only come here if your other options are closed. read more

When my brother was in college here, this is the sort of restaurant I would have enjoyed because my brother would have used one of Dad's credit cards to pay. Now that I'm older, so much older, I feel like the prices are too high for what I'm getting. It's billed as French, Mediterranean (Italian) and Turkish, and they do have some French, Italian, and Turkish dishes but I would rather see a more unified menu. I like the brunch menu the best, but in the evening after an afternoon game it's too crowded, loud, I'm not comfortable with limited space. The ambiance is upscale and elegant, the service is what you'd expect at a place like this, they are quick to interrupt as they have to move people through quickly, I'm sure it's better off peak hours. You could do worse in Ann Arbor. read more

Nickeled and dimed to oblivion! Our bill was excessive! $5 for cheese on a burger, $13 lemonade for kids, no actual kids menu. We were reasonable in our entree choices and our bill was so high. We don't mind paying for great food but this was not even good, it was mid as the kids say. $27 spaghetti & meatball ( only 1) I wish I didn't have buyers remorse on my restaurant choice especially when there's so many to choose from in AA. Oh to top it off our waiter acted annoyed to be serving us, just awful. read more

Our time in Ann Arbor is sadly ending next year. This is one of the restaurants we want to try for a while. Located in downtown we were able to find street parking since it wasn't peak times. We ordered the hummus appetizer and three entrées. The hummus was excellent and generous so you can ask for more crostini to finish it up. The tofu entrée was flavorful. My husband devoured the Montecristo sandwich really liked her waffle dish. Service is friendly and leisurely. It is an inviting space. Will definitely be back! read more

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First time to Zola had lunch with my son. Kennedy, our server was attentive and answered our questions. She was able to pack what I wasn't able to finish of my entree with a bag of ice (I live out of the area). Thank you! On to the food. My son enjoyed his food as did I. My entree, Penne with Chianti sauce was delicious and was a very nice portion. My son did enjoy everything he ordered. In addition, the restaurant is attractive and clean. My complaints: my very small side salad, and I mean small, had a nice dressing and three small sliced cherry tomotoes for a whopping $8.00. Cafe Zola may have had less than a dollar in ingredients. I don't mind paying $8.00 but make it a salad, not a gouge. His $5.00 ginger beer was maybe 8 oz. Otherwise, a good meal. read more

Crab cake Bennedict with only one egg and one crab cake should be illegal, especially at that price. Nice setting and overall vibe. read more

While the food quality is great, the prices are insane ($22 for a stack of pancakes, $22 for an omelette, no kids options, $8.50 lattes, $5 for drip coffee) and the service is mediocre at best (30 mins to get our food. $30 mins to get our latte). I've been coming here for 20 years...probably not again anytime soon. Super disappointing read more

I think it's me. I always have a beef with upscale Italian restaurants. I'm very disappointed with the food. I ordered TAGLIARINI al LIMONE and it was lack of seasoning. The peas and asparagus tasted like grass... I had to aggressively shaking the salt and pepper bottles half of the time I was there. My friend ordered CAVOLO NERO WITH KALE PESTO AND SPRING PEA SHOOTS - nothing stood out. It tasted very healthy. Nothing could save this plate period. I am very generous with the rating due to the nice ambience and kind service. The patio was full and the table was neatly put together. read more

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I ordered two specials: the french toast with rhubarb compote and a honey lavender latte. Yum!! Usually sweet breakfast foods tend to be too sweet and a bit heavy, but not this! The french toast was very fresh and airy- highly recommend. The latte was pretty good. The service was very quick as well, and our waitress was friendly. Overall, I'd give it a 4.5, minus 0.5 as the seating was a little bit cramped. read more

Cafe Zola - French Toast with Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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I feel like all of my reviews are pointing to a smoked salmon dependency Zola's food was delicious! I ordered the smoked salmon platter (honestly a DIY lox bagel, but I enjoyed it:/). My friends got the babka french toast and southwest omelette. Their sides of bacon were a bit of a letdown. The french toast was sooo good though! The drinks we ordered were also great! Hot coffees were sweet and delicious, and the smoothies were a big hit at the table. Food took a LONG TIME to receive, but it was an insane morning, so pretty understandable. Servers were helpful even on a very chaotic morning. Nice space! Overall, 3.5 read more

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5 DOLLARS FOR A SLICE OF CHEESE ON A BURGER Ordered the Kobe Burger, and the bartender asked if I wanted bacon and cheese on it. I didn't see any additional cost on the menu but assumed it'd be a few dollars and that's fine. The burger was ok, but when I got the receipt I noticed I was charged $5 for a slice of cheese and $5.25 for 2 or 3 pieces of bacon. Very deceiving. Never going back. read more

Best food in southeast Michigan. Worth the money spent can't wait until I can visit again

Enjoyable breakfast/brunch at Cafe Zola, with lots of different kinds of options for different palates. Today, my mom and I split a Smoked Salmon Platter (which was basically a deconstructed salmon bagel with all the fixings). Tasty, beautiful presentation, and a good amount of salmon. We also got a side of fruit, which right now were strawberries, raspberries, blueberries. Fruit was fresh. Add coffee and a latte, which was also tasty. Nice environment and friendly service. Just find Cafe Zola to be a bit too pricy for what you get. Ran a little over $50 for essentially the one meal, side of fruit, and two coffees (after tax and tip). read more

Cafe Zola - Smoked Salmon Platter, side of fruit - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Cafe Zola has been in AA since 1996 - launched by husband and wife duo Hediye Batu and Alan Zakalik who are of Polish and Turkish descent, respectively so they fused their backgrounds with their inspiration for pretty dang tasty food. Apparently back in the day, Cafe Zola was THE place for business meetings. While it seems relatively packed on weekends these days, I don't know about suits and limos anymore. OK for the food -- AA Restaurant Week was what brought me in! So I had an app + entree: *Grilled Radicchio + Kale with Orange + Hazelnuts w/Pomegranate Vinaigrette - this was a super lovely warm salad. Dressed perfectly and really tasty! The kale was the lacinato/dino kind so just held up so nicely. The radicchio was cut into little squares for easy eating. The hazelnuts were generous and added some great texture. On the regular menu, this sits in the specials so it sounds like I need to go back ASAP for this!! *Shakshuka (sautéed peppers, onions, cumin and herbs and baked with french feta and olives, two organic eggs) - I'm used to pretty bare bones shakshukas with just some tomato sauce basically and this was a really nice filling version. It had lots of peppers & onions. This is served with either white bread or rye. The rye was the way to go forsure! FYI - they also have a second location called Zola Bistro in the Arbor Hills shopping plaza. I'll have to stop in when I'm there! read more

Had breakfast there this morning with friends -it seemed there was only one waitress -took 20 minutes to get coffee-no one else in restaurant -45 min to get food -had to ask for everything -we will not be back - read more

One of my favorite brunch places in Ann Arbor. I typically get the Monte Cristo and it is delicious. Very cozy ambiance and it does admittedly feel cramped when it is super busy, but we went on a Saturday before 10 am and had plenty of room. read more

Went here for a leisurely dinner to catch up with a friend. The service was very friendly and helpful, but leisurely. We started with the Goat Cheese and fig jam appetizer. This is one of my favorite flavor combinations and the crostini that came with it was very nice. Our waiter thoughtfully gave us extra crostini without us asking. We had the Kale Salad with lemon, Serrano chiles, and mint and it was very good. We also had the Bodrum Shrimp with Raki. This was flavorful, but the shrimp were overcooked and tough. We finished with the blueberry cobbler which was very good. read more

Cafe Zola - Goat Cheese Adriatica with fig jam - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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So many choices on the menu- we have to come back to check out more of the menu. Had a few cocktails and a light lunch. Spicy watermelon margarita was on point. Honey lavender latte was really good. The Mediterranean sampler was perfect for sharing. Roasted Brussel sprouts were good, but a little salty. Everyone has Paris on the brain as well watch the Olympics every where- so I ordered a crepe with ham, cheese, Dijon (no egg) it was delicious. Looking forward to returning. read more

Cafe Zola - Spicy watermelon margarita - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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We were excited to go back to Café Zola, but had a pretty bad experience. Despite arriving at a lull in occupancy after 2pm, it took 20 min to get a waitress to take our order, and another 20 min to get our drinks. Very surprising given the low amount of people there. We ordered oysters as an appetizer, and one was so rancid I had to go to the bathroom to spit it out. I told the waitress about the issue, but they still charged us for it! Let's hope I don't get food poisoning. For the final bill of $200, definately not worth it. read more

We visited Cafe Zola during the summer--off season from the other college related reviews. The day was pleasant and we chose to sit outside on their picnic benches adorned with umbrellas. Overall the food was delicious and the service was solid. The smoked salmon omelet was literally off the charts good! SO rich, however, I'm glad we split it and enjoyed the other sides that came with our meals. My only complaint was the bacon. It looked great, crispy and thick cut...but the OVERWHELMING smoke flavor absolutely ruined it. To the point I only ate two bites because I started feeling nauseous. I'm not sure this is a fluke moment; I sure hope so. read more

Cafe Zola - Americana w/ a side of breakfast sausage - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Horrible experience. Waited 10 min to get acknowledged and served water. Waited another 30 min to get overpriced tiny spaghetti w one meatball ($28) while companion waited for a salad that never came. We gave up and canceled order. Server barely acknowledged our horrible experience. By the way they werent even busy. read more

Zola was an excellent choice for breakfast!!! Our server Nicolette was Brilliant!! Great food with outstanding service made our dining experience most memorable!! Definitely planning a return! Thank you so much for a wonderful memory! read more

I have been to Café Zola twice, once for lunch, and once for brunch. I like the place, service is good, and the ambiance is nice and relaxing. Food is pretty good. However, it's overpriced relative to other restaurants in AA. My friend ordered the crab cake Benedict and there was only one crab cake and one poached egg, which was a weird sight considering how pricey it was. Most places would have a crab cake and egg on each piece of bread. My other friend ordered the shashuka and there was no bread with it. CZ felt like it was missing a touch especially considering how pricey it was. While I could see myself coming back, it wouldn't be the first place I'd think about. read more

Cafe Zola - Moroccan Octopus - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ah, Cafe Zola... where the bar is a stage and Kyle? (oui, Kyle!) is the star. He was slaying drink suggestions like a true artiste. I had my very first Boulevardier...mon Dieu, instant love affair! Paired with the goat cheese appetizer (creamy, tangy, tres chic), it was perfection. The menu looked delicious, but honestly? I'll be back at the bar for sips, snacks, and the show. Santé! read more

So we visited Cafe Zola on Mother's Day, which you would expect to be fairly crazy. So I'm taking that into account in this review but unfortunately, this place wasn't even equipped for what they faced so I wanted to make sure I highlighted some of the problems so they can get things right for the next holiday. Here are some of the things we noticed: - We had made a 12:45pm reservation about a month ahead, so we were surprised when their planning was still so poor that they were about 20 minutes behind our time seating us. - We ordered fairly quickly...I got the roasted mushroom toast and my wife ordered some type of special goat cheese frittata with potatoes, and we got just water to drink. As expected, it took a while for our food to arrive but my rating is based on a few things in particular: our server seemed to pretty much disappear after we ordered; the potatoes that my wife was supposed to get, never arrived...our server said that they went to another table, but then he never ever did get them to us before we left even though they were promised a couple of times; our water glasses were filled when we sat down, but then left dry for forever, even despite multiple requests. The same occurred for the coffee cups that the couple we dined with had ordered. - My wife's dish was ok, but pretty ordinary given the price. My dish, however, was pretty good although the poached eggs were overcooked. Bottom line: Cafe Zola seemed to have some potential, but they need to up their game if they want to not turn off people from returning. read more

Cafe Zola - Roasted wild mushroom toast with avocado and poached egg (including an extra egg) - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Dined here over Parent's weekend 2025 and the food was blah and the service was awful!! I would not go back if they offered us a free meal. The owner is extremely rude, the server's don't even want to be there and that is why it was so bad. Once we ordered, after waiting for 30 min with no offer of even water, it took 20 minutes for drinks to come out. Then apps made their way out slowly over the next 30 min and finally when dinner came, that was a whole other issue. We asked for the manager 3 times and was told there isn't one. When asked whos running the restaurant, we were told the owner. so we requested to speak to them. She originally refused to come over and then when she did, she just stood and stared at us, got up in our face, blocked another guest from getting to her seat and pretty much told us to F*** off. Other guests around us were all having the same issue and people were leaving without food after waiting for 1 hr plus. I would never give them any business again and hope others do the same. Very rude and spiteful owner who only cares about the $ and not the customer!! read more

We just stopped in for drinks. Our server was friendly. We were greeted promptly and sat. We came here over the summer so I already knew what cocktail I was planning to order. The French Ginger. It's delicious and refreshing. With a wonderful fresh lemony taste. The only drawback is that every time I order them they are never as chilled as they should be. I often have to order ice which no one wants to put ice in Prosecco yet drinking it warm isn't great either. My husband has the Bloody Mary which he thought was great. Not too spicy, unless you order the spicy version. Served with two olives and celery. Bacon is an additional $2 if that's your thing. I think they have a great menu. I saw so many dishes I would love to try. Unfortunately; as someone with food allergies/sensitivies I didn't see anything that would work for me. I will be back for drinks though read more

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Amazing food and amazing company. I ordered the salmon platter but totally forgot to take a picture! So yummy! Our waitress was very accommodating and nice, she helped me modify my order to be dairy-free. The vibe in the restaurant is very cool and chill, but without compromising the class. Picture of the chocolate croissant my friend ordered (not dairy-free, unfortunately)! read more

Cafe Zola - Chocolate croissant - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I had dinner with two of my friends in this restaurant. The atmosphere was relaxing. They lit candles on the table and darken the surroundings. I ordered a crab cake Benedict and a plate of seared ahi tuna. The first time to try crab cake, I was surprised to see that it was made fully of crab meat! Also, the Benedict was just cooked to right point. In general I think this food was great! Definitely need to try it if you haven't! For the tuna dish, the meat was delicious, but it only had 7 small pieces; it would be better if they lowered the price for that dish. My friends enjoyed the strawberry-banana crepes very much. I also tried one piece. It had a balanced combination of sour and sweet. Moreover, it was huge (especially compared to the tuna dish) The service was not bad, though we felt like the waitress wanted us to leave the restaurant quickly when we almost finished the foods. read more

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Enjoyed a great brunch at Zola Bistro. Good and friendly service, which is always important. The Turkish Egg dish I ordered was absolutely delicious. I will be back! read more

Cafe Zola - Turkish Eggs* - French Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan