Kalamazoo Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[lettezilla]

there's actually a ton of food near the raddison these days. i grew up in kzoo and go back relatively frequently, but don't live there at the moment so a local should correct me if i'm wrong about anything.

--food dance recently moved a few blocks further away from your hotel. but now they're open 3 meals a day, and are great for breakfast. i was a little underwhelmed by dinner main options, but get around that by ordering several starters and dessert. their bread (from zingermans in ann arbor) and desserts are great.

--cosmo's is a classic kalamazoo restaurant, i went there before my prom. they have some imaginative dishes and decent specials.

--fandango is the new-ish tapas place. it's down the mall (your hotel is at one end of the mall) at south st, so only a long block away. they have decent tapas. it's nothing amazing, but for kalamazoo it was a real revelation (similarly, there's a new sushi place that i keep hearing about, but have no idea about the qualities). they do decent cocktails, and if you're looking for a light meal and nice drink, it's a good bet. it fills up at weekends, so go early.

--there's another bar that's along the mall between the radisson and fandango, i can't remember what it's called. the plusses are that it's open late and is super close to your hotel, the minus is that it's bar food that's above your average bar food but nothing special. however, they have a decent wine list and it's a nice place for a glass of wine.

--some people rave about the epic bistro, but i've consistently been unimpressed with their food.

if you're into beer, you have to go to bells, plus there's a new bar over that way that's called shakespeare's pub. my brother basically lives there.

those are the places i tend to go when i'm back. if you're flying in, bravo is across the street from the airport and has pretty good food. their mushroom soup is great, as is their stone-baked pizza. they do a sunday brunch buffet that is very popular and tasty.

have fun!