Arbor Brewing Company (Plymouth, MI)
Any time is really a good time to hit up Arbor Brewing Co. If you need a change-of-pace for dinner with your partner, a spot to take family in from out of town, or you want to enjoy a great sunny spring day to grab some beers with friends. They are fairly quiet at lunchtime so it’s a great place to get some food without a 45 minute wait.
This spot shares a kitchen with one of the best wood-fired pizza spots in the state (Bigalora), so getting a pizza from their menu would never be a bad move.
If you break the menu into pieces, Arbor Brewing is basically a high-level lunch food court. Burgers. Sammiches. Pizza. Appetizers. Sweets. Oh yeah, and a regionally successful brewery with more than a dozen beers on tap.
The burgers are great- even though they don’t call it out on the menu they are smash burgers. The original is quality with cheese, lettuce, and garlic mayo and they have a couple variations with bacon jam or mushrooms and swiss. You can’t go wrong.
The sammich selection has a pretty wide variety. I often gravitate to a fish sammich because if it’s on a menu it’s usually pretty solid. Def. holds here, the fish breading is light and flaky, not the super heavy batter that requires a defibrillator to keep your eyes open at your 2pm client meeting.
⚡ Highlights
Burgers. Good smash burgers are always top shelf. I’ve come back here just for the burger and fries more than once.
Appetizers. Whether you’re sharing or just want a couple different things to try, the selection is elite. Nachos, house-made pretzel bites, cheese bread, sausage & peppers just to name a few.
Sammiches. Like I said, the fish sammich kills, but the spicy chicken and the prime rib dip are both worth the trip. Maybe it’s a rainy day, they’ve got you covered with an adult grilled cheese for some comfort food gooeyness.
🛏️ Don’t Sleep On
Wings. When a spot takes the time to marinate the wings, they are usually great, worth coming back for.
Cajun Fries. I think it should be mandatory to offer cajun options for any fries but I take em where I can get em. You can also get truffle and cheese if that is your flavor.
🌶️ For the Hot-Heads
Ever since watching Michael Symon on Food Network and trying them at Roast, I’m a Stan for Fresno chiles. Arbor Brewing has them on one of the pizzas and it’s worth ordering a side of them to put on whatever you order.
💎 Hidden Gem
This is a spot to order dessert- yes even at lunch. Chocolate cake, sure, but banana cake and chocolate chip cookies! Cash some happy checks.
🫔 The Wrap
If I met a few friends on a sunny spring day, I’d make sure to sit on the patio or get a table just inside of the roll up doors to enjoy the day and everyone walking around. There's just something fun about eating and drinking beers with your sunglasses on.
I’d find a solid mid-ABV beer to start with, and also note a tasty lighter option to order with the food. Lastly (assuming I convinced the group to let me make the experience easy and amazing by picking the food for the table), I’d order up:
First round. Bavarian Pretzels, Fire Lake Pizza
Get some carbs in there to get a base for the afternoon of beers and a little spice.
Everyone likes soft pretzels and cheese with beer, easy one.
This pizza has house-made hot Italian sausage and chiles - perfect combo. The wood fired pizzas are perfectly melty and the spice will remind everyone that today is a great day to be alive; stop and smell the roses.
Round two. Wings, Fish & Chips, Roasted Cauliflower
Wings, classic choice. You’re going to be tempted to order buffalo here, stop and think. You just did some spicy last round, take a break. These are marinated and juicy - go with some dry and some Agrodolce (a sweet & sour Italian sauce) - everyone will tell you how right you were all day.
Fish & Chips is a curveball for sharing, but everyone always wants some fried fish but not a full meal, so this is a perfect opportunity to indulge. Plus it comes with fries which is always a good move here.
Round it out with a little veggie option. It’s not aggressive like ordering a salad, but mixes things up a bit. These are dippable too, still finger food.
Round three. Beers.
Take a minute to hit pause. Everyone drink a round of beers without food. Talk, take a breath, enjoy. Maybe get another round.
Round four. You have some options here, so hopefully you still have your wits about you.
If the table is getting full and you just want something to pick at, I’d fire up the calamari. Now it’s surprise time. After you order, go to the bathroom, but on your way find the server and get two orders of the chocolate chip cookies for the table. Make sure to tell them to bring them a few mins. after the calamari. Fun uncle energy.
If your friends are in it to win it - time to have some fun. If there’s something everyone has been talking about but hasn’t been ordered, get it. Could be the nachos, could be a basket of fries. Add one or two more things and get some beers. I’d go with the Elvis BBQ chicken pizza OR the cheese bread (not both, don’t get greedy) and a chicken finger basket w/ fries. And of course the cookies.
If you’ve got a crew with a sweet tooth, lean into it. Live a little. Just order all the desserts. Cookies, a stout chocolate cake, and a banana cake.
Now is the time to order up your Uber or make sure your DD gets the last cookie.