Highest-rated restaurants in Kalamazoo by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Kalamazoo by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Kalamazoo, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Water Street Coffee Joint
- Rating: 4.5/5 (24 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2603 South Sprinkle Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, fast food
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Summer Thyme Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3928 Portage St. Ste East Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Bold
- Rating: 4.5/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6915 West Q Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Crow's Nest
- Rating: 4.5/5 (811 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 816 South Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Hunan Gardens
- Rating: 4.5/5 (80 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7157 West Q Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Uncle Ernie's Pancake House
- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4005 Portage St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Shawarma King
- Rating: 4.5/5 (379 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1441 South Drake Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Rustica
- Rating: 4.5/5 (328 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 236 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Namsan
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1844 South Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Studio Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (297 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 312 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Café 36
- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2965 Oakland Drive Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: New American, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Water Street Coffee Joint
- Rating: 4.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 315 East Water St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Cairo's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 155 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Egyptian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Cookie's Five Star Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 712 Douglas Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: American, Burgers, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#16. One Well Brewing
- Rating: 4.5/5 (512 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4213 Portage St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breweries, New American, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp
#15. TNT - Lil Brothers BBQ
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1622 Bloomfiels Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Barbeque
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Nonla Burger
- Rating: 4.5/5 (294 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2103 South Burdick St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Factory Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 213 East Frank St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Curry in a Hurry Foods
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 6541 Stadium Drive Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Indian, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage
- Rating: 4.5/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1715 Miller Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Barbeque, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Principle Food & Drink
- Rating: 4.5/5 (341 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Artisan Sandwich
- Rating: 4.5/5 (53 reviews)
- Address: 348 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazzo Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Sandwiches, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#8. La Familia Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (60 reviews)
- Address: 224 West Michigan Ave. St. Marks Place Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Walnut & Park
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 322 West Walnut St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Brick and Brine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (100 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Pizza Katerina
- Rating: 4.5/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 635 North 9th St. Ste F Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Bakeries, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Caffe Casa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 128 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Toba Sushi & Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 235 North Drake Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Ty's Joint
- Rating: 5.0/5 (30 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1301 Portage St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Paradise Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (51 reviews)
- Address: 1693 South Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Desserts, Coffee & Tea, Creperies
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.
