Foodie Focus: First Bite Endears Itself to Ann Arbor with Vegan, Organic and Gluten-Free Breakfast and Lunch Options
Jake Newby
| 4 min read
Good luck walking into First Bite on a Saturday or Sunday morning and finding a table right away. For nearly a decade, First Bite has offered clean, fresh and inspired breakfast, brunch and lunch options to Ann Arbor residents and foodies across southeast Michigan.
“The concept here is quite phenomenal, it’s very simple,” said First Bite Catering Director Billy Res. “You get that family vibe between the food, the service and the cozy atmosphere.”
What’s on the menu at First Bite?
Most everything in First Bite’s kitchen is organic and locally sourced, from the eggs to the vegetables to beef, poultry and turkey. Much of the restaurant’s identity is shaped by its vegan and vegetarian offerings. Its Beet Burger – made from house-made chickpea and beet patty topped with coleslaw, caramelized onions and mushrooms, spinach and its “best burger sauce” –is a crowd pleaser.
“It’s phenomenal,” Res said. The combination of shredded beets put together as a patty and then grilled is to die for. It’s something you don’t really anticipate. Most people are used to beets only on a salad.”
Arbor Avocado Toast, Michigan Salad, Southwest Black Bean Burger and Thai Peanut Wrap are atop the list of meat-free fan favorites at First Bite. Accommodation is key to First Bite’s approach, as many of these recipes are vegan or can be made vegan or gluten-free. Most of the menu is vegan or vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great traditional burger or indulge in First Bite’s popular Chicken Curry bowl.
Then there’s the whole host of sweet options, from Fluffy French Toast made with organic brioche to stoneground whole wheat Blueberry Pancakes.
“We hit everyone’s taste buds when they come in here,” Res said. “The dietary restrictions, where, someone’s got Celiac Disease or someone is lactose intolerant, all that stuff can be accounted for.”
Personally, Res is high on the restaurant’s expansive soup menu.
“We have a vegan, gluten-free Roasted Tomato Basil Soup, which, there’s not really anything like it that I’ve found,” he said. “Getting a cream soup that is both vegan and gluten-free is not usually likely.
There’s also a long list of beverage options, from various types of coffees, juices and smoothies, some of which are inspired by owner Vivek Dalela’s Indian heritage, like the mango juice option.
First Bite’s ‘Food 4.0’ mantra
The breakfast and lunch café concept is far from revolutionary, but First Bite separates itself from the pack in a few ways. Since opening in 2017, owner Vivek Dalela has made it his mission to support local farming and to source products from likeminded vendors. His ”Food 4.0” philosophy and “positive food, positive live” mantra makes for more than a write-up in the restaurant website’s “our story” section; First Bite operations revolve around it.
“The philosophy here is that the food we serve positively impacts everyone involved – from the people who produce it and sell it to us, to our staff and the way we make it, with love, and of course to our customers,” Res said.
Nestled in the walkable, continually developing food and drink hub that is downtown Ann Arbor, Res said First Bite’s warm and inviting nature attracts a lot of newcomers and keeps the regulars coming back for more.
“We’ve found that about 85% of our guests are first-time visitors,” Res said. “There are plenty of repeats, but just in chatting with folks we find that so many people come in because they were looking for a breakfast place that are suitable for their dietary restrictions. We attract a lot of out-of-towners and then the word continues to get out among the locals in Ann Arbor, too, so we feel like we’ve got a good thing going.”
First Bite is open from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. every day of the week. It’s located at 108 S. Main Street in Ann Arbor.
The Foodie Focus series spotlights Michigan restaurants dedicated to serving fresh, quality food. From sourcing chemical-free ingredients to emphasizing sustainability, these are the backstories of clean-eating options throughout the state.
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- Breadless in Detroit Turns the Afterthought into the Centerpiece with Healthy, Innovative Sandwich Concept
Photo credit: First Bite
