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 say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% 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 social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

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 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Kalamazoo

1 / 30

#30. WL Socialhouse

- Rating: 4.3/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 161 East Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Wine Bars, Diners, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Crow's Nest

- Rating: 4.3/5 (871 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 816 South Westnedge Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Zooroona

- Rating: 4.3/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1710 West Main St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Rustica

- Rating: 4.3/5 (344 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 236 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Modern European
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Cookie's Five Star Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 712 Douglas Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: American, Burgers, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Kalamazoo's 2025 housing market year in review

6 / 30

#25. Water Street Coffee Joint

- Rating: 4.4/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 315 East Water St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Studio Grill

- Rating: 4.4/5 (307 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 312 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Middle Eastern Appetite

- Rating: 4.4/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 2625 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Halal
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Toba Sushi And Ramen

- Rating: 4.4/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 220 West Michigan Ave. Ste B Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Korean, Ramen, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Shawarma King

- Rating: 4.4/5 (422 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1441 South Drake Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Mediterranean, Halal, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 30

#20. Z&W Chinese Cuisine

- Rating: 4.4/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 6082 South 12th St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Cairo's Kitchen

- Rating: 4.4/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 155 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Egyptian
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Butler's Breakfast and Lunch

- Rating: 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3610 South Sprinkle Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. B C Pizza

- Rating: 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1710 West Main Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Pizza, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. La Familia Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (72 reviews)
- Address: 224 West Michigan Ave. St. Marks Place Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 30

#15. One Well Brewing

- Rating: 4.4/5 (557 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4213 Portage St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Breweries, New American, Vegetarian
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Summer Thyme Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3928 Portage St. Ste East Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Nonla Burger

- Rating: 4.4/5 (308 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2103 South Burdick St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Café 36

- Rating: 4.5/5 (75 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2965 Oakland Drive Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: New American, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. Factory Coffee

- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 213 East Frank St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Kalamazoo October 2025

21 / 30

#10. The Grazing Table Kalamazoo

- Rating: 4.5/5 (29 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 402 South Burdick St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Cheese Shops, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. Ray Ray's Italian Beef & Sausage

- Rating: 4.5/5 (187 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1715 Miller Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Barbecue, Hot Dogs, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Brick and Brine

- Rating: 4.5/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 100 West Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Principle Food & Drink

- Rating: 4.5/5 (364 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 230 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. TNT - Lil Brothers BBQ

- Rating: 4.6/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1622 Bloomfiels Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Closest national parks to Kalamazoo

26 / 30

#5. Walnut & Park

- Rating: 4.6/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 322 West Walnut St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Caffe Casa

- Rating: 4.6/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 128 South Kalamazoo Mall Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Pizza Katerina

- Rating: 4.6/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 635 North 9th St. Ste F Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Bakeries, Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Toba Sushi & Grill

- Rating: 4.7/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 235 North Drake Road Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Korean
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Ty's Joint

- Rating: 4.7/5 (41 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1301 Portage St. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Categories: Southern, Soul Food
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Kalamazoo