Frita Batidos Spotlight: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Eve Aronoff trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, earned diplomas in French cuisine and wine, competed on Bravo’s Top Chef in 2009, and then opened a Cuban burger and milkshake spot in downtown Ann Arbor. That is the kind of story only Michigan produces.

Frita Batidos opened in December 2010 at 117 W Washington Street and has been a staple of the Ann Arbor food scene ever since. The menu is built around two things done extraordinarily well: fritas, the Cuban street burger made from spicy chorizo topped with shoestring fries on a soft egg bun, and batidos, tropical milkshakes blended with fresh fruit and crushed ice. Simple concept, exceptional execution.

Eve grew up spending time with her grandmother in Miami, where Cuban and Latino food cultures left a deep impression. After years of fine dining in France, she came back to those roots and built something that feels genuinely personal. Every ingredient is sourced with care, every recipe made from scratch, with a commitment to local farmers and Michigan suppliers woven into the business model from day one.

In 2025, Frita Batidos opened a third location in Brooklyn, New York, driven in part by the strength of the University of Michigan alumni network. The original Ann Arbor shop remains exactly what it has always been: one of the best restaurants in the state.

Visit at fritabatidos.com.

Michigan Small Business Spotlight is proud to feature Frita Batidos as a shining example of Southeast Michigan culinary entrepreneurship.