When NEXT Hospitality founder Doug Zeif first pitched the idea of opening Echelon Kitchen and Bar, chef Joseph VanWagner hesitated. Newly sober, VanWagner planned to leave Ann Arbor and continue cooking elsewhere. But a few conversations later, Zeif won him over with a vision for a restaurant that paid homage to Michigan’s local agriculture.
“There was a missed opportunity in Michigan with all of the amazing food that’s produced here,” VanWagner says. “To find a group that was personally invested in that made this a no-brainer.”
After a brief stint as a food truck, Echelon Kitchen and Bar opened as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in February 2025. Now a managing partner as well as executive chef, VanWagner and his team have already attracted national attention, earning a 2026 James Beard semifinalist nod for best new restaurant and a Wine Spectator 2026 Award of Excellence.
At Echelon, local produce takes center stage. The restaurant works closely with nearby purveyors like Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, which sources produce exclusively from Michigan farms. Wood-fired cooking plays a key role in Echelon’s approach, as does VanWagner’s childhood along Lake Michigan’s coast in South Haven, where he developed a strong connection to the land. For VanWagner, it was crucial to include an à la carte menu to ensure the food he feels so connected to was “accessible to as many people as possible,” VanWagner says. “We’re a neighborhood restaurant, so having a fun and exciting à la carte menu rooted in Michigan was really important to us.”
While Echelon’s ingredients are local, its elevated presentation is imported from VanWagner’s experience cooking in some of the country’s best restaurants, such as Chicago’s Alinea and Blackbird and New York’s Daniel. VanWagner’s star-studded pedigree comes through most clearly in the tasting menus. Echelon offers multiple: a seven-course option in the dining room (with a five-course menu available on Wednesdays and Thursdays) and a nine-course chef’s counter experience. Pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan versions are also available…