UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN BUCKET LIST
HIPPIE HASH AT THE FLEETWOOD DINER
Sunday morning I awoke to the most spectacular October day. The leaves were beginning to turn, the sun was out, and the air was crisp. I looked at my roommate Laura, and we both knew: today was the morning of the Hippie Hash at Fleetwood Diner. I had been hearing about this magical food for years, but like most college students, I rarely traveled to Main St (let alone past it!). I was finally ready to make the trip.
It took several minutes, but we eventually got our menus and learned about the chaos that can be the Fleetwood Diner. The place is open 24 hours a day, and our poor waitress seemed a little exhausted from what I can only imagine is a rowdy Saturday night crowd. Laura and I ordered coffees and settled in to check out the menu.
There wasn’t much debate on what we should order. We were there for the famous Hippie Hash. At $6.79, “The Original Hippie Hash” seemed like the only way to go. But you can see a full menu here. Other versions of the dish include “meaty,” “gyro,” and “tempeh.”
What exactly is Hippie Hash? It’s a delectable combination of vegetables, served over hash browns, and topped with a generous portion of feta cheese. This video from The Ann Arbor News shows exactly how it’s made.
The Hippie Hash did not disappoint! I added some ketchup because well, I love ketchup on everything, especially hash browns. The eggs and toast were a perfect mate to the heap of veggies and cheese. While Laura saved some for dinner, I cleaned my plate!
As we shimmied past the crowd to pay our bills inside, I really was able to see Fleetwood in all its glory: chatty customers, waitresses running in and out, steam rising from the grill, and that mouth-watering scent that is Hippie Hash. Before we left, I snagged a photo of the cooks in action at the grill. There really wasn’t a whole lot more to the kitchen than this griddle!
My Sunday morning Hippie Hash was definitely worth the trip. The food was delicious and inexpensive, the people-watching was entertaining, and my company was lovely. Fleetwood is definitely an Ann Arbor tradition and draws a diverse crowd. Prepare to see college students, families, "Ann Arbor hippies," and professor-types. It goes to show that everyone loves a hot breakfast.
Next time, I hope to experience Fleetwood late at night, but I know that this breakfast won’t be my last trip to the diner. In the meantime, I’ve found a Hippie Hash recipe online that uses red potatoes. I may venture to the kitchen to do some experimenting of my own!
Fleetwood is located at 300 S Ashley St, one block past Main. It’s certainly not the most impressive building. I’m pretty sure the walls are made of metal, and the diner is incredibly small with at least half of its seating outside. Luckily for us, the beautiful day made for perfect outdoor eating. We snagged a two-person table in the sun (Fleetwood is "seat yourself" and it was PACKED!) and waited for our waitress.
