Vinology Restaurant & Event Space is offering a new look and menu to the Ann Arbor area brunch scene.
As Vinology approaches its 17th anniversary, the restaurant redesigned its brunch menu to incorporate more variety and an expanded beverage menu. This new range includes a tweak to their bottomless mimosas menu, courtesy of a new beverage director, and an expansion to their shareable menu.
Vinology has been family-owned since 2007 and is co-owned by the father-daughter duo John and Kristin Jonna. Kristin, a wine specialist, said that since the restaurant began, she has prioritized “maintaining high quality and consistent food and giving people always something that they wouldn’t make at home and haven’t tried before.”
“We tell our chefs to add one element that people had not thought about before.” Kristin Jonna said her priority is challenging the restaurant to remain “fresh and push the envelope.”
However, now in their 17th year, today, her latest challenge for the restaurant has been to update their long-standing brunch menu, one which she describes as now offering a “world view” of culinary tastes.
The new menu features a diversity of dishes, including chimichurri from Argentina, waffles from Belgium (or ancient Greece) and poblano peppers from Mexico.
“We have settled into the breakfast-y side, and now we are staying true to each place of origin, which is fun,” Kristin Jonna said. “We thought a lot about the (menu) price point. That drove what we were doing.”
According to Kristin Jonna, the new menu emphasizes new shareable items, which she said previous menu iterations lacked, and summer season flavors such as the charcuterie & fromage and honey ricotta.
“Our menu has always been seasonal, and we are always trying to change with the times to maintain the integrity of who we are,” Kristin Jonna said.
She added, “Our menu will change two-to-four times per year. It’s probably a tweak to add fun, seasonal ingredients. This is our summer iteration, and we will have one more (menu) change.”
One of the additional highlights of this new brunch menu is its revamped beverage options. According to Kristin Jonna, the new items are courtesy of their Beverage Director, Melissa Wilson, who began this March.
The “almost bottomless” mimosas come with a $20 price point, with Wilson crafting new flavors to keep with the summertime theme, crafting a new watermelon jalapeno flavor and a specialty summer sangria.
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“We have been very famous for our brunch cocktails and beverages,” Kristin Jonna said. “Our Bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys are one of the more popular items for brunches, and we try to mix up our Mimosa juices, which is unique.”
While Kristin Jonna said she is excited to introduce the restaurant’s new brunch menu, she was even more thrilled to highlight its revamped interior. A project the restaurant began in 2020 with changes to the restaurant’s barrel room and vestibule enclosure. According to Jonna, she added more touches to the redecoration design this year, adding planters and more banquet seating upstairs.
The Brunch, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday from 10am–3pm, will now include the updated backroom area, which she adjusted to accommodate more guests, with Kristin Jonna saying minor tweaks provided “a lot more opportunities for large groups.”
“We always ran out of space. So the bigger room was brand new for us to create,” Kristin Jonna said. “We are not a quick breakfast place. I want you to come, enjoy yourself, drink mimosas, and have a good time. Enjoy your Sunday or Saturday morning.”
While the restaurant begins its new seasonal menu, Kristin Jonna said after 17 years, she appreciates the Ann Arbor community, which continues to support the business and looks forward to continuously collaborating with the city for more culinary innovation.
“That’s a big deal because restaurants come and go in cities like Ann Arbor, Kristin Jonna said. “We have a very educated consumer, so it took us a minute to break in and maintain our position as a favorite. I’m honored by how long this town has embraced us and appreciative of our local patrons.”
For more information on the new brunch menu, contact Vinology at (734) 222-9841 or vinologya2.com.
Antonio Cooper is a freelance journalist from Detroit, Michigan. His coverage of music festivals and interviews with local celebrities appeared in The E-Current Magazine, The Detroit Metro Times, XXL Magazine, RichMagDigital, The Ann Arbor Observer, and Pop Magazine.
