Aventura
Restaurant · Main Street
216 E Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
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![Aventura by Aventura [Courtesy Photo]](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70498666/Aventura_Paella.0.jpg "Aventura by Aventura [Courtesy Photo]")
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Highlights
Authentic Spanish tapas, paella, wine & cocktails
Authentic Spanish tapas, paella, wine & cocktails
"The best of Spain awaits diners at this gorgeous downtown spot, opened in 2013 by restaurateur Sava Lelcaj. Chef Raul Cob has been recognized as one of the top paella chefs in the world and his team serves five different variations of the popular rice dish, including one with confit duck and bone-in chicken leg and another with four kinds of seafood. The menu also features an all-Spanish wine list that perfectly complements about 20 choices in tapas and other Iberian delicacies. Takeout — including wine — is available and reservations are accepted on Tock." - Mary Hayes Weier
"Sophisticated without being stuffy, this tapas spot is a great way to show off how cultured Ann Arbor is to your East Coast parents while also getting the most out of your once-a-semester free meal. Bacon-wrapped dates with chorizo and some heavenly patatas bravas stand out for us, but honestly it’s hard to go wrong. Sava’s got this city on lock." - sam faye brant cox michael burke
"Sophisticated without being stuffy, this tapas spot is a great way to show off how cultured Ann Arbor is to your East Coast parents while also getting the most out of your once-a-semester free meal. Bacon-wrapped dates with chorizo and some heavenly patatas bravas stand out for us, but honestly it’s hard to go wrong. Sava’s got this city on lock. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation
"In Ann Arbor, the Spanish tapas spot Aventura showcases chef Raúl Cob, who I learned has been perfecting his paella for the past six years after arriving in 2017 and bringing a lifetime of experience from leading kitchens around the world; he was even recognized by Wikipaella in 2016 as the top paella chef in the world and is described by owner Sava Lelcaj as “the personification of paella.” Cob — a native of Valencia who recently represented the United States at the World Paella Day Cup — prepares five paella versions at Aventura, including seafood, vegetarian, and an Americana paella with chicken and duck, and he adapts tradition thoughtfully (noting that rabbit is uncommon in the U.S.). He emphasizes the foundational socarrat, the thin crispy layer of rice at the pan’s bottom, and treats paella as a communal, Sunday-afternoon experience followed by a long sobremesa; because restaurants here must turn tables, Aventura makes paella to order and astonishingly produces up to 160 four-serving pans a day (whereas top Spanish restaurants typically make 30–40). For competition Cob created an “American/Valencian” paella using romano and lima beans, rosemary, saffron, Spanish paprika, tomato sofrito and garlic, and an American twist of smoked Michigan beef brisket with a touch of adobo chipotle, and the restaurant plans celebrations around both the contest and its tenth anniversary (it opened in November 2013) as a validation of their commitment to classic Spanish gastronomy and ongoing refinement of technique." - John Reyes
"A romantic evening in Spain is on many a bucket list, but a visit to this downtown spot is considerably easier. Aventura’s authentic pintxos, tapas, and paella are served by an attentive staff in a gorgeous, historic space. Innovative cocktails and an all-Spanish wine list complete the experience." - John Reyes
