For years, I’ve driven past The Dixboro Project and wondered what magic might be tucked behind those trees. On a golden early fall Saturday—mid-70s, leaves just beginning to turn—my husband and I finally pulled in with our three hockey-playing sons, eager to see what this historic spot had to offer.
The property is more than a restaurant. It’s a piece of Ann Arbor’s dining history, first home to The Farm Cupboard, famous for its fried chicken and prohibition-era cocktails, and later The Lord Fox, a beloved local landmark for sixty years. When founder Sava Farah purchased the 6.5-acre site in 2016, she rescued it from planned office development and restored the century-old barn to create a multi-concept restaurant and leisure space designed to last another hundred years.
Today, The Dixboro Project is a gathering place where fine dining, casual bites, and a deep connection to nature meet.
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First Stop: The Boro
Before exploring the grounds, we headed into The Boro, the project’s coffee shop and bakery. The aroma of freshly baked pastries greeted us as soon as we walked in. While it’s a perfect spot to linger over a latte and croissant, The Boro also serves wood-fired pizzas to-go. It’s the kind of place that feels like an everyday treat—refined but relaxed.
For lunch, my husband and oldest son each went straight for the egg sandwich—perfectly toasty on the outside and wonderfully ooey-gooey inside. The rest of us shared a wood-fired pepperoni pizza with a chewy crust that was so good it almost stole the show. Every bite was loaded with fresh, flavorful ingredients that made it clear why this pizza has quickly become a Boro favorite.
The Outpost: An Outdoor Retreat
The newest addition to the property, The Outpost, is a small red hut set in the middle of a wide open yard. Open every Saturday and Sunday in the fall from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., it offers kid-friendly and adult beverages plus rotating seasonal snacks.
We grabbed a charcuterie board and a sparkling cider for ourselves while the boys made a beeline for the homemade chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwiches. Between bites of creamy, rich ice cream sandwiched in chewy cookies, they gave this stop a unanimous thumbs up.
A small band was playing when we arrived, and we watched as a couple danced in the sunshine while families spread out at picnic tables. We joined them without hesitation. We sat under towering trees as leaves drifted down and music floated across the yard. Our boys explored, teasing the chickens, testing the teeter totter, and swinging as we sipped our cider.
It was one of those rare afternoons when everyone in the family truly relaxed.
A Legacy of Dining and Nature
The Dixboro Project captures a sense of place that feels both rooted and fresh. The fine-dining Dixboro House offers a more formal experience, but even the casual spaces like The Boro and The Outpost carry that same commitment to quality and connection. Free valet parking and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating make it easy to settle in, whether it’s for a quick bakery run or a leisurely afternoon.
Why We’ll Be Back
Between hockey games and school schedules, our family rarely slows down. But this visit gave us an unexpected pause: music, good food, and a beautiful fall day spent together. The Dixboro Project blends history with hospitality in a way that welcomes both locals and visitors. Whether stopping by for a pastry, pizza, or a lazy afternoon under the trees, it’s a place that makes you want to linger—and return.
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