Travel Muse Magazine

“There’s no wrong way to enjoy it.” That’s the motto of Ann Arbor’s new eatery Hazel Coffee Co., which opened its doors this fall, bringing the one thing we were missing: a coffee shop with southern charm.

The staff greet you with a smile and the smell of warm coffee and cinnamon invites you into the space, which you’ll find on Packard just a bit south of East Stadium Blvd. They offer the same basic drinks and pastries of any coffee shop, but this makes it easy for you to customize and enjoy the coffee, which aims to be “dang good,” to your liking, without any judgement.

Unfortunately, I did not try the coffee (and will have to go back), because the wait time for it was 30 minutes due to how busy it was! While that didn’t fit my schedule, the cinnamon roll in the pastry case could not be denied. It called to me thanks to that cinnamon scent that wafted my way when I opened the door. Craving sparked! While the one here looked more like a cupcake to me than a traditional cinnamon roll, I was pleasantly surprised to see that inside it was indeed still of roll structure and maintained the thick layer of icing plopped on top in the perfect amount. Traditionally, U.S. cinnamon rolls use “generous amounts of sugar, cinnamon, and butter, and are often topped with a glaze or cream cheese frosting.” The one here was the perfect blend of sweet and spice and practically melted in my mouth. As a nostalgic treat for me, cinnamon rolls are my hands-down favorite pastry and the one here might just have topped my list of where to find the best one in town.

Hazel is the place to go if you like to study or work in a vibrant, welcoming place. It’s got good vibes and energy! It feels like a friendly book club with groups of people talking and laughing either working on projects together or chatting with their books open. The cafe is filled with neutrals and colors that, combined with the beautiful large windows, make the space feel open and warm. With many types of seating whether it is with a group or alone you can always find a space.

Hazel Coffee Co. started in Austin in 2020 with a husband and wife team who headed south to Texas after graduating from Central Michigan. There, Hailey Polidori Caragay and Bryan Caragay “fell in love with the local coffee scene” and “started a coffee catering company,” according to a 2025 interview in MLive. Their first mobile cafe was “a fully converted 1950s Red Dale camper” and now they have “a full fleet of customizable coffee cars and a brick-and-mortar café,” the couple says on their website.

The Caragays love to showcase their personalities and the energy that allowed them to create Hazel on their Instagram. The main thing that stands out to me in their social media, which I also saw reflected in the service at their cafe, is their family values. Their southern hospitality has a way of making everyone and anyone feel comfortable. It’s definitely a place to try out!