Baker Nick Raterman has built an appreciative following over the years, selling at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market and supplying area stores with some 1,000 sourdough loaves, stuffed twists, and soft Bavarian pretzels per week.
Sourdough is still the center, but “We’re trying to really create an all-inclusive food experience for people,” Raterman says. | Photo: J. Adrian Wylie
His multistep, multiday method had used the Washtenaw Food Hub’s kitchen facilities, but now customers can experience a bit of the magic themselves at Raterman Bread Haus & Bistro, which opened in August next to the Erratic Ale Co. nanobrewery.
“I didn’t really have too much drive or interest to become a full-fledged bakery in the conventional sense of the word, where we’re making cookies and muffins and croissants and things like that,” he explains. Instead, the mechanical engineer–turned-baker developed a selection of artisanal pizzas and sandwiches “built on the idea that everything started with this really high-quality fermentation and slow bread, essentially.” The fourteen-inch red pear and gorgonzola pizza runs $20, and $15 sandwiches like the Raterman Reuben include hearty corn chips and a pickle spear. He’s also developed gluten-free options for the crusts and breads, as well as an entire vegan menu, including three varieties of “power bowls” with a red/white quinoa blend. “We’re trying to really create an all-inclusive food experience for people.”
The bistro’s small indoor seating area, with a view of the kitchen/bakehouse, is complemented with outdoor tables, some of them child-sized (he and Violet Tiani Raterman, who owns nearby Tiani Body Care, have two youngsters). Of particular importance is their neighborly synergy with the adjoining brewery, which allows outside food in their larger space and also features Raterman products on its own menu.
Raterman Bread Haus & Bistro, 8080 Grand St., Dexter. (734) 253–2068. Wed.–Sat. noon–7 p.m. Closed Sun.–Tues. ratermanbread.squarespace.com
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This article has been edited since it was published in the Fall Winter 2023 – 2024 Community Guide to Chelsea, Dexter, and Saline to identify Violet Tiani Raterman.