Dearborn, Michigan is more than just the hometown of Henry Ford and the Ford Motor Company. This city of nearly 100,000 people, located right next to Detroit, is home to a thriving and diverse food scene, reflective of its diverse population.
| Restaurant | Cuisine |
|---|---|
| Al Ameer Restaurant | Middle Eastern |
| Alcamo’s Market | Italian |
| Byblos | Lebanese |
| Colasanti’s Market & Bistro | Italian |
| La Pita | Middle Eastern |
| Le Sorriso Ristorante | Italian |
| Li Green Tea Restaurant | Chinese |
| Mirak | Lebanese |
| Monroe Steakhouse | Steakhouse |
| Sheeba | Middle Eastern |
| Stevenson’s Bar & Grill | American Fusion |
| Twenty One Steak | Steakhouse |
More than 40% of Dearborn residents trace their ancestry to the Middle East, which means you’ll find exceptional Middle Eastern cuisine. But Dearborn also has a long history of immigration from Europe, Asia, and Latin America, so the dining options represent global flavors. From baba ghanouj to baklava, shawarma to sushi, Dearborn has it all.
The 12 restaurants on this list represent the city’s best and most beloved eateries, covering cuisine from around the world. Each restaurant offers warm hospitality, delicious dishes, and an authentically Dearborn dining experience. Foodies seeking the best of Midwestern dining should add these 12 Dearborn restaurants to their must-visit list.
1. Al Ameer Restaurant (Middle Eastern Cuisine)
Name and Location: Al Ameer Restaurant, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Family owned for over 35 years, Al Ameer serves exceptional Lebanese cuisine in an elegant atmosphere, earning numerous awards as metro Detroit’s finest Middle Eastern restaurant praised for warm hospitality.
What to Expect: Guests savor richly spiced lamb, vegetarian dishes, kebabs and baked kibbeh complemented by an extensive wine list. Finish with traditional desserts like baklava. Belly dancers perform on weekends.
Visitor Information: Located west of The Henry Ford. Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends.
Al Ameer has been a Dearborn institution since 1989, serving Middle Eastern classics in an elegant atmosphere. The menu covers all the Levantine favorites like shawarma, falafel, kebabs, and more, using family recipes passed down over generations.
Their chicken shawarma roasted on a vertical spit and sliced thin gets rave reviews. Other customer favorites include the Lebanese garlic sauce, stuffed grape leaves, fresh hummus, and baklava made with walnuts and honey.
The portions are generous and perfect for sharing between several people. With white tablecloths, twinkling lights, and welcoming service, Al Ameer provides a fine dining experience while capturing the warmth and generosity of Middle Eastern culture.
2. Alcamo’s Market (Italian Cuisine)
Name and Location: Alcamo’s Market, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: An east side tradition since 1980, this full service market and deli is considered a hidden gem, drawing loyal crowds for Italian groceries, freshly baked bread, pizza, subs, housemade sausage and monumental meatballs doused in savory tomato sauce.
What to Expect: Patrons grab takeout or sit amid weathered brick walls and vintage photos to feast on overstuffed subs, specialty pizzas and hot entrees daily. Don’t skip Italian pastry classics like cannoli from their bakery up front. BYOB.
Visitor Information: Located on Miller Road. Open Monday-Saturday, deli closes at 6PM. Call to preorder bakery items or deli platters. Cash only.
Alcamo’s looks like a little corner grocery store from the outside, but inside you’ll find a cozy bistro with red-and-white checkered tablecloths serving Italian classics like chicken piccata, linguini with white clam sauce, and pizza with creative toppings.
The menu emphasizes Southern Italian cuisine, including Sicilian specialties that reflect the owners’ heritage. Regulars rave about the arancini rice balls, caprese salad with fresh mozzarella, and tiramisu for dessert. Nearly everything is made in house, from the pizza dough to the limoncello liqueur.
The small space fills up fast for both lunch and dinner, so arrive early, especially on weekends. Bring a group to sample several signature dishes at this unpretentious but delightful Italian restaurant.
Why People Love It: Cozy, family-run restaurant serving Southern Italian comfort food made in house with care and skill. Creative pizza toppings too.
3. Byblos (Lebanese Cuisine)
Name and Location: Byblos, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Family owned for 50 years now in east Dearborn, Byblos is considered among the nation’s finest Lebanese restaurants praised for richly spiced meat entrees, intricate mezza spreads, decadent desserts and warm hospitality in an enchanting atmosphere.
What to Expect: Sultry ambiance with hand-painted tables, ornate tiles and Mediterranean decor. Exceptional menu from tender kebabs, fragrant rice dishes and house baklava to one of America’s best wine lists boasting rare Lebanese vintages.
Visitor Information: Located on Chase Rd. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended, especially weekends. Valet parking available.
Since 1985, Byblos has set a high standard for Lebanese cuisine in metro Detroit. Located in the heart of Dearborn’s bustling Middle Eastern food district along Warren Avenue, Byblos serves classics like shish taouk, shish kebab, and baba ghanouj, prepared impeccably.
Their fattoush salad pops with fresh vegetables, lemon, and crunchy pita chips while their kebbe – ground lamb mixed with wheat – melts in your mouth. Try the Jerusalem mix appetizer platter to sample a bit of everything.
Round out your meal with Lebanese coffee or mint tea and baklava dripping with honey. Inside, Byblos is all warmth and welcome, with an open kitchen so you can watch the shawarma spins. Outside, the patio allows for excellent people watching as crowds flock to this Lebanese institution.
4. Colasanti’s Market & Bistro (Italian Cuisine)
Name and Location: Colasanti’s Market & Bistro, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Family owned since 1945, this European-style market and seasonal cafe sources top ingredients from their own gardens, bakery and butcher case, handcrafting Italian specialties passed through three generations.
What to Expect: Grab gourmet groceries, vino and freshly baked breads, or sit for made-to-order panini, pizze, salads showcasing Just-picked produce and housemade charcuterie. Craft beer and wine license coming soon!
Visitor Information: Located east of the Southfield Freeway on Oakwood Blvd. Cafe open seasonally. Market Monday-Saturday 9AM – 7PM.
Tucked into the Colasanti’s food market and flower shop on bustling Dix Avenue, Colasanti’s bistro serves homemade Italian fare perfected by Rosa Colasanti’s Sicilian family recipes. Start with the caponata, an eggplant appetizer, or the fresh burrata cheese served with roasted cherry tomatoes and toast points.
Move on to the rigatoni Bolognese, braised short ribs marsala, or crispy thin crust pizza topped with Italian meats or vegetables.
Don’t forget a slice of their trademark cassata cake for dessert! Colasanti’s also offers cooking classes, wine tastings, and an affordable weekday lunch menu, making this a great spot for a special night out, casual work lunch, or weekend visit with friends, with fresh-from-the-farm ingredients in every bite.
Why People Love It: Home-cooked Italian meals using fresh ingredients and time-honored Sicilian family recipes, plus a charming location inside Colasanti’s market and flower shop
5. La Pita (Middle Eastern Cuisine)
Name and Location: La Pita, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Serving Dearborn since 1988, this modest storefront dishes enormous flavor with made-to-order Middle Eastern staples perfected across over 3 decades in business, cementing its legacy as a local legend praised for generous portions and attentive service.
What to Expect: Crowds flock for their signature chicken shawarma cooked fresh daily. Other winners include tender kebabs, vegetarian plates and Lebanese sweets, all at affordable prices with lightening-quick service.
Visitor Information: Located west of Ford campus on Michigan Ave. Open Monday-Saturday 11AM – 8PM, closed Sunday. Takeout and delivery orders welcome.
La Pita began as a single location on Dix Avenue in 1992 and has now grown to seven restaurants across metro Detroit, but the original remains a go-to for hot, fresh Middle Eastern cuisine. Their signature is laffa bread baked in house, which gets stuffed with shawarma, falafel, grilled chicken or kebabs as a quick take-away sandwich.
Of course, they also offer meat and veggie combo platters with all the classic sides like tabbouleh, fattoush, hummus and garlic sauce for dine-in meals. Top it off with traditional desserts like knafeh and baklava. Open late, La Pita is Dearborn’s staple for quick, casual, delicious Middle Eastern food any time of day. The service staff and chefs call out enthusiastic greetings in English and Arabic to every guest.
Why People Love It: Quick, casual, reliably delicious Middle Eastern fare perfect for takeaway or affordable dine-in meals late into the night
6. Le Sorriso Ristorante (Italian Cuisine)
Name and Location: Le Sorriso Ristorante, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Classically trained Chef Francesco Armento helms the open kitchen of this critically acclaimed eatery preparing Northern Italian dishes that honor the seasons and regional ingredients through time-honored culinary craft.
What to Expect: Guests indulge in refined yet comforting plates ranging from handmade pasta tasting of garden-ripe tomatoes to fettuccine Bolognese rich with meaty ragu to peppery T-bone Fiorentina sharing delectable sides of roasted vegetables and truffle risotto.
Visitor Information: Located just east of Southfield Freeway downtown. Open for lunch and dinner daily. Reservations recommended for dining room seating. Valet parking available.
Since 1966, Le Sorriso Ristorante has served Dearborn fine Italian cuisine in an elegant supper-club setting. They keep the menu fresh with regular specials but retain a few classics through the decades, most notably veal marsala with porcini mushrooms. Other favorites include seafood risotto, butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce, pistachio crusted salmon, or just a perfect plate of traditional spaghetti.
Don’t miss their table-side caesar salad presentation. Sorriso’s also hosts special wine dinners with multiple courses expertly paired by their sommelier. With white linens, dim lighting, and servers formally attired in vests and ties, Le Sorriso transports you to a refined Italian establishment of years past. They graciously accommodate vegetarians, gluten-free diets, or other restrictions if requested.
Why People Love It: Elegant supper-club atmosphere and meticulous service, balanced with welcoming hospitality and menu flexibility for dietary needs
7. Li Green Tea Restaurant (Chinese Cuisine)
Name and Location: Li Green Tea Restaurant, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Serving Dearborn’s Northwest side since 1993, this neighborhood staple employs chefs from Szechuan province preparing regional Chinese specialties that honor Li’s standards for freshness, skilled wok technique and five-star spice since their founding days.
What to Expect: Standouts include puffy potstickers classically pan-fried plus crispy orange chicken against a backdrop of glazed ducks and roast pork hanging in the window enticing passersby. Portions plentiful. Prices modest.
Visitor Information: Located on Telegraph Rd. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations for large parties. Delivery available within limited radius.
Since opening the original Li Green Tea in Los Angeles’ San Gabriel Valley, known for excellent regional Chinese cuisine, the Li family has expanded their restaurants across the country. The location in Dearborn opened in 2013, bringing Sichuan specialties to Detroit metro diners. Their trademark crispy chicken with hot peppers packs some tongue-tingling spice.
Those craving a numb mouth feeling can order Chongqing-style hot pot loaded with Sichuan peppercorns or the fish fillet in hot chili oil. Beyond the heat, Li Green Tea excels with complex flavors in noodle and rice dishes, housemade tofu entrees, and tea leaf chicken.
The dim sum menu lists dozens of delicate dumplings and pastries including xiaolongbao soup dumplings that hold piping hot broth inside. Lunch and dinner crowds at Li Green Tea are a mix of Chinese students from nearby University of Michigan-Dearborn and Chinese-American families who know good regional cooking when they taste it.
Why People Love It: Authentic regional flavors with expertly balanced spice levels from the Li family who run acclaimed Chinese restaurants across America
8. Mirak (Lebanese Cuisine)
Name and Location: Mirak, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: This family-run Mid-Eastern eatery delights diners with expertly grilled kebabs, succulent chicken shawarma, hearty rice platters and house specialties from Afghanistan and Armenia across over two decades in business praised for skilled execution of recipes honed through generations.
What to Expect: Warm hospitality meets bright flavors within modest digs as seasoned cooks work the flattop grill to smoky perfection serving made-to-order wraps and plates affordably priced with generous portions befitting their hearty homeland style cooking. BYOB friendly.
Visitor Information: Located east of Ford campus off Michigan Ave. Open daily for lunch and dinner with takeout/delivery available.
Mirak first opened in 1989 just a short drive over the Dearborn border into northwest Detroit, but they’ve called Dearborn home since 2001. Their new location on Dix Avenue south of Ford Road provides a bright, spacious restaurant to match their splendid Lebanese cooking.
Mirak dishes up all the Middle Eastern staples from baba ghanouj to shawarma, alongside regional specialties like sujuk sausage you might find in a Beirut home kitchen. Combine their shish taouk chicken shish kebab with the garlic whip, considered one of the best versions around.
Round out your meal with traditional desserts like asafeer – a buttery finger cookie filled with walnuts – or osmalieh – a sweet vermicelli pudding. For newcomers to Middle Eastern cuisine or old hands looking to try regional dishes in a beautiful setting, Mirak hits the mark.
Why People Love It: Beautiful restaurant putting regional Lebanese cuisine alongside national dishes, plus some of the best shish kebab and garlic sauce around
9. Monroe Steakhouse (Steakhouse)
Name and Location: Monroe Steakhouse, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: This upscale chophouse opened downtown 2020 set amid exposed brick and supple leather booths, instantly earning acclaim for Chef Jordan’s meat mastery hand-cutting Midwestern Black Angus beef along with chops and seafood fired to flavorful doneness in a infrared broiler.
What to Expect: Carnivores delight in petite filets wearing rich red wine demi-glace or bold ribeyes capped with glistening bearnaise alongside textbook creamed spinach and crispy-edged potatoes while the bar shakes stellar martinis.
Visitor Information: Located just west of Wagner Park downtown off Monroe St. Dinner only Tuesday – Saturday. Reservations strongly recommended via OpenTable. Valet parking available.
Carnivores, take note. Monroe Steakhouse dry ages their top-quality Black Angus beef in house for a minimum of 21 days to develop flavor and tenderness rivaling the best steakhouses in America.
At this sleek, bustling restaurant just off Michigan Avenue’s “restaurant row”, diners cut into perfect filet mignon, porterhouse, ribeye, or New York strip steaks with knives that glide through expertly. Beyond the stellar steaks, Monroe serves wild caught fish, lobster tails, lamb chops, and more.
Their seasoning and preparations enhance – rather than overwhelm – the exceptional ingredients. Sides like truffle fries, creamed spinach, or lobster mac & cheese pair well without going over the top. Attentive but unintrusive service and extensive wine options complete Monroe Steakhouse’s upscale dining experience.
Why People Love It: Consistently outstanding steaks, seafood, lamb and more either simply prepared to showcase ingredients or enhanced with creative touches
10. Sheeba (Middle Eastern Cuisine)
Name and Location: Sheeba, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Classically trained chef Noel opens the kitchen daily at this Dearborn favorite preparing Yemeni specialties passed down honoring heritage through layered spice and slow simmered stews, earning continual praise as an inviting neighborhood eatery praised for skilled execution.
What to Expect: Beyond signature chicken haneeth fragrant in saffron broth, discover regional curries, grilled kebabs, brimming rice platters and housemade flatbreads ideal for scooping traditional sauces waging flavor duels of sweet and heat positively addicting. BYOB friendly.
Visitor Information: Located west of Ford campus off Michigan Ave. Open daily for lunch and dinner with takeout/delivery available. Reservations recommended for groups 6+.
Since 1978 – long before Dearborn became famous as a Middle Eastern food destination – Sheeba has been go-to for outstanding Yemeni cuisine. Yemeni recipes reflect thousands of years at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, blending bright spices, complex stews, and ingredients like fenugreek and hilbeh hot sauce.
Sheeba’s welcoming dining room shares a strip mall space with Anwar Supermarket which provides Yemeni goods to complement your meal. Favorite dishes include melokhia, a hearty green stew served over rice, and the lamb haneeth with tender meat slow-cooked until falling off the bone. Round out your order with honey-drenched jalebi fritters or layered bread for scooping up your meal.
Sheeba import their special Yemeni honey straight from producers back home. The perfect finale – share a pot of spiced tea infused with lemon verbena grown just for Sheeba. This flavorful food in a casual setting provides a memorable taste of Yemen.
Why People Love It: Friendly casual restaurant and grocery enabling diners to enjoy and take home hard-to-find flavors of Yemen like melokhia stew and lamb haneeth
11. Stevenson’s Bar & Grill (American Fusion Cuisine)
Name and Location: Stevenson’s Bar & Grill, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: This lively gastropub slings creative bar bites like Thai chicken poutine beside New American entrees with global influence across two stories of big screen sports viewing backed by 30 draft handles spotlighting Michigan’s booming craft beer scene since 2013.
What to Expect: Come hungry to balance chili-glazed pork belly tacos with jalapeno bacon mac-n-cheese then debate draft picks over Eisenberg cheeseburger alongside zombie wings with blue cheese drizzle and a pint of Odd Side I.P.A. made just up the road.
Visitor Information: Located downtown off Michigan Ave. Open daily for lunch, dinner and late night menus. Make reservations via OpenTable or join waiting list at host stand.
Located inside the nostalgic Dearborn Inn near Ford corporate headquarters, Stevenson’s provides a contemporary American menu anchored by Midwestern ingredients.
Their farm-to-table approach serves staples like burgers and pot roast alongside globally inspired plates such as pierogis, quesabirria tacos, shakshuka baked eggs, or Korean rice bowls. Brunch might bring a Lebanese twist with mana’eesh flatbreads topped with za’atar and feta or labneh spread. Stevenson’s also offers lighter lunch options for office workers plus snacks and drinks late into the evening.
Dine in the dark-wood interior lined with historic photos or enjoy patio seating facing a green courtyard. With flexible menus and hours to match its diverse neighbors, Stevenson’s delivers comfort, innovation, and convenience near the heart of Dearborn.
Why People Love It: Creative Midwestern fare with international flair inside the historic Dearborn Inn by Ford headquarters
12. Twenty One Steak (Steakhouse)
Name and Location: Twenty One Steak, Dearborn, MI
History and Significance: Acclaimed Chef Aaron Lowen helms the open kitchen at this contemporary downtown chophouse, paying respect to rigorously sourced proteins from certified Black Angus to Australian lamb through classical French technique perfected over 20 years earning metro-wide praise.
What to Expect: Sleek surroundings with honey-hued leather booths set the stage for flawlessly seared steaks kissed by herb butter beside textbook sides like creamed spinach and chili-dusted calamari preceding perfect crème brûlée. Impeccable service seals the five-star experience.
Visitor Information: Located downtown on Michigan Ave. Open daily 5PM – 10PM. Reservations strongly suggested via OpenTable. Valet parking available. Smart casual dress code enforced.
Carnivores have met their upscale match at Twenty One Steak, an intimate white-linen steakhouse occupying a small storefront space on bustling Michigan Avenue. Their dry aged beef and seafood shine thanks to simple preparations like hand cut pepper bacon wrap filet mignon or miso marinated Chilean sea bass. Sides range from classic creamed spinach to trendy butternut squash risotto.
Twenty One keeps the menu curated rather than overly extensive – quality over quantity. While Twenty One draws hotel visitors and concert-goers from nearby venues, its regular crowd tends to be nearby Ford employees and executives enjoying business meals.
Diners feel well taken care of by experienced servers in the hushed dining room. Twenty One Steak provides a refined, contemporary American steakhouse experience marked by masterful cooking of exquisite ingredients rather than showy pretensions.
Why People Love It: Care and skill applied to cooking top-tier steaks and fish simply yet effectively, avoiding elaborate concoctions that mask flavors
Conclusion
Dearborn offers diners the chance to journey around the world through cuisine, all without leaving southeast Michigan. The city’s deep Middle Eastern roots come across loud and clear through restaurants elevating favorites like shawarma, fattoush, and baklava to new heights.
Yet Dearborn’s long history of global immigration combined with Midwestern agricultural bounty make for a diverse, creative, and downright delicious mix. Beyond the Middle Eastern options, diners can discover Italian red sauce joints, high-end steakhouses for pampered beef, and creative new American eateries influenced by global spice routes.
The 12 restaurants highlighted above represent Dearborn favorites long beloved by locals plus relative newcomers making waves on the food scene. Trendy spots like Twenty One Steak and Monroe Steakhouse rub shoulders with Middle Eastern institutions like LaPita and Al Ameer that span decades. Midwesterners looking for a culinary tour should target Dearborn as their next dining destination.