Known for Midwestern hospitality, Detroit’s dining scene warmly welcomes visitors to taste creative cuisines from award-winning chefs. The city’s rich immigrant influences infuse flavor into traditional American dishes while sophisticated preparations elevate humble ingredients.
| Restaurant | Cuisine/Feature |
|---|---|
| Selden Standard | New American bistro with seasonal menus and whiskey program. |
| Supino Pizzeria | Thin-crust pizza with creative toppings in Eastern Market. |
| Grey Ghost Detroit | Creative meat and seafood dishes in a sleek setting. |
| Buddy’s Pizza | Birthplace of Detroit-style pizza. |
| Ima | Asian cuisine blending Korean, Japanese, and Chinese flavors. |
| Ottava Via | Italian cuisine with rustic countryside specialties. |
| Takoi | Southeast Asian street food in a colorful setting. |
| SheWolf | Upscale pasta with regional Italian sauces. |
| Karl’s | Contemporary takes on German and European classics. |
| Chartreuse | Haute farm-to-table cuisine in Midtown. |
| COOP Caribbean Fusion | Caribbean flavors with a vibrant atmosphere. |
| Marrow | Seasonal meat and seafood grilled over a wood-fired hearth. |
From James Beard honorees to cozy neighborhood joints dishing Motown hospitality, these 12 restaurants offer the best that Detroit has to offer.
Selden Standard
Name and Location: Selden Standard is located at 3921 2nd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 in Midtown.
History and Significance: Opened in 2014 in a former garage, Selden Standard serves seasonal New American cuisine tapping into Detroit’s diversity. Its dedication to hospitality has won widespread acclaim.
What to Expect: The lively but casual atmosphere pairs with dishes like charcuterie boards, rotisserie chicken, and creative vegetables for dinner, plus weekend brunch. The bar offers craft cocktails.
Visitor Information: Selden Standard takes dinner reservations via OpenTable. Hours are Wednesday–Saturday 5–10 PM and Sunday 10 AM–2 PM. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Chef Andy Hollyday earns national acclaim at intimate New American bistro Selden Standard in Downtown. Ever-changing seasonal menus masterfully crafted from market ingredients burst with bold flavors, like dry aged duck breast with farro verde, sweet potatoes, and mulled wine gastrique. Their veggie focused options also impress, along with one of Detroit’s best whiskey programs housed in a chic converted garage space. Reasonably priced small plates encourage sampling diverse offerings.
Supino Pizzeria
Name and Location: Supino Pizzeria is found at 2457 Russell St, Detroit, MI 48207 in Eastern Market.
History and Significance: Open since 2010, Supino serves acclaimed thin-crust pizza with creative toppings in a renovated factory storefront. Its funky style epitomizes Detroit’s culinary scene.
What to Expect: The laid-back pizzeria offers pies like the Padrino with salami and chili oil along with antipasti, beer, and wine. Expect a wait at peak times. Carryout is popular.
Visitor Information: Hours run Tuesday–Thursday 11 AM–10 PM, Friday–Saturday 11 AM–11 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday. Walk-ins welcome but reservations possible via Ivy for parties.
Nestled in Detroit’s hip Eastern Market district, Supino Pizzeria slings some of the city’s best thin-crust pizza from a cozy corner shop. Owner Dave Mancini perfected his pie skills while growing up in New York. Today he churns out piping hot pizzas with creative toppings like the Gilda with Italian bacon, roasted garlic, and fresh mozzarella. Their tasty salads, sandwiches, and housemade wines also hit the spot after perusing Eastern Market. Expect lines for this local legend.
Grey Ghost Detroit
Name and Location: Grey Ghost Detroit located at 47 E. Watson St, Detroit, MI 48201 in Brush Park.
History and Significance: Opened 2017 in a 1927 building once home to legends like Joe Louis, Grey Ghost Detroit made an immediate splash for creative takes on steakhouse classics.
What to Expect: The swanky setting pairs with menu stars like chicken-fried ribs, tableside Caesar salad, patty melts and cuts of A5 wagyu beef. Extensive spirits and wine available.
Visitor Information: Reservations strongly recommended via Tock. Hours are Thursday 5–10 PM, Friday–Saturday 5–11 PM. Closed Sunday–Wednesday.
Grey Ghost Detroit downtown wows diners with their creative take on stellar meat and seafood preparations with vegetable centric sides. The sleek, modern atmosphere pairs beautifully with Chef John Vermiglio’s elevated steakhouse concept and precision cooking. Menus change based on seasonal ingredients, but recent standouts include dry aged striploin with maitake mushrooms, golden beet tarte tatin, and pork belly with brussels sprout kimchi fried rice. Make reservations far in advance.
Buddy’s Pizza
Name and Location: Buddy’s Pizza has several Detroit locations, including at 17125 Conant St, Detroit, MI 48212.
History and Significance: Opened in 1946, Buddy’s is credited as the first Detroit-style square pizza destination. Its crispy-edged, cheese-laden pies give “a slice of Detroit history.”
What to Expect: Guests enjoy original Detroit-style pizzas baked in blue steel pans plus pastas, salads, and award-winning housemade wines. Screens show sports.
Visitor Information: Hours vary by site but most are open daily for lunch and dinner. Expect waits at peak times. Reservations accepted for parties of 6 or more.
Detroit serves as the birthplace of the ever-popular Detroit-style pizza, a rectangular deep-dish pie with crispy bottom and edges topping-lined all the way to the rim originating at Buddy’s Pizza during Prohibition. Today their flagship location downtown dishes the quintessential version baked in blue steel pans for caramelized cheese oozing over housemade tomato sauce and toppings. Spinach pies, antipasto salad, garlic bread andItalian classics like baked rigatoni Bolognese round out meals.
Ima
Name and Location: IMA is located at 2015 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 in Corktown.
History and Significance: Opened 2016, IMA brings a taste of Asia to Detroit via noodles, dumplings, and small plates perfect for sharing. Its hip interior matches the fusion cuisine.
What to Expect: Creative cocktails and a vibrant ambiance pair with menu stars like lobster jiaozi dumplings, ramen noodles, crispy Thai Brussels sprouts and more. Vegetarian friendly.
Visitor Information: Dinner reservations recommended through Resy. Hours are Monday–Saturday 5–10 PM and Sunday 5–9 PM, with weekend brunch. Closed Tuesday.
For a taste of Detroit’s Asian food scene, chef Mike Ransom blends Korean, Japanese and Chinese flavors at Corktown’s chic Ima restaurant crafting dishes like Korean fried chicken with spicy glaze, potstickers, and paragraph ramen with pork belly. Their boozy brunch cocktails like the Hangover Helper with sesame-infused bourbon keep the good times rolling. MOCAD across the street exhibits cutting edge art should couples want to make an artsy date night.
Ottava Via
Name and Location: Ottava Via is located at 1400 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 in Corktown.
History and Significance: Opened in 2016 by two Detroit natives, Ottava Via brings modern Italian cuisine like housemade pastas and Neapolitan pizzas to a chic downtown setting.
What to Expect: An open kitchen pairs seasonal, locally-sourced Italian fare with an Italian and Michigan-focused drink menu. Expect pastas, pizzas, salads and small plates perfect for sharing.
Visitor Information: Takes dinner reservations via Resy. Hours are Tuesday–Thursday 5–10 PM, Friday–Saturday 5–11 PM, Sunday 5–9 PM. Closed Mondays.
Ottava Via in Corktown transports diners to Italy with oregano-crusted focaccia, squash blossom pizza, housemade pastas, and other rustic countryside specialities derived from family recipes spanning eight generations. Romantic string lights lining the exposed-brick interior matched with superbly executed dishes like sedimentary eggplant parmigiana, bucatini all’amatriciana with guanciale, or golden tortelloni stuffed with veal mortadella in broth make Ottava Via one of Detroit’s most charming Italian spots.
Takoi
Name and Location: Takoi is located at 2520 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 in Corktown.
History and Significance: Opened 2021, Takoi comes from the team behind popular Detroit restaurants Ima and Marrow. It brings a contemporary twist to Thai street food in a vibrant setting.
What to Expect: Colorful, graffiti-style decor sets the stage for cuisine blending Thai recipes with seasonal Michigan produce. Signatures include curry noodle bowls, larb salads, tropical cocktails.
Visitor Information: Reservations recommended via Resy. Hours are Tuesday–Saturday 5–10 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday. Weekend brunch may be added.
For innovative Southeast Asian street food in a colorful mural-splashed setting, hip downtown hotspot Takoi dazzles Detroit diners. Chef Brad Greenhill’s menu tempts tastebuds with Thai-inspired blended curries, coconut milk soaked khao soi noodles, clever bahn mi sandwiches, pineapple glazed wings with yuzu ranch, dispondently tender wagyu pot roast massaman curry, ceviches and intricate tiki cocktails. Two large communal tables encourage conviviality befitting Takoi’s festive vibe.
SheWolf
Name and Location: SheWolf is located at 438 Selden St, Detroit, MI 48201 in Midtown.
History and Significance: Opened in 2019 led by a James Beard-nominated husband and wife team, SheWolf pays homage to regional Italian cuisine in a relaxed but upscale setting.
What to Expect: Handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza take center stage, complemented by craft cocktails. The dining room pairs industrial chic decor with an open kitchen. Outdoor patio available.
Visitor Information: Takes reservations via Tock for dinner and weekend brunch. Hours vary but typically open Wednesday–Monday. Closed Tuesday.
Upscale pasta emporium SheWolf in Midtown fires up delicate, house-extruded pastas topped with regional Italian ragus and sauces in a sleek, modern setting. Squid ink sacchetti pasta stuffed with lobster shines next to bucatini with short rib ragu topped with salsa verde and ricotta. Share a slice of olive oil cake or Nutella bombolini doughnuts for a sweet capper. Their Negroni Sbagliato cocktail hits the spot too at this temple to artisanal pasta perfection from James Beard-nominated Chef Anthony Lombardo.
Karl’s
Name and Location: Karl’s is found at 1505 Broadway St, Detroit, MI 48226 in the historic Shed 5 building.
History and Significance: Opened 2021 from a husband-wife team, Karl’s pays tribute to the wife’s grandfather through elevated diner fare in a retro-chic atmosphere showcasing Detroit talent.
What to Expect: Mid-century modern style pairs with comfort food classics like burgers, patty melts, salads and milkshakes delivered with whimsical presentations plus monthly pop-up meals.
Visitor Information: Walk-ins welcome but reservations advised via Resy, especially for pop-ups. Open Wednesday–Monday 8 AM–3 PM, with dinner pop-ups announced monthly.
Established in 1937, Karl’s humble red-awninged exterior in the Soho neighborhood masks beautifully executed contemporary takes on German and European classics. Chef Kate Williams plates pickled herring with smoky potatoes, rabbit roulade wrapped in savoy cabbage, or rainbow trout with beluga lentils with finesse. Don’t overlook their currywurst, schnitzel Holstein with fried egg, or slow roasted beef Wellington elevating Old-World flavors. Handmade Black Forest cakes end meals sweetly.
Chartreuse
Name and Location: Chartreuse is found at 15 E Kirby St, Detroit, MI 48202 in Midtown.
History and Significance: Opened in 2012, Chartreuse’s dedicated farm-to-table ethos combines with its setting in a former speakeasy to offer one of Detroit’s most unique fine dining experiences.
What to Expect: Nightly-changing tasting menus let Michigan’s seasons and top regional ingredients shine through dishes like venison tartare, beet salads, and Grass Roots Farm duck.
Visitor Information: Reservations required, booked via Resy. Serving daily 5-10 PM except Sunday and Monday. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Chef Doug Hewitt brings haute farm-to-table cuisine to the table at lively Chartreuse in Midtown with a tasting menu format full of surprises. Dishes like candied bacon sweetbreads, foie gras terrine with sour cherry mostarda, smoked scallops atop a savory custard, or venison seasoned with juniper and chocolate contrast flavor intensities and textures. Cocktails change seasonally, like their autumnal maple toddy sweetened with brown butter bourbon.
COOP Caribbean Fusion
Name and Location: Coop Caribbean Fusion is located at 524 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067.
History and Significance: Opened in 2018 by a husband and wife team, Coop offers a vibrant taste of the Caribbean through scratch-made dishes and market-fresh ingredients. Its success has fueled growth across Michigan.
What to Expect: Colorful, laid-back digs pair cuisine blending Afro-Caribbean flavors into tacos, bowls loaded with jerk chicken or oxtail, mofongo platters, tropical drinks and more.
Visitor Information: Walk-ins welcome but reservations advised for peak times via Coop’s site. Hours: Monday–Wednesday 11 AM–9 PM, Thursday–Saturday 11 AM–10 PM, Sunday 11 AM–8 PM.
For a taste of the islands, head to COOP Caribbean Fusion in downtown Detroit. Their vibrant turquoise interior sets the scene for jerk chicken wings, escovitch fish, curry goat roti rolls, oxtail stew over rice and peas, guava barbecue ribs, and other West Indian staples exploding with spice, seasoning and soul. COOP also plates American favorites like burgers inflected with tropical vibes along with rum-spiked cocktails. Grooving to dancehall and soca music enhances the Jamaican journey.
Marrow
Name and Location: Marrow is located at 20488 Livernois Ave, Detroit, MI 48221 in West Village.
History and Significance: Opened in 2018 by the owners of Detroit favorites Ima and Takoi, Marrow blends flavors of Asian cuisine into bone marrow and steakhouse offerings. Its success scored a 2022 James Beard Award.
What to Expect: Unique combos include bone marrow bao buns, “Kalbi Tacos,” and seasonal plates blending Korean and Japanese tradition with modern techniques. Embrace adventure.
Visitor Information: Reservations strongly recommended via Resy. Hours are variable, usually Wednesday–Monday from 5–10 PM. Tuesday hours and weekend brunch sometimes offered.
Marrow in West Village spotlights seasonal meat and seafood grilled over a wood-fired hearth in an airy, contemporary space. Chef Sarah Welch crafts dishes showcasing farm ingredients like dry aged ribeye with charred scallion purée, whole roasted chicken served family style with zeroa sauce, al pastor spiced pork belly, or lobes of sea scallops atop coconut curry barley. Spectacular whole grilled fish and steaks like bone-in ribeyes brandished with zucchini and salsa verde exemplify their flawless grilling finesse.
With James Beard-recognized chefs, competitive newcomers, and longstanding institutions all thriving, Detroit’s culinary reputation burns brighter than ever. From updated American cuisine highlighting regional bounty to new interpretations of ethnic flavors, Motor City restaurants demonstrate Midwestern charm through quality cooking, convivial hospitality, and tempting diners with creative fare. Food has helped revitalize Detroit neighborhoods, with chefs spurring economic growth by feeding locals and welcoming visitors into their diverse communities bonded by memorable meals.