Michigan

• Detroit

  Say “Detroit” and many people’s thoughts turn negative: the U.S.’s failed-and-bailed auto industry, high crime and unemployment, historic buildings in derelict disrepair, ongoing population flight, “food desert” status (in which groceries have closed and residents have to travel far to obtain fresh produce). It’s true that those challenges are part of Detroit’s landscape, but despite the bad press, that’s not all there is to Michigan’s largest city. You don’t, for instance, feel unsafe while bar-hopping among downtown’s brewpubs, riding the two-car People Mover to a Red Wings game, or strolling along the rejuvenated riverfront, sun in your face. You don’t sense population loss when you peruse the sprawling Eastern Market on Saturdays, when it bulges with shoppers and vendors and local products; when area restaurants have lines out the door, even in winter. And you don’t hear nearly enough about the beautiful Art Deco buildings that are still there, or the historic institutions that have been saved—like the once-bankrupt Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, a jazz club that’s seen the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane grace its stage since 1934; or the wonderfully whimsical Heidelberg Project, which turns urban blight into exciting street art and has survived two partial demolitions over its 25-year lifetime. Moreover, Detroit has shown great strides in urban agriculture, as various scattered city farms, community groups, and young activists form co-ops and coalitions to increase local access to fresh food and reclaim the city’s abandoned, overgrown spaces—plans are even afoot to build the world’s largest urban farm. There’s still a long way to go, but many locals remain optimistic, so we are too.

  However, don’t wait for Detroit’s rebirth to eat your way around Motor City. Thanks to its incredible ethnic diversity, the larger Metro Detroit area boasts a plethora of Polish cafes, Greek diners, Lebanese restaurants, Syrian bakeries, and more. Rich with locally produced foodstuffs and a terrific old-school public farmers market, the city has been locavore-friendly since before it was fashionable. And there are regional twists on everything from hot fudge sundaes to pizza. Come to think of it, you don’t hear too much about Detroit’s local food scene either. We’ll let that be our little secret.

  Say “Detroit” and many people’s thoughts turn negative: the U.S.’s failed-and-bailed auto industry, high crime and unemployment, historic buildings in derelict disrepair, ongoing population flight, “food desert” status (in which groceries have closed and residents have to travel far to obtain fresh produce). It’s true that those challenges are part of Detroit’s…   Read more

   

  Find local foods in Detroit.

  Boston cooler, Vernors float

  City chicken

  Coney Island hot dog

  Corned beef, Dinty Moore sandwich

  Freshwater fish, lake perch

• User Content

Below is user-submitted content for this region. Have something to contribute? Upload your regional-food photo or food memory.

• 

  Iraqi Kebab

  Dearborn
  albeerpoe
• 

  Roasted Local Cauliflower

  Grand Rapids
  janine
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  ROAST LEG OF MICHIGAN WHITE TAIL

  Novi
  srosen
• 

  SMOKED GREAT LAKES TROUT RILLETTES

  Novi
  srosen

• • Hungarian Rhapsody

    albeerpoe
    14315 Northline Rd. Southgate, MI
    

    Golumpki, paprikash, and palacsinta: How's about some super real-deal Hungarian foods I enjoyed as a wee tot? This place rocks, with many enjoying their meals after many an hour's driv…    Read more

  • The Short's Brewing Co. Experience

    onderaly
    121 N. Bridge St. Bellaire, MI 49615
    My family recently bought a cottage on Torch Lake in Northern Michigan, USA. Just outside Traverse City, this area of the state is booming with exceptional restaurants and local breweries. One of t…    Read more

• Blog Posts

• Where to Eat Middle Eastern Food in Detroit

  Dearborn, a city within the Detroit metropolitan area, has a long-established Arab-American population, accounting for some 40% of the total population—the largest proportion among U.S. cities of similar size. The first Arab immigrants,…   Read more

• Q&A: Sy Ginsberg, corned beef king of Detroit

  “Detroit, being the great melting pot that it is, will continue to shine in its diverse food offerings.” –Sy Ginsberg, co-owner, United Meat & Deli   Tell us about your job. I oversee the processing of our…   Read more

• Detroit: Keep Motoring

  When I was asked to meet up with some clients in Detroit, I had a feeling a weekend of EYW coverage would lead to some very good things. It was just a few years ago that I had quickly visited Greektown and experienced the famous "flaming…   Read more