Motor City Mavericks: A Guide to Detroit’s Best Restaurants
Detroit’s story, etched in steel and sound, is one of dramatic arcs—of rise, struggle, and resilience. This narrative is mirrored in its culinary landscape, a scene forged in the city’s unique history, blending “Grit and Glamour.” Finding the best restaurants in Detroit means exploring century-old hot dog counters alongside nationally lauded tasting menus. This duality is the essence of Detroit’s culinary soul.
This isn’t just another list; it’s the Detroit Dining Pantheon. We’ve synthesized critical reviews, local buzz, and national accolades to bring you the definitive guide to the top 10 restaurants in Detroit. From the birthplace of Detroit-style pizza to innovative new restaurants in Detroit grabbing national headlines, this is your ultimate roadmap to the essential restaurants in Detroit.
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Cuisine | Price Guide | Vibe / Perfect For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selden Standard | Midtown | New American | $$$ | The Vanguard of Detroit’s Culinary Renaissance |
| Buddy’s Pizza | Conant Street (Original) | Detroit-Style Pizza | $$ | The Originator of a Global Phenomenon |
| Baobab Fare | New Center | East African (Burundian) | $$ | Critically-Acclaimed Immigrant Success Story |
| Lafayette Coney Island | Downtown | Coney Island Hot Dog | $ | The Undisputed King of Detroit’s Signature Dish |
| The Whitney | Midtown | Fine Dining / American | $$$$ | Unparalleled Gilded Age Grandeur |
| Marrow | West Village | New American / Butcher Shop | $$$ | Sustainable, Innovative Whole-Animal Cuisine |
| Giovanni’s Ristorante | Southwest Detroit | Old-World Italian | $$$ | Decades of Timeless Elegance and Tradition |
| Grey Ghost | Brush Park | Modern Steakhouse | $$$ | The Epitome of “Cool” Contemporary Detroit Dining |
| London Chop House | Downtown | Classic Steakhouse | $$$$ | A Subterranean Portal to Detroit’s Storied Past |
| Cadieux Cafe | East English Village | Belgian | $$ | An Authentic Cultural Outpost with a Cult Following |
1. Selden Standard
📹 Video Source: Visit Detroit
- 🍴Cuisine:New American
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Midtown
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:The Vanguard of Detroit’s Culinary Renaissance
- 📍Location:3921 Second Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
No single restaurant is more synonymous with Detroit’s modern culinary rebirth than Selden Standard. When it opened in 2014, it introduced a style of dining—seasonal, locally-sourced, chef-driven small plates—that felt revelatory. Helmed by five-time James Beard-nominated chef Andy Hollyday, the concept centers on a farm-to-table philosophy and a wood-fired hearth. It’s consistently praised as one of the best restaurants in Detroit.
Foodie Quote: “The menu changes with the seasons but always features inventive vegetable preparations, house-made pastas, and perfectly cooked meats, all designed for sharing.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Standard Setter for Modern Detroit Dining. As a multi-time James Beard semifinalist for “Outstanding Restaurant” and a local Restaurant of the Year winner, it set the benchmark for the city’s culinary renaissance.
2. Buddy's Pizza
📹 Video Source: Detroit PBS
- 🍴Cuisine:Detroit-Style Pizza
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Conant Street (Original)
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:The Originator of a Global Phenomenon
- 📍Location:17125 Conant St, Detroit, MI 48212
Buddy’s Pizza is more than a restaurant; it is the birthplace of a global phenomenon. In 1946, Gus Guerra created the first-ever Detroit-style pizza here, using square, blue steel pans from local auto plants. Today, that thick, airy crust with crispy, cheesy edges and sauce on top is replicated worldwide, but the original remains the benchmark. This is a must-visit among the top 10 restaurants in Detroit.
Foodie Quote: “The experience is defined by the textural masterpiece: the crunch of the caramelized cheese crust (‘frico’) giving way to a tender, focaccia-like interior.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Undisputed Originator of Detroit-Style Pizza. Its historical significance and enduring quality make the original Conant Street location a true pilgrimage site.
3. Baobab Fare
📹 Video Source: Baobab Fare
- 🍴Cuisine:East African (Burundian)
- 🏙️Neighborhood:New Center
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:Critically-Acclaimed Immigrant Success Story
- 📍Location:6568 Woodward Ave, Ste 100, Detroit, MI 48202
Baobab Fare is a testament to the transformative power of food and a standout among black owned restaurants in Detroit. Owners Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, refugees from Burundi, started with pop-ups in 2017 before opening their vibrant restaurant in 2021. In a remarkably short time, they’ve become nationally celebrated restaurateurs, offering a thrilling introduction to East African cuisine.
Foodie Quote: “The signature dish, Nyumbani, is a comforting bowl of slow-simmered beef in tomato sauce, served with fried plantains and peanut-stewed spinach.”Why is it our top choice?
It represents Excellence Recognized Nationally. Winning the 2024 James Beard Award for “Outstanding Restaurateur” and a Chopped victory cemented its status as a powerful and delicious story of hope and home.
4. Lafayette Coney Island
📹 Video Source: JOLLY
- 🍴Cuisine:Coney Island Hot Dog
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Downtown
- 💰Price:$
- ✨Vibe:The Undisputed King of Detroit’s Signature Dish
- 📍Location:118 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226
If Buddy’s represents Detroit’s industrial ingenuity, Lafayette Coney Island embodies its unpretentious heart. Since the 1930s, this cash-only, no-frills diner has been the undisputed king of the Coney dog, a uniquely Detroit creation. Locked in a legendary rivalry with its neighbor, American Coney Island, Lafayette commands fierce loyalty from locals for its perfect execution of the classic dog: natural casing snap, steamed bun, mustard, onions, and signature beanless chili. It’s a key player among restaurants in Detroit downtown.
Foodie Quote: “Orders are shouted in cryptic shorthand by veteran waiters, and the air is thick with the sizzle of the grill—an experience devoid of pretense but rich in character.”Why is it our top choice?
It offers A Perfect Taste of Detroit History. Lafayette is a cultural institution, delivering the city’s signature dish flawlessly for over a century.
5. The Whitney
📹 Video Source: CBS Detroit
- 🍴Cuisine:Fine Dining / American
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Midtown
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:Unparalleled Gilded Age Grandeur
- 📍Location:4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Dining at The Whitney is less a meal and more a transportive experience into Detroit’s Gilded Age grandeur. Housed in the magnificent 1894 mansion of lumber baron David Whitney, this opulent restaurant is the city’s premier destination for milestone celebrations and one of the nicest restaurants in Detroit. The menu features upscale American classics, with Beef Wellington fitting the lavish surroundings.
Foodie Quote: “The third-floor Ghostbar offers cocktails and leans into the mansion’s well-documented ghost stories, adding a delightful layer of lore to any visit.”Why is it our top choice?
It provides An Unforgettable Step Back in Time. The Whitney is a cherished landmark where the stunning, historic setting is as memorable as the cuisine.
6. Marrow
📹 Video Source: Live In The D
- 🍴Cuisine:New American / Butcher Shop
- 🏙️Neighborhood:West Village
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:Sustainable, Innovative Whole-Animal Cuisine
- 📍Location:8044 Kercheval Ave, Detroit, MI 48214
Marrow stands out as the intellectual and sustainable heart of Detroit’s modern dining scene. Its unique hybrid model—a whole-animal butcher shop by day, an intimate restaurant by night—creates a transparent connection between diner, chef, and local farms. The tasting menu showcases lesser-known cuts alongside beautifully prepared vegetables, challenging diners while demonstrating the delicious potential of whole-animal butchery.
Foodie Quote: “Dishes like beef tongue or fried pork skins might appear, challenging diners to expand their palates while demonstrating the delicious potential of whole-animal butchery.”Why is it our top choice?
As a four-time James Beard Award nominee, Marrow represents The Innovative Spirit of the New Detroit, pushing boundaries with its ethical and thoughtful approach to fine dining.
7. Giovanni's Ristorante
📹 Video Source: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
- 🍴Cuisine:Old-World Italian
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Southwest Detroit
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:Decades of Timeless Elegance and Tradition
- 📍Location:330 S Oakwood Blvd, Detroit, MI 48217
For over half a century, Giovanni’s Ristorante has been the definitive standard for old-world Italian fine dining in Detroit. Founded in 1968, it has evolved into a bastion of timeless elegance. The cuisine is classic Italian-American, executed with precision and featuring homemade pastas, prime cuts of meat, and fresh fish. It’s one of the top 10 Italian restaurants in Detroit.
Foodie Quote: “The ‘sleek and elegant’ dining has attracted celebrity guests over the years, including Frank Sinatra and George Clooney.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s A Cherished Family Legacy. Giovanni’s endures as a powerful reminder that classic techniques, impeccable service, and a warm atmosphere are timeless ingredients for greatness.
8. Grey Ghost
📹 Video Source: Visit Detroit
- 🍴Cuisine:Modern Steakhouse
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Brush Park
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:The Epitome of “Cool” Contemporary Detroit Dining
- 📍Location:47 Watson St, Detroit, MI 48201
Grey Ghost perfectly captures the energetic, stylish spirit of contemporary Detroit. Since opening in 2016, it has been one of the city’s most popular and buzzed-about spots. While often billed as a modern steakhouse, its appeal is broader, with inventive, meat-forward dishes like its famous burger and fried bologna on a waffle building its stellar reputation. It’s definitely one of the coolest restaurants in Detroit.
Foodie Quote: “The menu, from chef-partners with roots in the Chicago dining scene, is inventive and meat-forward, complemented by an equally impressive cocktail program.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Definition of Detroit Cool. With its blend of historical awareness (named after a Prohibition rum runner) and contemporary flair, Grey Ghost is an essential fixture of modern Detroit dining.
9. London Chop House
📹 Video Source: Click On Detroit | Local 4 | WDIV
- 🍴Cuisine:Classic Steakhouse
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Downtown
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Subterranean Portal to Detroit’s Storied Past
- 📍Location:155 W Congress St, Detroit, MI 48226
To descend the stairs into the London Chop House is to step into a living museum of mid-century power dining. During its heyday, it was one of the most famous restaurants in the country, named one of the nation’s best by James Beard himself in 1961. Today, it preserves that old-fashioned steakhouse atmosphere, known for prime cuts of beef and an adjoining cigar lounge. It remains a key destination among the top 10 restaurants in Detroit downtown.
Foodie Quote: “It was the Detroit equivalent of New York’s 21 Club, the preferred haunt of auto executives, advertising moguls, and politicians.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s A Portal to a Bygone Era. Its undeniable historical significance makes it a place where one can still feel the echoes of the deals that shaped modern Detroit.
10. Cadieux Cafe
📹 Video Source: Travel Channel
- 🍴Cuisine:Belgian
- 🏙️Neighborhood:East English Village
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:An Authentic Cultural Outpost with a Cult Following
- 📍Location:4300 Cadieux Rd, Detroit, MI 48224
The Cadieux Cafe is one of the most unique and culturally authentic dining experiences in America. Established in 1933, it is a preserved bastion of Belgian culture, cherished for its distinctive combination of food, beer, and recreation. Its authenticity was famously validated by Anthony Bourdain. The menu features classic Belgian fare like steamed mussels and crispy pommes frites, alongside an encyclopedic list of Belgian brews.
Foodie Quote: “Perhaps most unique is feather bowling, a traditional Belgian sport played on two indoor, dirt-lined lanes—a surreal and delightful spectacle.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s More Than a Restaurant, It’s a Community Hub. This living cultural artifact offers an utterly transportive and essential piece of Detroit’s diverse identity.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Based on legacy, critical acclaim, and local love, the top 10 restaurants in Detroit are: 1. Selden Standard, 2. Buddy’s Pizza (Original), 3. Baobab Fare, 4. Lafayette Coney Island, 5. The Whitney, 6. Marrow, 7. Giovanni’s Ristorante, 8. Grey Ghost, 9. London Chop House, and 10. Cadieux Cafe.
Selden Standard holds the top spot on this list. It’s the vanguard of Detroit’s culinary renaissance, a multi-time James Beard semifinalist for “Outstanding Restaurant” known for its consistently excellent seasonal small plates and wood-fired cooking.
Downtown Detroit has several essential stops. Lafayette Coney Island is the undisputed king of the city’s signature hot dog. London Chop House offers a trip back to the mid-century power dining era. These are key destinations among the best restaurants in Detroit downtown.
For unique experiences, Cadieux Cafe offers Belgian food, beer, and feather bowling. The Whitney lets you dine in a stunning Gilded Age mansion. Grey Ghost captures the city’s modern, stylish vibe. Marrow offers a sustainable butcher-shop-meets-restaurant concept. These are some of the coolest restaurants in Detroit.
Detroit-style pizza is a rectangular pizza with a thick, airy crust, crispy cheese edges (“frico”), and sauce ladled on top. The best and most authentic place to get it is Buddy’s Pizza at its original Conant Street location, where the style was invented in 1946.
A Coney Island hot dog is a Detroit staple featuring a natural casing hot dog in a steamed bun, topped with beanless chili, mustard, and diced raw onions. The best and most iconic place to get one is Lafayette Coney Island downtown.
Yes, Baobab Fare is a nationally celebrated, James Beard Award-winning restaurant owned by Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, refugees from Burundi. It is considered one of the absolute top 10 best restaurants in Detroit overall and a vital part of the city’s diverse culinary fabric.
For timeless, old-world elegance and classic Italian-American fine dining, Giovanni’s Ristorante has been the standard for over 50 years, making it one of the top 10 Italian restaurants in Detroit.
For ultimate Gilded Age glamour, The Whitney is unparalleled. For classic, subterranean steakhouse vibes, London Chop House is a historic choice. For modern, innovative tasting menus, Marrow offers a unique experience. These are some of the fanciest restaurants in Detroit.
Yes, Anthony Bourdain famously featured Cadieux Cafe, the authentic Belgian pub known for mussels, beer, and feather bowling, on his show No Reservations, cementing its status as a unique cultural gem. He also visited Polonia (Honorable Mention).
