Detroit is a working-class city with a deep immigrant history, and its food tells that story plainly. The dishes that define it are hearty, inexpensive and often a little unexpected: a hot dog covered in chili, a pizza baked in a steel pan until the cheese crisps at the edges, a plate from one of the largest Arab communities in the country. This guide covers what to look for, where the food districts are and how to eat well in a few days without a long list of reservations.
The Coney dog
The Detroit Coney is a hot dog with a natural casing, topped with a beanless meat chili, yellow mustard and chopped onion. It is a Greek-immigrant tradition, and downtown has long-established Coney restaurants within a block of each other, which locals argue over endlessly. Try one for breakfast or a quick lunch rather than as a meal to linger over, and have it with a side of fries or chili cheese fries. The downtown food tour includes a Coney stop along with other classics, so you do not need to choose a side before you arrive.
Detroit-style pizza
This rectangular pizza is baked in a deep steel pan, which gives it a thick, airy crust with a crisp, almost fried bottom. The cheese goes edge to edge, so that it caramelizes against the sides, and the sauce is often ladled on top in stripes after baking. It began in Detroit decades ago, and it has since spread across the country. It is hearty, so one slice is often enough with a salad, and sharing is the sensible approach. Several pizzerias in the city and suburbs serve it, and the food tours include a taste.
Eastern Market
The historic market just northeast of downtown is the city's food heart. On Saturdays it fills with farmers, florists, bakers and butchers, and the surrounding streets hold shops, restaurants and the famous murals. It is the best place to buy local produce, sample cheese and baked goods and watch Detroit shop. Come on a Saturday morning for the full scene and plan to eat there, and note that other days are quieter, with a different mix of vendors. Check the market's calendar for special events, particularly in autumn and in the holiday season.
Dearborn and the Middle Eastern table
Dearborn is home to one of the largest Arab American communities in the country, and its food is among the best in the Midwest. The restaurants and bakeries along the main streets serve shawarma, grilled meats, hummus and fresh bread, and the pastry shops sell baklava, sweets and strong coffee. It is also the right place to eat after a day at The Henry Ford, since it is only a few minutes away. The Arab American National Museum, a few minutes from the bakeries, gives context to the community and its history, and is worth an hour.
Donuts, pastries and sweets
Detroit has a strong tradition of donuts and bakery treats, from old-fashioned donut shops to Polish bakeries in Hamtramck, which has a particular tradition of filled pastries in the weeks before Lent. The sweet treats tour covers donuts, coffee and pastries in the downtown area and is a good choice for a morning, when you can walk off the sugar between stops. Greektown, downtown, also has baklava and pastries, and the Greek roots of the Coney tradition.
Drinking
The city has a lively craft brewery and cocktail scene, with bars in Corktown, Midtown and downtown. The Corktown walking tour finishes with a beer in the neighborhood, and the pedal pub tour is a lively option for groups, with a pedaled bar crossing downtown. Detroit also has a strong whiskey and distilling scene, and many bars are happy to talk through local spirits. Check opening hours before you go, because some venues close on Mondays or Tuesdays.
How to eat in three days
Start with a Coney breakfast, take the downtown food tour for lunch, spend the evening in Greektown or Corktown, visit Eastern Market on Saturday morning and give a day to Dearborn for an Arab American lunch and bakery stop. Book the tours ahead, because they run on set days, and eat lightly before them. If you are staying downtown, the Detroit Foundation Hotel and Shinola Hotel have restaurants on site, and both are close to the places mentioned here.
