With 2016 behind us, we have another year to look forward to – especially in our food scene. While we’ve made some important improvements in our local restaurants, there are some things we’d rather leave behind, and some trends that have either yet make a splash here or that just need to be addressed ASAP. Here are our picks for what’s hot and what’s not in 2017. –By Serena Maria Daniels

Hot: Smoothie bowls. This is one of those viral trends that we really wouldn’t mind seeing more of in Detroit. We’ve already got an abundance of greasy Coney Island fare available for breakfast. Wouldn’t it be nice to see more healthy options dot the corners of the city? Photos via @cafesucco
Smoothie bowls
Not: Sushi burrito Then again, we’ve seen other food trends that simply had a hard time executing around here. Case in point, the sushi burrito. We’re not particularly known for sushi anyway. Why not get that part right, before attempting at this hybrid? Photo via @tanlikesfood
Sushi burrito Photo by Scott Spellman.
Hot: Better service With all the hype of new menus attracting folks into the city, isn’t it about time restaurants worked hard to improve the front of the house? A spot can have the best food in town, but if a server is rude or unattentive, how is someone supposed to enjoy it? Photo via Shutterstock
Better service Photo via Shutterstock
Not: Serving food on a cutting board Less focus on trying to hip or ironic, and more on the food itself and the quality of the service (see previous). Photo via Shutterstock
More cutting boards Photo by Scott Spellman
Hot: Better food trucks In cities like LA, DC, and Portland, the street food scene is on point. Food truck businesses in these locales serve up dishes inspired around the globe in a fast and affordable fashion. Let’s up our food truck game beyond the usual mac ‘n cheese and overpriced tacos. Photo via Shutterstock
Not: Chain restaurants 2016 seemed to be the year of the chain for downtown, with the addition of Wahlburgers and Calexico, and announcements that Shake Shack and the world’s first IHOP/Applebee’s would enter the scene. How about, no, and instead find ways to get more interesting, local concepts into these prime spaces? Photo via Shutterstock Credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com
Shake Shack is also coming to Detroit Photo via Shutterstock
Hot: Diversity In this business, we tend to see the same names over and over again as innovators in the city’s dining revival. They’re winning local and national accolades. That’s great, and their talents are a valuable componant to food and drink in Detroit. But the city is majority black and brown. We should be asking ourselves what can be to empower more talented chefs and food entrepreneurs. Photo via Shutterstock
Not: No reservations at restaurants This is starting to change, but still, too many hot spots around here won’t take reservations, which when you’re hungry, simply won’t do. Photo via Shutterstock
Hot… Leftovers. Some of our local restauranteurs and chefs are cognizent of the issue of food waste and are embracing the so-called ugly food movement, wherein they attempt to utilize as much of an animal as possible on their menu or use produce otherwise deemed too “ugly” to sell in a market. Let’s keep that up.
Forgotten Harvest does a great job of using leftovers Photo via @forgottenharvest
Not: Fancy tater tots Tater tots, as in the staple of every school cafeteria? Nope. No matter how much Sriracha-infused aioli, scallions, or cheese curds you put on them to “elevate” them, they’re still just little nuggets of fried potatoes. Photo by Scott Spellman
More loaded tots

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