Café in Detroit

If “Musick has Charms to soothe a savage Breast” (William Congreve, 1697), food, too, will smooth savage passions or normal grumpiness brought on by hunger pangs. Sandwiches come with big, perfect steak fries. The Cuban is crunchy and filling, with lots of pickle. Appetizers are another way to go, with my favorite being the skewered coconut shrimp: light, crisp, just a tad sweet. Chicken or beef quesadillas are served with a creditable guacamole as well as salsa and sour cream, and Cuban black bean soup, a mix of whole beans and purée, has a vinegar kick. There’s only one dinner-type entrée per se on the menu — those same three lamb chops, but less interestingly presented, with rice and green beans — and a couple of desserts. To buy tickets to a Jazz Café show, call Music Hall or see Ticketmaster. Food is served from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on weekends.

This sophisticated coffeehouse, located behind the Capitol Theater, is known for its relaxing atmosphere and light, healthy menu.

Ann Arbor’s Café Felix is practically poetic. The tradition of a European café serving pastries, breads and cakes baked fresh on-site, as well as European wines, beers and liquors. They serve a full breakfast, omelets, crepes, soups, salads and tapas. Every finishing touch within the butter-colored walls is indeed, as the French say, “Au point.”

Beautiful outdoor setting on our romantic terrace. We serve light, healthy traditional food in a French style.

Prickly Pear which has been serving Southwestern grub since 1991. (Southwestern in this case means Tex-Mex plus.) Perpetually crowded, the cafe takes no reservations but will outfit you with a pager so you can stroll along Main Street until your table is ready. Many of the main dishes are familiar Tex-Mex items, such as burritos, fajitas, quesadillas and empanadas, which, as with all the entrées, come on a heaping platter full of tomato rice and baked black and pinto beans and salsa. Vegetarians will again be pleased with the nicely blended spinach and Chihuahua cheese enchilada while the empañada stuffed with chicken is enhanced with a toasted-pumpkin-seed cheese sauce. Nine Mexican beers, along with just as many from other countries, eight tequilas and, of course, regular and “gold” margaritas are what most sots select with their meals. However, the decent wine selections, many of which do not crack the $20 barrier, are another option.

Casual folksy bar/cafe with loads of atmosphere and local color. SSS has the look of a 1930s Arizona saloon, and was credited with 'Best Burger In Detroit' by Detroit News food critic Jane Rayburn. You are only a stranger once here, so pay your tab, darn it! Live music is featured Fridays and Saturdays. Dead music can be heard the rest of the week.