When it comes to great food, Detroit may not be the first city that appears on the top of everyone’s list. But in recent years, Detroit has seen a food renaissance with the emergence of several popular new eateries that focus on using local ingredients and dreaming up inspired new menu items.

The next time you’re looking for a good meal in the city, consider these 21 restaurants that have been featured on the Food Network.

Bucharest Grill 1623 Michigan Ave, Detroit; 110 Piquette Ave, Detroit; 2684 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit Multiple locations serving Romanian and middle-eastern dishes as takeout or cheap and delicious dine-in dishes. You can’t go wrong with their classic chicken shawarma, grape leaves, and hummus. If it can be wrapped in pita, Bucharest Grill does it. Photo with permission from @bucharest_grill
Buddy’s Pizza 17125 Conant St, Detroit, MI 48212 Known as the iconic staple of Detroit pizza for the better part of a century, Buddy’s holds the crown of deep dish crust. It was in their ovens at the corner of Six Mile and Conant where the original Detroit-style pizza was born. Both the locals and foodie tourists of today enjoy the oft-imitated thick square slices just as our grandparents did. Photo with permission from @buddyspizzadet
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails 15 E Kirby St D, Detroit, MI 48202 This botanical beauty next door to the DIA serves up artfully crafted dishes ranging from unique fruit and veggie dishes to pork, ribs, and octopi. It is quite literally the greenest restaurant in the city, and Chef Hewitt plucks his ingredients from Recovery Park’s urban garden. Since planting roots in 2015, Chartreuse has become a perennial contender for restaurant of the year. Photo with permission from @marinapiagoldi
Grey Ghost 47 Watson St, Detroit, MI 48201 Named after a legendary Detroit River rum runner during the prohibition era, this hip spot between Brush Park and Midtown serves finely crafted cocktails and showcases the art of butchery. A unique variety of late-night meat and vegetarian options are served with attention to detail and an extra helping of hospitality. Photo with permission from Shanley Pearl / @hungryindetroit
Redcoat Tavern 31542 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073 A Royal Oak staple of British-American pub-style food since the early 1970s, Redcoat boasts the city’s best burger. It’s a no-frills atmosphere with dim red lighting and a famous must-try appetizer: the beef tips and creamy peppercorn sauce. Locals already know this is the classic go-to burger spot. Photo with permission from @sandys_hungry Credit: Instagram, @sandys_hungry
Selden Standard 3921 2nd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 This rustic and friendly Midtown restaurant is known for its seasonal small plates that are perfectly portioned for sharing with friends and family. The chefs and bartenders are full of knowledge and experience, the atmosphere is full of style and fun, and your stomach will be full of farm fresh local ingredients straight from the woodfire oven. Photo with permission from @seldenstandard
Voyager 600 Vester St, Ferndale, MI 48220 Voyager is an industrial garage converted into an intimate seafood haven near 9 Mile and Hilton Road in Ferndale. The minimal decor makes room for sustainable coastal cuisine with oysters and drinks being the star of the show. Quaint and unassuming from the outside, but award-winning on the inside, Voyager has anchored itself among the best oyster bars in America. Photo with permission from @voyager_ferndale
The Apparatus Room 250 W Larned St, Detroit, MI 48226 Inside the Detroit Foundation Hotel is the elegantly chic, cozy, and yet still inviting Apparatus Room. It is a grand, open space that marries historic nostalgia with modern gusto. Enjoy Michelin-starred Chef Lents’ New American cuisine from a 1920s-esque booth, or sip a mixologist’s masterpiece under Edison lights at the bar. Photo by Mike Dionne
Flowers of Vietnam 4430 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209 Is it a florist? Or another Coney Island? Inside this unmarked Mexicantown building you’ll find beautifully plated Vietnamese dishes finely crafted by Chef Azar and his team. What began as a pop-up restaurant born from Azar’s artistic Vietnamese cuisine – which he honed in cities like Chicago and Copenhagen – has become an award-winning hidden gem with creatively delicious caramel chicken wings and spicy braised beef dishes. Photo by Mike Dionne
Lady of the House 1426 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216 Lady of the House celebrates warmth and hospitality with every Irish-inspired dish served. Community-sourced ingredients highlight fresh and creative Modern American cuisine with a knack for delicious tartares. Located in a cozy brick Corktown abode, Chef Williams’ menu pays homage to your mother’s cooking while damn near outdoing it. Photo by Mike Dionne
Parks & Rec Diner 1942 West Grand River Avenue, Detroit, MI 48226 The magic happens in a castle-style building on the corner of Cass and Grand River that once headquartered the city’s Parks and Recreation department for Civil War veterans. Locally-sourced ingredients, vegetarian and vegan-friendly options, and booze all day make this a fun and unique twist on a classic hearty breakfast. Photo with permission from @parksandrecdiner
Pegasus Taverna 558 Monroe St, Detroit, MI 48226 Arguably the most popular location in Greektown, Pegasus has been setting fire to saganaki since the B.C. (Before Casino) era. Get your standard Greek fare, including wine and beers, as late as 3 a.m., and you’ll be shouting “Opa!” while you try to remember where you parked. Photo with permission from @pegasustaverna
Prime + Proper 1145 Griswold St, Detroit, MI 48226 There isn’t a more exquisite and lush meat-centric eatery in all of metro Detroit. This upscale steakhouse and butcher bar is situated at the south end of Capitol Park, just steps from Campus Martius. With an in-house dry aging room visible from your table, this is the aptly named prime and proper location to have your steak and eat it too. Photo with permission from @primeandproperdetroit
The Sugar House 2130 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 A dimly-lit cocktail bar with an impressive selection of classics and original house drinks. Single barrel bourbon and American whiskey flow with abundance from a phone book-sized menu that changes with the seasons. The bar bites feature meats from down the street at Gratiot Avenue Provisions. It’s impossible to uncork everything served at this sweet Corktown pub. Photo by Mike Dionne
Sweet Potato Sensations 17337 Lahser Rd, Detroit, MI 48219 They’ve reinvented the sweet potato and worked it into two full menus worth of items: a sweet menu and a savory menu. Cakes, pies, cookies, and ice cream on one. And chicken & waffles, turkey chop and even tuna sandwiches on the other. It’s everything you could want under one roof and it’s a fresh and uniquely delicious take on the classic comfort foods. Photo with permission from @sweetpotatosensations
Takoi 2520 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 Everything is served family-style at this Corktown Thai establishment featuring seasonal and sometimes daily menu changes. Eat with your hands. Eat with your friends. The reviews are as glowing as the neon lights that illuminate the interior of this nondescript gem in the armpit of I-96 and I-75. Photo with permission from @hungryindetroit
Treat Dreams 4160 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48201 or 22965 Woodward, Ferndale, MI 48220 or Treat Dreams has been putting sweet-toothed grins on customers in either Ferndale and Midtown since 2010. They’ve built a reputation on sourcing local ingredients, creating exotic flavors, and concocting limited-time seasonal delights inspired by Michigan activities. And yes, they’re open all winter. Photo by Mike Dionne
ima 2015 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216 A laid back Japanese udon noodle joint near the corner of Michigan and Rosa Parks. A tiny but cozy interior lets you focus on noodle and rice dishes plus a nice selection of beer, sake, and sochu. The Corktown location was so good they opened one in Madison Heights for good measure. Photo by Tom Perkins
Sister Pie 8066 Kercheval Ave, Detroit, MI 48214 Sister Pie 8066 Kercheval Ave, Detroit, MI 48214 Pastry chef Lisa Ludwinski is the heart and soul behind Sister Pie in West Village and has created a community around the popular Detroit eatery and coffee shop. Using seasonal ingredients (and never skimping out on high-fat French butter), it’s no surprise that Sister Pie has found a loyal base of repeat customers. Photo by Scott Spellman
Mabel Gray 23825 John R Rd, Hazel Park, MI 48030 Chef Rigato’s passion for curating a fresh local experience day in and day out has everyone raving about his tiny Hazel Park restaurant. Handwritten menus or blind tasting sessions are created based on the locally-sourced ingredients on hand so it’s guaranteed you’ve never had anything like this. Photo by Scott Spellman
American and Lafayette Coney Island 114 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit; 118 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, MI 48226 Name a more iconic duo…we’ll wait. American and Lafayette Coney Islands are the cornerstones of Detroit coney culture. Offering the iconic hot dog with chili, mustard, and onions, the simple Detroit fare have been popular tourist and local destinations since the early 20th century. The only question you have to ask yourself is which one will you choose? Photo via Cynthia Ionghair Douglas/Shutterstock

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