When we turn into the strip mall to do our grocery shopping, mail a package, or hit the salon, we tend to hardly ever deviate from our plans and check out what else the strip has to offer. But these strip mall restaurants are all worth the double take while you’re out shopping.

Casper Burger & Escalope 33160 Ryan Rd., Sterling Heights; 586-365-5555; casperburger.com Casper Burger dishes out some heavy-duty loaded burgers, hot dogs, and escalope (thin, breaded fried pieces of meat). You can try the Casper Scream Burger, which is a chicken-stuffed beef burger loaded with toppings. Casper Burger also offers halal and vegetarian options. Credit: Casper Burger & Escalope / Facebook
Christine’s Cuisine 729 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-584-3354 Featuring homemade continental cuisine, including pierogies, beef burgundy, stroganoff, smoked sausage, and kraut, Christine’s versatile range of dishes is sure to make anyone’s mouth water. The restaurant also serves fresh sandwiches, entrees, salads, and soups. Credit: Christine’s Cuisine / Facebook
Antonio’s Cucina Italiana 26356 Ford Rd., Dearborn Heights; 313-278-6000; antoniosrestaurants.com If you’re looking for a good Italian meal, look no further than Antonio’s Cucina Italiana, which serves up traditional pasta dishes like gnocchi or bolognese and hand tossed pizza. For dessert, try the cannoli, which are made in house. Credit: Antonio’s Cucina Italiana / Facebook
Noble Fish 45 14 Mile Rd., Clawson; 248-585-2314; noblefish.com Whether you’re in the mood for nigiri or hand rolls, Noble Fish sells so many varieties of sushi, you’ll want to try something new every time you visit. Credit: Google Maps
Peepo’s Subs & Shawarma 10890 Beech Daly Rd., TaylorThe Lebanese Africano dishes at Peepo’s in Taylor are a walk on the wild side. Before you can get to the taste, the first thing you’ll notice when a dish is set on your table is that the portions can be cartoonishly large. Still, these Lebanese dishes, many with a very American spin, are not to be missed. Credit: Peepo’s Subs & Shawarma / Facebook
Chive Kitchen 33043 Grand River Ave., Farmington; 248-516-7144; chivekitchen.com This vegan deli puts a plant-based spin on traditional American favorites like the po’ boy sandwich and mac & cheese. Credit: Google Maps
Thang Long 27641 John R Rd., Madison Heights; 248-547-6763 Fresh leafy greens and herbs characterize the Vietnamese food served at Thang Long. Try the fresh and flavorful summer rolls, or do it yourself with an order of Thit Bo, which lets you wrap your own chicken, beef, or pork. Also excellent are the rice noodle soups, which are meals in themselves. Credit: Google Maps
Antojitos El Catracho 4627 W. Vernor Hwy,. Detroit; 313-784-9361Breakfast is served anytime and besides eggs can include those wonderful fried plantains or gallo pinto (spotted rooster), a Nicaraguan or Costa Rican dish made simply by combining rice with beans. Credit: Google Maps
Phulkari Punjabi 27707 Dequindre Rd., Madison HeightsLocated on Dequindre Road just across the street from Davenport University, this newly renovated eatery honors traditional Indian cuisine while providing a comfortable, modern environment. Their extensive menu offers countless Indian dishes, including vegetarian options. Credit: Phulkari Punjabi Kitchen/ Facebook
Jamaican Pot 14615 Eight Mile Rd., Detroit At this vegetarian-friendly restaurant that uses all fresh ingredients, you’ll find what could be some of the city’s healthiest Jamaican fare. Among the top dishes are the curry goat and the fricassee chicken with veggies in a brown gravy of garlic, onions, scallions, and thyme. Credit: Jamaican Pot / Facebook
Chao Zhou 31682 John R Rd., Madison Heights; 248-588-6828; micasakb.com/chaozhoumadisonheights Chao Zhou certainly has Americanized Cantonese dishes on its menu — cashew chicken, chow mein — and they are cheaper. But if you turn to the Chef’s Special pages at the back, you’ll also find more authentic Cantonese food options. Credit: Google Maps
Veg-O-Rama 44930 Ford Rd., CantonAt this vegetarian street food restaurant, the bulk of the items on the menu hold Indian flavors, but the restaurant gets a little more international with dishes like a Cuban sandwich and pierogi. All but four of the items on the menu are vegan, and the restaurant’s main attractions are its vegan burgers. Credit: Facebook, Vegorama
LoLo Potluck 3950 Rochester Rd., TroyThe one place in metro Detroit that trades in Egyptian cuisine, LoLo Potluck is a small shop that holds a few tables and does a lot of carryout business. The menu holds plenty of the kebabs and shawarmas that you’re used to seeing at metro Detroit’s Lebanese restaurants. However, there are slightly Egyptian twists in each one. Credit: Google Maps
Sahara Restaurant and Grill 24770 Coolidge Hwy., Oak Park; 248-399-7744; newsahara.com Right at the corner of 10 Mile Road and Coolidge Highway, Sahara Restaurant & Grill dishes out a taste of the Mediterranean. Try the Sahara fries, which are fries draped in chicken or beef shawarma and topped with tahini or Shahara Ranch. Credit: Sahara Restaurant / Facebook
Tienda Mexicana 31642 John R Rd., Madison Heights Here, you’ll find undoubtedly the best tacos outside of Southwest Detroit, and arguably in all of metro Detroit. The meats are magnificently marinated and then grilled and folded into two freshly made corn tortillas. While most taco places offer carne asada, carnitas, al pastor, chorizo, and chicken, it can be difficult to find other varieties, like lengua (beef tongue) or tripa (tripe). The lengua here has that melts-in-your-mouth quality that fans of the stuff look for in beef tongue. Credit: Tienda Mexicana / Facebook
Oaxaca 1985 E. Wattles Rd., TroyOaxacan-native siblings Juan, Maria, and Carmen Velasco opened the restaurant in September 2015, and the compact menu holds several of the region’s delicious dishes, including tlayudas, molotes, and mole. Credit: Oaxaca Troy / Instagram
Starters Bar & Grille 25242 Evergreen Rd., Southfield; 248-281-4538; startersdetroit.com A long-standing Detroit favorite that has opened additional locations, Starters opened its Southfield location after having to close the Dearborn outpost in Fairlane Mall during the pandemic. You can get all of your Starters favorites here like lamb chops, steak bites, and fried catfish. Credit: Google Maps
Ima 32203 John R. Rd., Madison Heights; 248-781-0131; imanoodles.com With locations in Detroit’s Corktown, Midtown, and in the suburbs at Madison Heights, you can get your Ima fix readily. Ima has an eclectic yet refined menu with things like spicy fried chicken and tofu; sandwiches, Asian-inspired tacos, ramen, and pho. It also offers vegan and gluten-free pho options. Credit: Google Maps
Lao Pot 32707 John R Rd., Madison Heights; 248-689-9888; thekungfunoodlehouse.com Opened in 2020, Lao Pot offers a selection of greatest hits from China’s regional styles, with a variety of broths at varying levels of spice levels. Credit: Lao Pot/Facebook
Turmerican Vegetarian Cuisine 24259 Novi Rd., NoviAs a vegetarian restaurant, Turmerican features mild to medium spice Indian food, which also has vegan and gluten-free options that are clearly stated on their menu. If you’re a fan of authentic Indian food, you won’t miss out on the meat here. Credit: Google Maps
Ishtar 3625 15 Mile Rd., Sterling HeightsOne of the few metro Detroit restaurants representing the cuisine of Iraq, Ishtar is famous for its shawarma, and offers other delicious Iraqi dishes such as the Iraqi chicken tikka, tannour flatbread, salad dishes, and more. Credit: Google Maps
Que Huong 30820 John R Rd., Madison HeightsQue Huong’s pho menu isn’t too different from most in Madison Heights, but there are always some who are going to do it a little different or a little better, and this is one of those spots. While banh mi and pho are excellent, you might’ve already tried both. The best part of Que Huong’s menu are the deeper cuts and the house specials with which your Midwestern taste buds might not be familiar. Credit: Google Maps
California Burgerz 12045 Conant St., HamtramckModeled after California’s In-N-Out Burgers, California Burgerz’s menu is short and straightforward and, at the very least, the menu items’ names have an In-N-Out beat. Check out the Gorilla Burger (Angus beef, pickles, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, and American cheese on a pretzel bun) or the L.A. Bacon Burger (Angus beef, bacon, pickles, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, American cheese, and CB sauce on a brioche). Credit: Google Maps
Athens Souvlaki 21738 W. 11 Mile Rd., Southfield; 248-356-6463; athenssouvlaki.comLocated in Harvard Row Mall, Athen’s Souvlaki serves all of your Greek favorites. Saganaki, gyros, and chicken kebabs scratch the surface of this full menu. Credit: Google Maps
Peterlin’s Restaurant and Bar 22004 Farmington Rd., Farmington; 248-426-8822 From their to Pork Nachos and Country Fried Steak to their Grilled Pork Chops and Lobster Mac, Peterlin’s serves up comfort food in the Farmington Crossroads shopping mall. Credit: Google Maps

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