The Detroit area is home to people from all around the globe who have brought beautiful cultures and exquisite cuisines to the city. If you don’t have the time or money to actually travel the world, why not step out your front door and visit these restaurants for a truly international experience?

Africa: Nwanneka 27532 Schoolcraft Rd., Livonia A subtly designed interior with great lighting is what you’ll be met with once entering Nwanneka’s Place. The choices of African cuisine range from jollof rice, fufu, and Egusi stew. Food is served in big portions and for a good price, but a helpful tip is to call ahead for ordering to avoid long wait times.   Photo via
Bangladesh: ZamZamRestaurant 11917 Conant St., Hamtramck With a promise of excellent service and authentic Bangladeshi cuisine, ZamZam restaurant offers customers a true taste of home-cooked style Bangladeshi food at low prices. With food made from scratch everyday, and a chef that has been making South Asian cuisine for over two decades, ZamZam is a must-visit spot in Hamtramck. Photo via Rob Widdis
China: Midtown Shangri-La 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit Cholada Chan, owner of Midtown Shangri-La, used to have to go to Canada to get a good Dim Sum. Using that as her inspiration, she stepped away from her previous career of owning a market to pursue Shangri-la, which has two locations — one is Midtown and one in West Bloomfield. Drawing from her Chinese, Thai, and Indian culinary background, her menu is a true reflection of who Cholada Chan is. Photo via
Cuba: Vicente’s Cuban Cuisine 1250 Library St., Detroit Familiar elements from the Caribbean are here — plantains, yuca, papas rellenas, thin beefsteak, and lots of black beans and rice. Bistec de palomilla is steak pounded very thin, marinated in mojo sauce (orange and lemon juice, garlic, onion, and sugar), then lightly breaded and well-fried. It’s served with fried onions on top and a side of plantains. Fried and breaded pork are on the menu too, as are lobster and shrimp, arroz con pollo, and several paellas. Photo via
Dominican Republic: Asty Time 7340 McGraw Ave., Detroit Owned by Asty and Edna Acosta, this passionately energetic restaurant is small, sweet, and guaranteed to give customers a selection of tasteful Dominican dishes. Food made from scratch, with some of it getting the “sofrito treatment” — a style of cooking that exemplifies sauteing — is one of many reasons to drop by. The Acostas are the restaurant’s only fluent English speakers, so be sure to bring a friend that’s fluent in Spanish, as the menu is formatted in the language.   Photo via Tom Perkins
Germany: The Dakota Inn Rathskeller 17324 John R St., Detroit Since 1933, Detroiters have gotten their fill of bratwurst at the Dakota Inn, which offers a Bavarian style menu in an old Heidelberg atmosphere. It is the type of classic German Rathskeller or Biergarten that was a mainstay of German immigrant community, and still has the very best German cooking in the city. Photo via
Greece: Pegasus Taverna 558 Monroe St., Downtown Detroit, Greektown Classic Greek country cooking blends simple ingredients like vegetables, grains and cheeses with fragrant herbs and spices to create wholesome, delectable meals that are as healthy as they are delicious. Pegasus is proud of their fine Greek cuisine. Photo via
Honduras: El Catracho 4627 W. Vernor Hwy., Detroit “El Catracho” means “The Honduran.” Ignore the “antojitos” (appetizers) part of the name; you’ll get giant full-course meals here. Saturday is the day to go to El Catracho, really, because that’s when soup is served with thick hand-patted corn tortillas — so dissimilar to factory-made. These soups are not ones that can be tackled with just a spoon. You’ll need a knife and fork, too; it’s a whole meal in a big white bowl. Photo via Rob Widdis
Egypt: Lolo Potluck 3950 Rochester Rd., Troy When most people think of Medditerranean Cuisine in Detroit, they think Lebanon. Lolo Potluck seeks to expand people’s idea of cuisine with their classically Egyptian menu. Lolo Potluck is known for many outstanding dishes like their Mashy, a grape leave style dishes with their own Egyptian twist. The menu features a selection of vegetarian, vegan and traditional dishes, for any kind of dietary restriction.  Photo via Tom Perkins
El Salvador: Pupuseria y Restaurante Salvadoreño 3149 Livernois Ave., Detroit It helps to know Spanish here, but it isn’t essential; the menu has translations, and your waitress, who, along with her sister, the cook, is from El Salvador, is supremely welcoming. If you’re not drinking horchata, jamaica or tamarindo, or Jarritos, the Mexican pop, I recommend a licuado, which is bananas or fresh strawberries or both in a blender with milk, tall and thick, with cinnamon on top. Photo via
Ethiopia: Taste of Ethiopia 28639 Northwestern Hwy., Southfield Just in case there’s one reader left who hasn’t eaten Ethiopian, it works like this: You use injera, a spongy flatbread made simply from water and the ancient grain teff to scoop up your food — no flatware. Photo via Tom Perkins
Hungary: Hungarian Rhapsody 14315 Northline Rd., Southgate Phenomenally popular after 24 years downriver, Hungarian Rhapsody is for those seeking prodigious plates of comfort food. Be prepared for a longish wait for your food, and perhaps use it to peruse crafts from the old country, dolls dressed in the national costume, and embroidered tablecloths and runners. The tables are set with the lovely cloths, too, luckily protected under glass. Photo via Tom Perkins
India: NeeHee’s 45656 Ford Rd., Canton Thrillist ranked NeeHee’s Indian vegetarian street food among the country’s best 23 Indian restaurants. Vegetarians rejoice, as the entire menu is tailored to you.  Photo via Tom Perkins
Iraq: Ishtar 3625 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights  With the area’s large Chaldean population, most would think Detroit would accompany multiple Iraqi restaurants, but Ishtar is only one of few. Most of the praise goes to the chicken dishes, sizeable in portion, seasoned to perfection, and sometimes partnered with veggies. A lot of the dishes are served with traditional Iraqi tanoor bread, good for dipping, wrapping, and grabbing. There’s also a spew of fresh smoothie options, and for those celebrating another year, an extra special birthday surprise. Photo via
Jamaica: The Jamaican Pot 14615 W. Eight Mile Rd., Detroit Stepping into Jamaican Pot’s small carryout shop in a nondescript northwest Detroit stripmall puts one in a place that’s a bit of a rarity in the city. Aside from the jerk and curry, the menu is heavy on thyme, garlic, scallions, and ginger, some which is detectable in the Bob Marley. The vegetarian jumble of red beans, butter beans, scallions, carrots, and other root veggies soaks in an intense sauce that drenches a pile of white rice. Photo via
Japan: Fumi 24271 Novi Rd., Novi The first thing you’ll notice at an izakaya is that what qualifies as “pub fare” in Japan tends to be a lot healthier than what boils in oil before landing on a bartop here in most bars. At Fumi, there’s a lot of mixing and matching of soy, mirin, and ginger. There’s plenty of fresh ingredients, and even the deep-fried plates — karaage, tempura, or agedashi — aren’t overfried. Photo via
South Korea: Korean Palace 34744 Dequindre Rd., Sterling Heights One of the treats about eating Korean food is the array of a half-dozen side dishes — banchan — that come with the meal. That the little plates of banchan will appear soon after you order is just assumed by the mostly Korean clientele at Korea Palace — you won’t find a reference to them on the menu. Photo via
Lebanon: Al Ameer 12710 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn What started off as a small, three-booth eatery with a limited menu, has now become one of the most classic Lebanese restaurants in Michigan. In the 1990s, Khalil Ammar and Zaki Hashem’s mediterranian establishment rose to popularity, growing notably for the simplicity of their food, meat lightly spiced but taste and flavor fulfilling.   Photo via
Mexico: Taqueria Mi Pueblo 7278 Dix St., Detroit Southwest Detroit’s Mi Pueblo long ago established itself as one of the town’s go to spots for Mexican fare. While the bulk of its trade is in tacos, the family restaurant now also offers a variety of hot bowls. Photo via
Morocco: Casablanca 2333 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti The pressure is on as Casablanca is the only Moroccan restaurant in Detroit, but this Moroccan spot holds the title well. The menu consists of Morocco-style hot chicken, a lamb tagine bowl, and a Moroccan meatball sub just to name a few. A list of vegan options are also offered, and all under $11. Photo via
Pakistan: Karahi Korner 27616 Middlebelt Rd., Farmington Hills A literal hole in the wall, located in the back of an Indian and Pakistani grocery store at 12 Mile and Middlebelt Road. The chef’s touch of spices, heat, and acid are what makes this delicious takeout square an underrated gem. You can always count on chicken karahi and biryani between 1 and 2 p.m., and kebabs after 4 p.m. These are three essentials out of the 15-optioned menu, which isn’t always available in full, but whichever choice is made will be guaranteed to satisfy your appetite. Photo via
Peru: Culantro 22939 Woodward Ave., Ferndale Culantro is a family-run operation near Nine Mile Road and Woodward Avenue that’s offering a fine introduction to the nation’s interesting cuisine. Among Culantro’s most popular options are those that are also most popular in Peru, like the pollo a la brasa and aji de gallina. In the former, a whole bird is marinated for 24 hours before it lands in a special coal-fueled stove brought in from Peru. It’s pretty clear from the flavor as to why Culantro would import a charcoal oven instead of simply using gas. Photo via
Poland: Polish Village Cafe 2990 Yemans St., Hamtramck Not only is the food good, but it’s presented on the menu with the kind of indifferent spelling that screams authenticity. (Don’t miss the specials board by the entrance). Photo via
Puerto Rico: Rincon Tropical 6538 Michigan Ave., Detroit Puerto Rican food is meant for those with a huge appetite, and an example of this can be witnessed at Rincon Tropical, where servings are well-suited and heavy. You may also want to stop by during the weekend, where there’s a DJ mixing the sounds of merengue, bachata, and reggaeton — and the drinks are cheap. Photo via
Russia: Royal Eagle Restaurant 18745 Old Homestead Dr., Harper Woods The restaurant is housed on the grounds of a Russian monastery (St. Sabbas), complete with miniature onion domes. Tucked into a quiet east-side neighborhood, the location, however, is a venue for religious practice first and foremost. Photo via
Senegal: Maty’s 21611 Grand River Ave., Detroit As the city’s only Senegalese restaurant, you can be forgiven for not having tried it yet. And yet, for cuisine that — in theory — is so unusual in Detroit, the suite of flavors in Maty’s jumbo portions of meats and fish alludes to something familiar. Photo via Tom Perkins
Syria: Al Chabab 12930 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn Chef and co-owner Chamo Barakat makes sure to proudly incorporate the roots from his home of Aleppo into Syrian eatery, Al Chabab. This small family restaurant is loved for its authenticity of culture, as well as its friendly service. A suggested dish is the muhammara, a hot pepper dip consisting of spices, oils, and rich protein. Photo via
Thailand: Satay House 31101 Dequindre Rd., Madison Heights If you’ve been keeping a bucket list of all the world cuisines you want to try, now you can head to Madison Heights — already known for its excellent Vietnamese restaurants — to cross off Malay. Lovers of Chinese and Thai will feel at home, but there are enough differences to be intriguing. Photo via
Venezuela: El Rey de Las Arepas 7701 McGraw Ave., Detroit You will definitely be ordering arepas, the Venezuelan version of the empanada (or samosa or pasty). It’s ground corn flour is shaped into a circle, grilled, split like a biscuit, and then filled with whatever you like. It’s sort of like a huge English muffin, but with flavor. Photo via
Vietnam: Que Huong 30820 John R Rd., Madison Heights Across John R from Thuy Trang is Que Huong. It’s a go-to for banh mi, but its pho is also fine — deep, complex broth that shimmers even though the 10-table shop is dim. Like the dozens of other pho spots in Madison Heights, Que Huong can run out of space in its small 1970s strip mall location. Photo via
Yemen: Remas 11444 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck Lamb is truly the delight of Remas, offered in many Yemeni varieties and also on the Lebanese side as chops or shish kabob. It can be prepared as boram, mandi, haneeth, fahsah, agdah, saltah or masloug, which involve various ways of roasting, boiling, searing, simmering, braising and combining with vegetables for stews. Photo via

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