Continuing our exploration of the best of Detroit’s cuisine, we hit up Maryam Khan, the chef and owner of Pakistani food pop-up Khana, to share some of her favorites.

“I’m a self-taught chef and active community member of what I believe to be the greatest city in the world,” Khan says. “I was born in Detroit at Hutzel Hospital on Woodward, grew up gallivanting through Southwest nearly every weekend to satisfy my father’s insatiable appetite for shrimp fajitas, have been love-locked with the dazzling sheds of produce at Eastern Market since childhood, and spent countless hours of my life losing myself to the music on the dancefloors and warehouses dotting Detroit. This city is the greatest love of my life, and an inspiration for my own food baby, Khana. I wouldn’t have been able to grow my business in the ways I have over nearly six years if it wasn’t for the culinary influences and communal support of Detroit and its beloved inhabitants, many of whom I’m forever grateful to for playing integral roles in growing Khana. In the truest sense, it has taken a village.”

In 2023, Khana came in second place on season 16 of the Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race. While Khana is actually not a food truck, it has acted as a pop-up in metro Detroit since 2018. It’s currently a top-four finalist in Hatch Detroit’s pitch contest, and Khan is fighting hard for the top spot with hopes to take home the $100,000 prize with the goal of opening a brick-and-mortar for Khana soon.

“As a Detroiter who admittedly often complains that we live in a food desert, writing this list of metro Detroit restaurants that I adore reminded me that while we may not yet have the quantity of other metropolises, we do not lack the quality, nor do we leave very much to be desired in terms of diversity,” Khan says. “If America is a melting pot, then Detroit is the secret seasoning that gives it that OOMPH; disregarded by some, but deeply appreciated by those who recognize its immeasurable contributions to the big picture. I hope you all discover a gem or two to add to your rotation of go-tos. A word of advice from me to the reader: make a habit of dining alone every so often with a seat at the bar. Some of my favorite dining experiences have come to life in this indulgent way. Cheers.”

Here are Khan’s favorite metro Detroit restaurants, in no particular order:

Chung Ki Wa 2101 15 Mile Rd., Sterling Heights; chungkiwami.com “If I had to eat one cuisine for the rest of my life, I might choose Korean (apologies to my Pakistani & Indian ancestors), and I think I can attribute my favoritism to two words: side dishes, aka Banchan. Bet you thought I was gonna say Korean BBQ! Go to any classic Korean restaurant and it’s likely that you get an array of small plates featuring a different spread of spicy, salty, pickled, crunchy, savory ~things~ to accompany and enhance your meal. Chung Ki Wa is a staple Korean eatery in my rotation of restaurants where I love dropping in anytime I find myself out in the Sterling Heights area shopping for spices. The ambiance is cozy and old school, and their *thick* menu of offerings ranges from raw meat & seafood platters for you to cook on the grill at your table to delicious noodle dishes and stews, and all the classic apps, such as Pajeon (scallion pancake) and dumplings. If I’m not in the mood for KBBQ, I love their Sundubu Jjigae — a brothy spicy stew with silken tofu and typically a seafood mix, however, I suggest going with beef or ground pork to get ultra hearty over rice, best washed down with a round of Soju.” Credit: Google Maps
La Jalisciense 3923 Vernor Hwy.; lajalisciensedetroit.com Open daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Credit: Tom Perkins
Yemen Cafe 8740 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 313-871-4349; yemencaferestaurant.com This halal restaurant serves up favorites like shish tawook and shawarma until 1 a.m. daily. Credit: @skp00101, Instagram
Fuji Japanese Buffet 32153 John R Rd., Madison Heights; fujibuffet.com “OK, hear me out. We need more buffets of the caliber that Fuji Buffet is operating under. The geniuses behind the beloved grocery store 168 Asian Mart opened Fuji Buffet in the same strip mall, and my assumption is that they’re using the same produce they’re selling to fill the buffet bins with delicious and piping hot Asian favorites, and the best sushi section I have ever seen at a buffet since the devastating closure of Tokyo Buffet Lounge in Southfield. It’s similar to what Whole Foods is doing with their hot food bar, except the food is actually good and worth your money. Buffets are often shamed for being more quantity, less quality, but I’m here to vouch for Fuji and begrudgingly yell that it holds it down for both in fear of blowing up the spot, but also secretly hoping someone sees this as the sign they needed to open more high-qual buffets in metro Detroit — especially if they already own a grocery store! Reducing food waste while feeding hungry patrons? Now that’s how to properly get two birds stoned at once.” Credit: Google Maps
Bronx Bar 4476 2nd Ave., Detroit; 313-832-8464 An archetypal dive bar with pool tables and jukeboxes that serves burgers, fried bologna sandwiches, mozzarella sticks, and more until 11 p.m. daily. Credit: Michelle Gerard
Chartreuse 15 E. Kirby St., Detroit; chartreusekc.com “Maybe it’s the living green wall surrounded by bright splashes of green and Ouizi’s flower mural greeting you from the vestibule as soon as you enter, or the dried flowers fixed to bright netting acting as a gentle space divider, but simply walking into Chartreuse lifts my spirits. The service here is impeccable, the drinks are artfully crafted, and the food is nuanced and exciting. The best way I can describe this favorite restaurant of mine is ‘heartwarming.’ The most impressive thing about Chartreuse to me is the caliber of food they are creating in the tiny kitchen space they have. This is one of the spots where I’d love to someday be a fly on the wall (or a voluntary set of hands) during their prep hours, just so I could see the magic come together behind the scenes. Take a seat at the bar near the Chef’s station and you can watch every element of your elegant yet approachable meal come together in an orchestrated fashion with just enough room for their elbows not to collide. It’s remarkable. You can only imagine what would explode from a roomier space; or perhaps the chefs occupying this little slice of heaven find creativity within the limitation. Either way, the food speaks for itself from the moment you’re taking in its plated beauty to the last lick of your dessert spoon. Locally & ethically sourced produce never looked and tasted so good.” Credit: Chartreuse/Facebook
One World Market 42705 Grand River Ave., Novi; oneworldmarket.us “During the days of the pandemic while we were all scrambling to find ways to inject normalcy into our new lives of being shuttered in, I created the ritual of Car Sushi, where I would get copious amounts of takeout sushi and eat them all in my car by myself. It was something that brought me comfort and joy, and was a safe break from preparing and eating every meal at home. I still partake in this ritual in our post-pandemic world. One World Market has always been one of my favorite places to get takeaway sushi and other Japanese pantry staples. Located in Novi amongst a landscape of super underrated Asian eateries (honorable mentions to Fumi & Ajishin), it’s a mini Japanese mart with a little sushi spot tucked in the corner, where they have some of the freshest fish, and also offer prepared meals such as Tonkatsu, grilled mackerel, and Okonomiyaki in prepared Bento boxes. You can buy strips of sashimi-grade fish here as well to make your own sushi or chirashi bowls at home, or stick to stacking up on fairly priced containers of ready-to-eat sushi; best enjoyed off your car’s center console, if you ask me.” Credit: Google Maps
SheWolf 438 Selden St., Detroit ;313-315-3992; shewolfdetroit.com This stylish spot serves contemporary Italian inspired by Rome. Credit: Facebook, SheWolf
Cedarland 13007 Warren Ave., Dearborn; cedarlandrestaurantmi.com “When I crave a classic diner experience, my mind goes to a place that would probably be considered unconventional and I end up in Dearborn at Cedarland, sitting in their large windowed aisle of booths looking at Warren Ave. Though this isn’t your spot for pancakes & waffles, omelets and chicken finger pita, it’s where you get bangin’ Lebanese food for the most bang for your buck. Whether you spend $12 or $40, you’re probably going home full and likely with leftovers. They start you off with their classic lentil soup and a basket of pita bread (not the fresh stuff — the kind you get from your local Arabic market in a plastic bag). Their portions are always big enough to share, the food comes out quickly, and it’s absolutely delicious. On days that I spend gathering ingredients for Khana, I’ll drop in and get a quick chicken Shawarma. On nights that I’m satisfying a craving or having lunch with friends, I’m ordering a Ghallaba with hummus for the table, complete with a course of Fattoush and also adding the Mujaddara and Falafel for good measure. It might not sound like enough food, but four of us are leaving in a food coma.” Credit: Google Maps
Greene’s Hamburgers 24155 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington “You know those small white square buildings that read ‘HAMBURGER’ dotting all of metro Detroit? It seems like everyone who is familiar with them has their opinion on which one is the best, even though I believe we all secretly agree they’re all more or less the same. As a late teen sneaking off to house parties (sorry Ammi), Greene’s on Orchard Lake in Farmington is where my friends and I would end up at 3 a.m. to wash down anything we had previously imbibed in. There’s nothing like a smash patty burger with melty american cheese, grilled onion, a greasy bun, and a side of salty peppered fries eaten at the bar of a classic Michigan burger joint. Three burgers with everything is the minimum, if you ask me. To this day, one of the most flattering and convincing ways a near stranger asked me out years ago was by saying, ‘Wanna get a sack of burgers together sometime?’ Get in stranger, we’re going to Greene’s.” Credit: Paul S, Yelp
Grey Ghost 47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534; greyghostdetroit.com While you can find a burger and fries on Grey Ghost’s menu, the food selection doesn’t just stop at typical American bar food. There’s also dishes like tuna tartare, lamb chops, duck, and tagliatelle. Credit: Google Maps
SuperCrisp 4830 Cass Ave., Suite C, Detroit; 313-474-8880; supercrisp.com Chef Mike Ransom’s karaage fried chicken sandwich at his other restaurant Ima was so popular that he decided to open another shop dedicated to it. Beyond the famous fried chicken sandwich, SuperCrisp also offers burgers and fries topped with Asian flavors like kimchi and wasabi. There are also plenty of vegetarian options available. Credit: SuperCrisp/Instagram
Selden Standard 3921 2nd Avenue; seldenstandard.com Open daily 5 to 10 p.m. Credit: Michelle Gerard
Trizest 33170 Dequindre Rd., Sterling Heights; 586-268-1450; trizest.com This long-standing restaurant boasts some of the most authentic Sichuan cuisine in the region. It was named “Best Chinese” in Macomb County by readers in our 2022 Best of Detroit poll. Credit: Tom Perkins
Maryam Kahn. Credit: Courtesy photo

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Layla McMurtrie is the digital editor of Detroit Metro Times. She's passionate about art, music, food, and Detroit's culture and community. Her work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Between...