Detroit’s Best Spots for Local Cuisine

Behold a pizza place worth the wait—Buddy’s Pizza is praised for its take on Detroit-style pizza: a square-shaped, deep-dish pie topped with marinara, and cooked to chewy perfection. Health-watchers rejoice—their pizza also comes gluten-free. With recognitions such as “Nation’s Five Best Pizza Places” from the Food Network, this restaurant is one that cannot be missed.

“Oh my God, we have to take you into town to get a Coney. It’s a taste of pure Michigan,” exclaimed one of my friends who I visited for a summer weekend. Take a hot dog on a steamed bun from New York’s famed Coney Island, throw in a bunch of Greek and Macedonian immigrants and a booming auto industry, add meaty chili sauce, chopped onions, and mustard and you have a staple that has dominated the Motor City landscape for nearly a century. Although it is unclear who exactly brought the delicacy to Michigan, many credit the Keros Brothers, Gust and Bill, as the pioneers with their neighboring downtown Detroit spots, American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island. My friend and his family’s dedication to Lafayette runs so deep that I had to opt for the latter. At first blush, it may be more dingy and cramped than its counterpart, but the informal, homely service coupled with the simple menu has consistently made it a draw for diners. Order “one with everything” along with a side of their crispy fries and wash it down with a can of Labbatt Blue beer.

Al-Ameer restaurant has one of the finest reputations in the metro Detroit area for Middle Eastern cuisine. And that’s saying something in a neighborhood that’s home to America’s largest Arab American community! Owners recommend visitors order the grilled chicken breast, served with a garlic-lemon hot sauce.

Philly has its cheesesteaks; New York, its bagels with lox. Locals in these places are seemingly born with a precise vernacular and ingrained cultural etiquette on how to order these food items. Detroiters are not left without their regional delicacy: the Coney Island. Despite its geographically disorienting name, it’s not a Brooklyn theme park but rather a hot dog topped with chili and sliced onions. When you’re in town and ready to make the acquaintance of the de rigueur Detroit food item, head to American Coney Island, one of the historic downtown purveyors of this quintessential dish.

On a Saturday during the summer, the line for Supino Pizzeria can stretch around the block. The nearby Eastern Market can draw a crowd of 30-40,000 people and most of those have heard just how legendary the pizza is at this artisan outpost. Brave the line, or revel in the lack of one if you happen to visit on a day there’s less of a crowd. Be patient with the staff, they’re working as hard as they can. Order a San Pelligrino—trust me, it goes better with this pizza than soda—and take a risk on the Specialty of the Day if you’re ordering a slice and not a whole pie. The day I was there, the special involved squash blossoms and all manner of unusual but incredibly deliciously inventive toppings. It paired nicely with a slice of typical pepperoni. Some things are worth waiting in line for! Supino Pizzeria is located at 2457 Russell Street, very close to the heart of Eastern Market.