Midtown is one of Detroit’s best neighborhoods for tourists and locals to explore. It is home to top notch museums such as the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, and the Detroit Historical Museum as well as Wayne State University. In addition to its many great museum, Midtown is home to many fantastic restaurants of all kinds. There are plenty of restaurants to check out along Woodward Avenue, Cass Avenue, and many of the side streets within the area. These are some of the best restaurants in Midtown Detroit.
Detroit Shipping Company
The Detroit Shipping Company is a place where you can enjoy some great food from different vendors while also grabbing a drink from the bar. The complex is built out of shipping containers to add an industrial feel to your dining experience. As of May 2022, Bangkok 96 Street Food (Thai), Coop Caribbean Chicken, Momo Cha (Nepalese), Halal Street, Motorburger, and 320 Coffee & Creamery are several vendors where you can order some food while enjoying a drink and occasionally some entertainment. When I went last year, I ordered the Famous Pad Thai Roll from Bangkok 96 which tasted like a mix of a burrito and Pad Thai which was absolutely fantastic.
Honest John’s
If you are looking for a great-tasting brunch in Midtown, Honest John’s is the place to go. The restaurant is known for serving all-day breakfast with many great breakfast classics from omelets, pancakes, and french toast to chicken & waffles. In addition to breakfast, the restaurant also serves some great sandwiches, burgers, and chicken tenders. When I went, I was able to try the chicken & waffles, and it was cooked to perfection with the perfect combination of fried chicken, a large waffle, sugar, and some honey. I can honestly say it was so good!
Rocco’s Italian Deli
Rocco’s Italian Deli is a classic Italian deli located within Midtown’s Cass Corridor. Inside the deli you will find some of the freshest meats and cheeses you can find. You can order different meats like prosciutto, mortadella, and salami as well as Italian cheeses by the pound or order different sandwiches and salads. Make sure to get the Il Rocco sandwich which is filled with soppressata, mortadella, and fontina cheese. Each bite of the sandwich had very rich flavors in every bite and was one of the best sandwiches I had ever eaten in all of Michigan. One thing to note is that indoor seating is very limited, so you may need to take your sandwich to go if there are no open tables (I had to eat in my car, but it was worth it).
Royale with Cheese
A Royale with Cheese might be what Paris calls a Quarter Pounder with Cheese according to Vincent Vega, but it is also the name of a spot along Cass Avenue in Midtown which serves some great-tasting burgers. Inspired by the blockbuster film “Pulp Fiction”, Royale with Cheese is a great place for some mouth-watering burgers which are made fresh with locally-sourced ingredients. When I went, I ordered Just a Burger (yes, that is what my burger was called) which had some fresh beef, cheese fondue, and other great toppings along with some great garlic parmesan fries while sitting near a mural of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson behind me.
Shangri-La
If you are looking for a place in Detroit for some great dim sum, Shangri-La is the place to go. Located near the campus of Wayne State University, Shangri-La offers dim sum which you normally will not find at every Chinese restaurant in the United States along with your American Chinese favorites. Some of the dim sum offered includes many great dumplings, chicken feet, and other great eats. I decided to get the steamed small pork dumplings along with the fried meat dumplings, and they were fresh and delicious!
The Block
The Block is a fantastic restaurant located right on Woodward Avenue located less than a mile north from Little Caesars Arena. The restaurant offers a wide assortment of great food from burgers, sandwiches, and salads to salmon, short rib, and even some Southern classics. When I went, I got to enjoy a fresh and delicious salmon cucumber burger with hot sweet potato fries. I knew I was in for a treat when the server himself recommended the burger to me, and it was delightful!
Common Pub
Located in the heart of the campus of Wayne State University, the Common Pub is a great place to go for some great pub fare and drinks. The restaurant is well-known for frying different foods especially their french fries in duck fat to give it that rich flavor. I heard many great things about the fish & chips at the Common Pub, so I went inside to enjoy some amazing fried cod with a side of the famous duck fat fries. It was quite amazing!
Whether you are looking for some great brunch, burgers, fish & chips, dim sum, or other great, fresh food, these are some of the best restaurants to check out in Midtown Detroit. After spending the day exploring the many great museums in Midtown or catching a Pistons or Red Wings game at Little Caesars Arena, these are some of the many great options for food you can discover in Midtown. I also recently made a vlog exploring three of these restaurants!
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