Day-by-day eating plans for Detroit. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Detroit weekend: the dishes the city invented ★ 4.8

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend built around the dishes Detroit invented: square pizza at the source, coneys on Lafayette Boulevard, Saturday at Eastern Market and a Dearborn shawarma to close.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Eastern Market, downtown coneys, Corktown dinner

    Morning
    Eastern Market by 09:00 for Saturday produce; Anthology Coffee on Division for pour-over and Supino Pizzeria on Russell for a slice while the market peaks.
    Afternoon
    Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island side by side downtown for two coneys with mustard and onion. Wander The Belt alley between Gratiot and Broadway before heading west.
    Evening
    Takoi on Michigan Avenue in Corktown at 19:00 for crispy rice salad and whole-fried fish; Sugar House further east on Michigan in Corktown for a Prohibition-era cocktail to close, or Standby in The Belt downtown if you double back.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: brunch, Dearborn Lebanese lunch, Detroit-style pizza

    Morning
    Dime Store on Griswold at 08:30 for brunch in the Chrysler House; coffee and a Bloody Mary off the editorial draw of a list.
    Afternoon
    Drive to Dearborn for Al Ameer on West Warren Avenue, James Beard America's Classic, for shawarma and warm pita; Shatila Bakery on Warren for pistachio baklava to go.
    Evening
    Buddy's Pizza at the original Conant location for the canonical square pizza in the blue-steel pan; finish with a Boston cooler at American Coney Island on the way back downtown.

Detroit's immigrant neighborhoods in three days ★ 4.7

Returning visitor, food-focused traveller3 days

Three days walking Detroit's immigrant food strips: Hamtramck Polish and Yemeni, Mexicantown taquerias and Dearborn Lebanese. A deeper look than the weekend route.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Hamtramck Polish and Yemeni

    Morning
    Cafe 1923 on Holbrook by 09:00 for drip coffee; New Palace Bakery on Joseph Campau by 10:00 for a paczki and a babka.
    Afternoon
    Polish Village Cafe on Yemans for pierogi and kielbasa lunch; Srodek's on Joseph Campau for take-home pierogi and smoked kielbasa.
    Evening
    Yemen Cafe on Joseph Campau at 19:00 for lamb mandi and saltah; cardamom coffee and walk the strip past the Bangladeshi cluster.

  2. Day 2: Day 2: Mexicantown, Corktown

    Morning
    Honey Bee Market on Bagley for breakfast burritos and fresh tortillas at the hot counter; cafecito to go.
    Afternoon
    Taqueria El Rey for al pastor tacos lunch; Mexican Village on Bagley for an old-school combination plate; El Asador on Springwells for the gourmet edge.
    Evening
    Folk Detroit in Corktown for a daytime stop; Slows Bar BQ on Michigan for pulled pork and burnt ends dinner; Sugar House for cocktails after.

  3. Day 3: Day 3: Dearborn Lebanese and Greektown close

    Morning
    Shatila Bakery on West Warren by 09:00 for cardamom coffee and a kunafa breakfast; the pastry case is the move.
    Afternoon
    Al Ameer for lunch shawarma; Sahara Restaurant on Michigan Avenue for the alternative Lebanese kitchen and a stop at La Pita.
    Evening
    Greektown on Monroe Street: Pegasus Taverna for saganaki and lamb chops dinner, Astoria Pastry Shop next door for galaktoboureko and a Greek coffee to close.

Detroit budget weekend: $20 a meal ★ 4.4

On a budget, two days2 days

A weekend in Detroit that keeps every meal under $20 and still hits the canonical dishes: Coney dogs, sliders, tacos, pierogi, paczki and a Detroit slice.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Coneys, sliders, Eastern Market

    Morning
    Eastern Market by 09:00; Saturday produce stalls, Lush Yummies Pie for a sweet potato pie and Anthology Coffee for the pour-over.
    Afternoon
    Lafayette Coney Island for two coneys ($10), then Telway Hamburgers on Michigan Avenue for sliders ($8) by way of comparison.
    Evening
    Green Dot Stables in Corktown for $3 sliders, fries and a $3 cocktail; a full meal under $20 with rotating slider varieties.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Mexicantown tacos, Hamtramck Polish, Detroit slice

    Morning
    Honey Bee Market in Mexicantown for breakfast tacos under $10; pick up fresh tortillas for later.
    Afternoon
    Polish Village Cafe in Hamtramck for a pierogi plate and kielbasa lunch under $18; New Palace Bakery on Joseph Campau for a babka and paczki to go.
    Evening
    Niki's Pizza in Greektown for a deep-dish Detroit slice ($6) and a Greek salad; American Coney Island for a Boston cooler to close.

Detroit coney and pizza night: the canonical comfort run ★ 4.7

Single late evening1 evening

A Detroit comfort night across the Coney Island originals and a Detroit-style square pie.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Lafayette, American, Buddy's

    Morning
    Skip; this itinerary starts at dinner.
    Afternoon
    Aperitif at Sugar House in Corktown at 17:30 for a Detroit Old Fashioned with rye.
    Evening
    Dinner crawl from 19:00: Lafayette Coney Island for a two-coney with mustard and onion, then American Coney Island next door for the comparison. End at Buddy's Pizza on Conant for the original Detroit-style square pie.

Eastern Market Saturday: morning hall, afternoon brewery ★ 4.6

Single Saturday1 day

A Saturday-morning Eastern Market wander into an afternoon Corktown brewery and an evening Greektown dinner.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Eastern Market to Greektown

    Morning
    Eastern Market opens at 06:00 Saturday; arrive around 09:00 for the produce, smoked meat from R Hirt Jr, and a coffee from Germack Coffee Roasting at the Shed.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Russell Street Deli for a Reuben at 13:00. Walk over to Corktown for a flight at Batch Brewing Company.
    Evening
    Dinner in Greektown at Pegasus Taverna from 19:30 for the flaming saganaki (the Opa shout from the servers is required) and a Greek salad. Walk for one drink at The Old Shillelagh.
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