New American small plates$$$downtown
Wright & Company on the second floor of the Wright-Kay Building on Woodward serves James Beard-nominated composed small plates in Detroit. Open since 2014.
Signature: Burrata plate, Lamb meatballs
Order: Three to four shared plates with the burrata and the lamb meatballs leading.
Tip: Reservations strongly recommended for weekend evenings; cocktails worth a stop alone.
Farm-to-table New American$$$midtown
Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails in the Park Shelton next to the DIA serves farm-to-table small plates in Detroit's Midtown. Open since 2015.
Signature: Seasonal vegetable plate, Duck confit
Order: Seasonal vegetable composition and the cocktail list, which leans bitter and herbal.
Tip: Two private dining rooms; lunch Fridays only. Walk-ins for the bar.
Contemporary American$$$$ferndale
Mabel Gray on John R Road in Hazel Park serves chef James Rigato's no-set-menu kitchen, five-time James Beard semifinalist. Open since 2015.
Signature: No-set-menu chef's plate, Local game
Order: The market plate; whatever the kitchen runs that night, no two services repeat.
Tip: Tuesday through Sunday; bookings on Tock. Twenty-five seats; reservations open four weeks out.
Seafood$$$ferndale
Voyager on Vester Street in Ferndale serves sustainable seafood and a raw bar across the city line from Detroit. Open since 2017, an oyster-focused kitchen that landed Food and Wine Restaurant of the Year in 2018.
Signature: Oysters, Crudo plates
Order: A half-dozen East and West Coast oysters and the daily crudo composition.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Bar runs through 22:00 on weekends.
Steakhouse$$$$downtown
Prime + Proper in Capitol Park on Griswold Street serves a modern Detroit steakhouse in a 1912 building. Open since November 2017.
Signature: Dry-aged steak, Tableside Caesar
Order: The dry-aged ribeye, hash browns and the tableside Caesar.
Tip: Reservations through Resy; cocktail bar takes walk-ins for the front bar seats.
Seafood$$$$downtown
Joe Muer Seafood on the river inside the Renaissance Center serves classic Detroit seafood since the 2011 GM Tower revival. Original Joe Muer's dates to 1929.
Signature: Whitefish, Lobster bisque
Order: Pan-fried Michigan whitefish and the lobster bisque, both legacy plates.
Tip: Floor-to-ceiling river view best at sunset. Saturday dinner-only; book a week out.