Michigan Part 5: Detroit's Best Casual Restaurants and Bars

Al - Ameer

Al Ameer

Al-Ameer is a Lebanese restaurant located in Dearborn, Michigan, less than 10 miles outside of Detroit. Dearborn, I learned, has the highest proportion of Muslim residents in the United States. With census data showing that around 55% of residents follow Islam, Dearborn became the first Arab-majority city in the U.S. in 2023. Al-Ameer restaurant is a favorite among locals, as it serves top notch, halal food.

Al-Ameer is a recipient of the James Beard Foundation, America’s Classics Award. This award is given to restaurants that are at least 10 years old, are locally owned and beloved in their region for serving quality food that reflects the character of their community.

What kind of quality food? Well, take for example this homemade pita bread, a type of bread that falls low on my list because I usually find it dry.

That doesn't apply to the pita bread at Al-Ameer, though. Here it was warm, steamy, fluffy and soft. I had to restrain myself from filling up on it alone.

Stuffed Lamb

I prevailed and saved room for my main dish, which was the stuffed lamb. It is made of shredded lamb pieces that are torn from a larger piece of lamb stuffed with herbs and spices. The tender meat is served over rice and topped with sliced, toasted almonds. This is a must-try dish and restaurant, especially if you love Lebanese food, as I do. (For another phenomenal Lebanese restaurant, see my post on Abidjan.)

Baobab Fare

Baobob Fare

From Lebanon in the Middle East, I headed to the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa, all via exploration of the food scene in Detroit. In the North End neighborhood of Detroit, I found Baobab Fare, an East African restaurant. It is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Hamissi Mamba and Nadia Nijimbere, Burundi refugees.

The couple arrived in the United States in 2014, and learned English watching the show "Peppa Pig." From there, it was a whirlwind journey to becoming wildly successful restaurant owners. The couple brought traditional Burundi dishes to Detroit and caught the attention of diners and critics alike. The restaurant has been recognized as a multiple year James Beard, semi-finalist and because a finalist for the first time last year for the Outstanding Restauranteur Award.

Samaki

I was fortunate to meet Mamba, one of the owners, during my visit. He suggested ordering the samaki which consisted of a crisp, flash-fried fillet of fish, garnished with tangy sautéed onions. The fish was also served with fried plantains, stewed yellow beans, and half a serving each of spiced rice pilau and coconut rice. Everything was wonderful!

The Apparatus Room

The Foundation Hotel

If you are looking for a pre-dinner drink or a nightcap, I suggest the Apparatus Room at The Foundation Hotel.

Aside from their great cocktails, one of my favorite things about this place is the space itself.

The Apparatus Room

The Apparatus Room is inside a former fire station. Revamped with plush leather banquets, reclaimed wood, bespoke light fixtures and towering ceilings, it's hard to imagine that Detroit's firetruck cavalry once posted up here, waiting for the call to duty. But you need not imagine it, because still intact and functional, is the fire pole that was once used by the Motor City firefighters, as you'll see in the video above.

Frida and Diego

I settled in at the bar and took in the gorgeous surroundings. I ordered the Frida and Diego cocktail, named for the romance between artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. (Read here about my visit to their home in Mexico.) This cocktail was made with guava-infused blanco tequila, passionfruit, ancho reyes verde and lime and was served in a martini glass with a tahin rim. So good!

Two James Spirits

Corktown

Finally, let's head to Corktown for my last venue in this post. Corktown is a trendy, industrial and hip neighborhood in Detroit.

As the mural says, it is Detroit's oldest, extant neighborhood.

Two James Distillery

There you will find Two James Distillery, widely considered one of the best bars in Detroit. Two James also happens to be Detroit's first licensed distillery since Prohibition. The distillery makes hand crafted spirits, the most famous of which is their highly regarded whiskey.

I sidled up to the edgeless, smooth, concrete bar to see what all the fuss was about. I tried three whiskey's, all of which were great. My favorite was the Catcher's Rye. It was smooth, with notes of cinnamon and almond.

That concludes my food adventure in Detroit, but by no means my Michigan culinary journey altogether. Next up, I visit Ann Arbor, Michigan for more food, fun and football.