The 10 dishes you must try in Detroit right now – and where to try them

You may be familiar with Coney dogs and Detroit-style pizza. Yet those standbys are just the beginning of Detroit’s dining scene, which continues to grow and evolve at a breakneck rate. 

The incredible agricultural productivity and diversity of Michigan pushes chefs in the state’s biggest city to get creative – especially through seasonal menus that change all the time. Other factors, too, combine to make the city’s food scene exciting. The city is home to historic Eastern Market, the nation’s largest outdoor farmers market, and hot spot for food trucks. A huge urban-farm network, one of the most extensive in the USA, ensures that produce is as local as it gets. And a growing movement of independent Black-led grocers, including the Detroit People’s Food Co-Op and Neighborhood Grocery, are helping to bring top-notch food to every community in the city.

Here’s just a small taste of what the Motor City has to offer right now.

1. Behold the Big Baby burger at Food Exchange

Corned beef has always been huge in Detroit. And over the years, the staple has inspired unique creations – like the corned beef egg rolls found at Asian Cornedbeef and What’s The Dill’s Yum Yum pickle sandwich. Yet no dish is bolder and beefier than the corned beef burger. For 25 years, it’s been a staple at Food Exchange on the city’s east side, in the form of the Big Baby, a work of love created by the restaurant’s owner, the late Bruce Harvey. On an onion roll, you’ll find a massive hand-shaped patty grilled to perfection and topped with corned beef, two melted cheeses (Swiss and American) plus all the classic burger fixings. 

How to get it: The burger takes about 25 minutes to cook, and seating is limited (it’s a takeout-style place). Depending on your hunger level, consider calling ahead or ordering online.