The Motor City has plenty to offer both tourists and locals. Historic landmarks like the Michigan Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and The Fisher Building, and sites like the Detroit Zoo, the Motown Museum, and Comerica Park are just a few of the many fascinating things to check out. When it comes time to eat, the dining options are top-notch.
The cuisine is so tasty, that National Geographic named Detroit as one of the top “unexpected cities” for food lovers. This accolade would lead one to believe Detroit has many high-rated restaurants. Perhaps even a few Michelin Star restaurants.
While the Detroit area does have several Michelin-worthy restaurants, none currently hold a Michelin Star. This is because there is currently no Michelin chapter in Michigan. Even though Detroit doesn’t currently hold any stars doesn’t mean there aren’t any restaurants worthy of the award.
Keep reading to find out which restaurants should make the cut if Michelin expanded its guide to Detroit.
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Restaurants in Detroit Worthy of a Michelin Star
Michelin has rated restaurants in the U.S. since 2005, but they’ve only added a handful of U.S. guides during that time. While the Michelin Guide has expanded to areas such as New York City and Chicago, there are still many locations in the country left untouched.
Detroit is a large city with an excellent food scene, but Michelin has yet to make its way there to rate some of the local restaurants. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any restaurants in Detroit that are worthy of a Michelin Star.
If Michelin decided to rate the restaurants in the area, here are some of the Detroit restaurants that could make the cut:
- The Apparatus Room
- Selden Standard
- The Whitney
- Prime + Proper
- Mabel Gray
- Oak & Reel
Detroit has numerous high-class restaurants and each restaurant brings its own flair to the cuisine, whether it’s internationally inspired or inspired by local flavors. Let’s explore what makes each of these Detroit restaurants special enough to potentially be considered for a Michelin Star.
The Apparatus Room
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From the beautifully lit bar to the cozy and comfortable dining room, The Apparatus Room has everything you need for an enjoyable night out in Detroit. This upscale restaurant offers American cuisine in an industrial-style atmosphere inside the Detroit Foundation Hotel. The restaurant's unique location was previously the headquarters of the Detroit Fire Department, but the restaurant owners have repurposed the space most creatively and excitingly.
Chef Rece Hogerheide runs the show at The Apparatus Room, at least as far as the kitchen goes. Guests at The Apparatus Room get a full view of the open kitchen, adding to the overall dining experience. Chef Hogerheide focuses on using fresh ingredients from local Michigan farmers to create delicious shareable plates and entrees.
You can visit The Apparatus Room for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Those staying at The Detroit Foundation Hotel can even enjoy the cuisine from their hotel room with in-room dining. When you enjoy a meal at The Apparatus Room, you might experience items like the Spanish Octopus with beet and pickled tomato or the Braised Pork Collar with creamed savoy cabbage and a green apple puree.
Selden Standard
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Whether you choose a seat inside with a full view of the kitchen or a seat on the cozy outdoor patio, you’ll have a memorable meal when you dine at Selden Standard. The idea behind Selden Standard was to create a comfortable place for you to enjoy a delicious meal with friends. Additionally, the staff builds each menu item with ingredients from local farms and serves them as sharable portions to encourage a community experience.
Aside from the items on the menu, the staff at Selden Standard also take the bar seriously as part of the overall experience of the restaurant. Each wine and brew is carefully selected to perfectly pair and complement each appetizer or entree. Considering its success, it’s no surprise that the Selden Standard has been recognized by local publications like the Detroit Free Press and Hour Detroit.
Executive Chef Andy Hollyday creates an exceptional dining experience with meals crafted from fresh, local ingredients. When you visit Selden Standard for dinner, you can choose from items like the Beef Bolognese with roasted pears and parmesan or the Roasted Beet Salad with ricotta, pomegranate, and pecans.
The Whitney
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Words fall short when it comes to describing the beauty, class, and charm of The Whitney, a fine dining restaurant located within the iconic David Whitney Mansion. David Whitney Jr., previously the wealthiest man in Detroit, built the mansion for his family in 1894.
The 22,000-square-foot mansion is now home to the Whitney Restaurant, the Ghost Bar, and the beautiful Whitney Gardens. You can visit the mansion for dinner with a reservation, but it's also an event venue you can reserve for various celebrations.
When you spend the evening at the Whitney, you'll be inspired by more than just the artwork and beautiful Tiffany glass windows. They also have delicious cuisine and extraordinary service. You might start the night with Mrs. Whitney's Sweet Pea Purse, a combination of spring peas, mascarpone, and Parmesan-Romano. For the main course, you can enjoy items like the Beef Wellington or the Orange Smashing Salmon.
Prime + Proper
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The classy and elegant interior at Prime + Proper is only a glimpse into the atmosphere and all the restaurant has to offer. This high-end restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy steak and seafood paired with a glass of wine.
The concept behind Prime + Proper is a modern interpretation of the classic American steakhouse. From the hospitality experience down to the dessert, every detail matters when you dine at Prime + Proper. When you enter the restaurant, which is located in the Capital Park Loft building, you'll experience the attention to detail and rich history of the ideas behind this restaurant.
Each member of the team at Prime + Proper builds relationships with the guests and creates an unforgettable experience. On the dinner menu, you'll find a wide selection of steaks, chops, and seafood from the raw bar. They even have some rare cuts available, like their Japanese Craft A5 Wagyu. You can start off your meal with a selection of caviar or an appetizer such as Zucchini and Eggplant Chips. For dessert, try their Gooey Butter Cake or their Classic Vanilla Cheesecake.
Mabel Gray
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Mabel Gray combines modern American cuisine with the style and flavors of historic Detroit. They pride themselves on creating a comfortable yet classy atmosphere where anyone in the neighborhood can feel at home.
This restaurant is the creation of Chef Rigato; every item on the ever-changing menu is handmade and created with fresh, local ingredients. To keep each experience fresh and surprising, there's no set menu since the entrees change based on seasonal and available ingredients.
Mabel Gray was a James Beard Award semi-finalist and is celebrated across Detroit for its innovative and fresh cuisine. You'll have to take a look at the charming hand-written menu at Mabel Gray to know what they're offering that day, or you can place a call to the restaurant to see what they're offering the day you want to dine.
Oak & Reel
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Oak & Reel is your best bet if you're looking for classy Italian cuisine in Detroit. The chef behind Oak & Reel, Chef Jared Gadbaw, was a Michelin Star chef in New York before returning to the Michigan food scene.
Oak & Reel features classic Italian cuisine with a strong focus on seafood. Chef Jared combines classic dishes with the local flavors of Detroit, bringing a creative spin to many traditional entrees. The atmosphere at Oak & Reel is classy and elegant, yet comfortable enough that you can relax while enjoying a meal with a friend or loved ones.
The dinner menu at Oak & Reel features items such as Lobster Spaghetti and Honey-Roasted Dry Aged Duck. You can also select from their extensive wine list to find the glass that pairs perfectly with your meal. Finish your meal off with their Dark Chocolate Mousse or their Affogato.
Finding the Best Restaurants in Detroit
Detroit is an excellent city with a rich history and plenty of landmarks, museums, and restaurants to visit. Although there aren’t any Michelin Star Restaurants in Detroit, there are numerous restaurants that could be worthy of a Michelin Star in the future.
No matter what brings you to Detroit, you have to make a point to visit some of the top restaurants in the area. If Michelin decides to expand its U.S. guide to reach the cities in Michigan, it may consider some of these restaurants for the Michigan Guide.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©pawel.gaul / E+ via Getty Images.