Are you visiting Detroit and looking to experience as much of its well-loved food as possible? Or, maybe you’re a Detroit resident and you’re ready to take your love of the Motor City’s great grub up a notch. If so, here are three delicious Detroit dishes you have to try.
The Coney Dog
Most people associate the Coney dog with Coney Island, New York, but have you ever tried an authentic Detroit Coney dog? If not, you need to put this dish on your list. Just keep in mind that the Detroit Coney dog may look slightly different than those in New York. Detroit-based Coney dogs are hot dogs on regular buns bathed in chili, raw onions, and mustard.
The best places to grab a Coney dog in Detroit are American Coney Island and Lafayette Coney Island, two hot dog diners that offer simple menus and delicious food. American Coney Island boasts its offering of “Detroit’s original Coney.” This restaurant uses a specially seasoned natural skin casing hot dog and its own secret chili recipe for a truly unique Coney dog experience.
Lafayette Coney Island is also known for its famous Coney dogs, which are loaded with chili, cheese sauce, and fresh raw onions. Order a dog (or two) with a side of chili fries for a meal you’ll never forget.
Detroit-Style Pizza
You haven’t had pizza until you’ve had Detroit-style deep dish pizza. First introduced by Buddy’s Pizza in 1946, this special kind of pizza boasts a thick, fluffy texture, a square appearance, and crispy edges. Detroit-style pizzas are cooked in blue steel pans so that the cheese caramelizes along the edges.
The best place to grab a slice of Detroit-style pizza is at the place that started it all: Buddy’s Pizza. Buddy’s has several locations throughout the Detroit metropolitan area, and their pizza has ranked as one of the best in the nation. In addition to traditional Detroit-style pizza, Buddy’s also offers gluten-free and thin-crust pizzas, appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and desserts, so you’re sure to find something you’ll love.
Paczki
Paczki are traditional Polish pastries filled with a sweet filling like jelly and frosted or dusted with powdered sugar, and they have become a well-loved Detroit treat that you have to try before you leave the Motor City. These delectable donuts were primarily celebrated and eaten on Fat Tuesday. This is because, many years ago, Christians celebrating Lent had to get rid of all of the sugar, fruit, eggs, and lard in their homes, so they used those ingredients to make paczki.
Several bakeries throughout Detroit offer paczki as a regular staple on their menus. A few bakeries you should check out include Dutch Girl Donuts, New Palace Bakery, New Martha Washington Bakery, and the Apple Fritter Donut Shop. While you can stop by any location for some delicious paczki, New Place Bakery is a local favorite because of its wide variety of flavors.
Whether you’re in the mood for something savory or sweet, you’re sure to be satisfied with any of these iconic Detroit dishes.
Photo by Robin Stickel from Pexels
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