Today is “Eat What You Want Day,” and that means a unique opportunity (as it’s a holiday, the Internet said so) to take a break from your diets, give in to your gastronomic urges and have something that you maybe normally wouldn’t – or have desired to for a long, long time. We’re here to help you with some amazing Detroit food suggestions.
Even if it’s not exactly Eat What You Want Day, you can enjoy these Detroit area specialties. Some on our list are old favorites, and some are newer additions. Here we go!
Chill Out With A Boston Cooler
Many people think the Boston Cooler is from Boston, Massachusetts. Well, it’s not – it’s from right here in the D! It does still have a mysterious origin, and theories abound. So it’s from Detroit, we just don’t know exactly how. We do know that the simple recipe of Vernor’s and vanilla ice cream blended like a milkshake is really, really tasty.
Go Greek With A Gyro From Golden Fleece
This place is iconic and located in the Greektown neighborhood. Founded in 1971, the surrounding Monroe Street has changed a lot (especially since the casino went in), but this establishment has endured. Find solace in the fact there is one thing that is consistent through space and time – the gyro here is to die for.
Feast On The Four Corners Of Buddy’s Pizza
There are a lot of Detroit-style pizzas out there, and they’re most often quite worthy. But the standard seems to be the Buddy’s pizza, with its crispy crust and of course, you need to grab the corner piece before anyone else does. Eat your heart out Chicago, your pizza just doesn’t keep up with ours.
Grab Some Germack Motown Mix
Germack in Eastern Market has been in business for a long, long, long, long time. 1924, in fact. We decided to pick one thing out of their veritable cornucopia of tasty nuts and dry goods, so we selected the Motown Mix not only because the name fits, but with dark chocolate chips, raisins, cranberries, almonds and peanuts you can’t go wrong. Their store has a ton of different things to try, and check it out next time you’re in the market.
Bite Into Baklawa At Shatila
There’s a large number of people from the Middle East in Metro Detroit, and so we felt their culinary contributions had to be acknowledged in a very tasty way. Shatila has a couple of locations and are known for their amazing baked goods and when I need a fix of Baklava or Qatayef that is where I go.
Better Get The Better Made
Detroit consumes more potato chips than any other place in the nation, and in 1931 there were 30 potato chip companies in the city. Better Made over on Gratiot has endured and now ships around the country. The great thing about potato chips is the can travel well – put a few bags in a box and send’em to that far-away Detroiter at heart that misses the D. Or, just grab a bag for yourself. It is, after all, Eat What You Want Day.
Scoop Some Superman Ice Cream
This multi-colored favorite is rumored to be straight out of the iconic Stroh’s ice cream folks, with varieties done by other outlets like Meijer and Hudsonville under very close sounding names. The baseline Superman ice cream is a combination blue moon, red pop, and lemon ice creams, but it’s trifecta that’s going to take your tastebuds up, up and away!
Faygo Anything
Down the street from the Better Made factory is the Faygo bottling plant. Ben and Perry Feigenson started bottling lager beer, mineral water and soda water in 1907, but by 1935 they had move to the factory location where it still stands today. There’s something special about a Tigers game on the television and a cold Faygo. The most popular flavor? We’re told it is Redpop.
Time For Some Poutine Tater Tots
This is the newest addition to our list. Poutine has kind of swept Detroit’s dining scene as of late, but doing Poutine straight is kind of routine. The local master move, upping the salty goodness and heft of the dish is the Poutine Tater Tot. Meet squeaky cheese with the gravy all on crispy tater tots that you won’t be able to put your fork down for. We’re not saying it’s good for you. We are saying it’s good.
But Of Course, The Coney Dog
It goes without saying that we had to have this on the list. The snappy dog, the onion, the mustard, the chili, all in this perfect container that is the steamed bun has been talked about a billion times but it is still a quintessential taste of Detroit for lovers of the Motor City near and far. When you drink Faygo with some Better Made chips while you have a coney, it’s basically the ultimate Detroit combo meal.