Michigan · best-of list
The 14 Best Restaurants in Michigan
All 14 restaurants our route editors picked in Michigan, across 7 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect tables and food stops, spread across 7 destinations.
Our curated picks
14 restaurants in Michigan, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Detroit 3 picks
American Coney Island
Detroit · On our Frankenmuth & Detroit route
Coney dogs with chili, mustard and onions on Lafayette Boulevard since 1917.
Tip: Order 'one with everything' and a side of chili fries.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lafayette Coney Island
Detroit · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route
Downtown hot-dog counter serving Coney dogs since 1917.
Tip: Order 'one with everything'; compare with American Coney next door.
Photo: Chris Freeman · Google
Supino Pizzeria
Detroit · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route
Thin-crust pizza in Eastern Market, a local favorite.
Tip: Order the Supino pizza with black olives and ricotta.
Photo: Abdullah · Google
Traverse City 3 picks
Art's Tavern
Traverse City · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route
Glen Arbor tavern since the 1930s, serving burgers and whitefish near the dunes.
Tip: Cash and card; expect a wait in summer.
Photo: Josh Zacher · Google
Moomers Homemade Ice Cream
Traverse City · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route
Farm ice-cream shop overlooking pastures, with dozens of flavors.
Tip: Try Cherries Moobilee.
Photo: Moomers Homemade Ice Cream · Google
Sleder's Family Tavern
Traverse City · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route
Michigan's oldest continuously operating tavern (1882), with burgers and a mahogany bar.
Tip: Kiss the moose head; it's tradition.
Photo: Sleder's Family Tavern · Google
Downtown Detroit 2 picks
London Chop House
Downtown Detroit · On our Detroit New Year's Eve route
Revived version of Detroit's storied 1938 steakhouse, in a basement dining room on Congress Street.
Tip: Book weeks ahead for Dec 30 or 31.
Prime + Proper
Downtown Detroit · On our Detroit New Year's Eve route
Capitol Park steakhouse open since 2017, known for dry-aged steaks and a two-level dining room.
Frankenmuth 2 picks
Bavarian Inn Restaurant
Frankenmuth · On our Frankenmuth & Detroit route
Family-style chicken dinners under a glockenspiel tower that tells the Pied Piper story.
Tip: Expect a wait on December weekends; put your name in, then shop downstairs.
Photo: Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Zehnder's of Frankenmuth
Frankenmuth · On our Frankenmuth & Detroit route
Large family-run restaurant across Main Street from the Bavarian Inn, known for all-you-can-eat chicken dinners.
Tip: Zehnder's and the Bavarian Inn serve similar chicken dinners; have one for lunch and the other for dinner.
Photo: Crisco 1492 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Holland 2 picks
Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant
Holland · On our Michigan Lake Shore route
Lake Macatawa restaurant with a big patio, lake perch and lobster rolls.
Tip: No summer reservations; arrive before 6pm.
Photo: Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant · Google
Captain Sundae
Holland · On our Michigan Lake Shore route
Long-running ice cream stand with oversized sundaes.
Photo: Nate Harburg · Google
Belle Isle 1 pick
Sindbad's Restaurant & Marina
Belle Isle · On our Detroit New Year's Eve route
Riverfront restaurant and marina open since 1949, facing Belle Isle, serving brunch and lake fish.
Tip: Call ahead on Jan 1; it is closed some weekdays.
Mackinac Island 1 pick
The Pink Pony
Mackinac Island · On our Great Lakes Hidden Gems route + 1 more
Waterfront restaurant and bar at the Chippewa Hotel, famous for whitefish.
Tip: Ask for a harbor-view table.
Photo: Pink Pony · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the restaurants in Michigan?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 14 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Michigan has the most restaurants on this list?
Detroit and Traverse City lead with 3 each; the other picks are spread across 5 more destinations.
More lists for Michigan
Best restaurants nearby
Destinations on this list
- Detroit 3 on this list
- Traverse City 3 on this list
- Downtown Detroit 2 on this list
- Frankenmuth 2 on this list
- Holland 2 on this list
- Belle Isle 1 on this list
- Mackinac Island 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.