26 Best Restaurants in Michigan, USA

Promoting local, natural, and sustainable ingredients, this bistro applies that philosphy to an eclectic menu that's sure to satisfy many palates—and waitstaff won't bat an eye at requests for gluten-free and vegan items. While dishes slant toward Italian—an antipasta platter or crackly thin-crust pizzas with offbeat toppings from a wood-burning oven—influences from other global regions pop up too, like paella with tiger shrimp and chorizo, or an entrée-size Greek salad. Included on the wine and beer lists are selections from Michigan. The atmosphere is very publike, but with a contemporary feel and high ceilings.

Experience authentic northern Michigan cuisine at this popular spot, named for a fish rescued from the endangered species list. Stuffed fish and wood carvings adorn the walls, lamps are carved in the shape of bears and fishing poles, and there's a great view of the water. On the menu are fresh-grilled or sautéed fish—from locally caught whitefish to flown-in ahi tuna—plus steaks, barbecued ribs, and pasta dishes such as tequila-lime chicken pasta. Sunday brunch service and a curated list of fine wines make this more than a typical waterfront café.

In suburban Southfield, this upscale eatery pays homage to its southern roots with vintage Life magazine posters of famous African-Americans and mounds of solidly prepared soul food.

The co-owner–chef at the helm here is from Galway, Ireland, and trained at top European restaurants, and the menu at The Belvedere Inn's restaurant reflects that global eclecticism. The 19-year-old restaurant is inside a 100-year-old inn designed by a colleague of celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Selections on the seasonally focused prix-fixe menu—choose from two, three, or four courses—include Prince Edward Island mussels in Pernod cream, lobster tail, and Chateaubriand (21-day-aged roasted beef tenderloin in béarnaise sauce). Dessert for two is included, and might feature profiteroles or warm tarte tatin. There are one or two seatings nightly.

Chuck Muer's stylish fish emporium is a play on words, referring to both the menu and the automobile executives who frequent it. In addition to the plentiful fresh fish, you'll find excellent pastas, lamb, and steaks, all served in a clubby atmosphere decorated with—what else—big fish. Try the signature Charley's Chowder and the soft, steaming rolls. French doors lead to a brick patio with open-air dining.

With 300 feet of direct water frontage on the Old Mission Peninsula, this restaurant emulates a cozy cottage with an upscale vibe. Sunday brunch and daily lunch feature indulgent dishes like lobster mac 'n' cheese and crème-brûlée-soaked brioche French toast. Entrée selections include Great Lakes whitefish and Kobe fillet, plus innovative meatless dishes like sesame-seared tofu in ginger-beet vinaigrette. Much of the food is grown on the chef-owner's 10-acre farm on the peninsula, but it's more than a farm-to-table restaurant. An oyster bar was recently introduced, and an impressive wine list spans the globe (including Michigan), with many by-the-glass options. Splurge on two prix-fixe dinner-menu choices: a seven-course tasting menu, or Kobe fillets with Maine lobster.

This Euro-style eatery is all that's left of a once sizable Belgian community on Detroit's east side. Belgian beers, mussels (a specialty), fish-and-chips, and other Belgian delights attract a loyal crowd. Feather bowling is available (somewhat like a Bocce-horseshoes hybrid).

A see-and-be-seen favorite of Michigan politicos and local CEOs, this dim, clubby restaurant with mahogany booths and tables is in the upscale Somerset North shopping mecca. It's known for dry-aged steak, on display in a glass-front locker. Steaks may be king here, but the crab and lobster cakes and calamari are prepared with equal skill. You'll drool over the strawberries with vanilla ice cream drizzled with port and Grand Marnier. There's also a cigar-friendly lounge.

A venerable Detroit institution, this spot recalls a time when elegant restaurants had boardroom decor, lots of oil paintings, and wood. The menu is of similar vintage: steaks, chops, Dover sole, and the club's famous baby back ribs.

Don't judge this restaurant by its dull, gray façade: a bit of art-deco flair in its logo and interior provides a warm, welcoming backdrop to some of the best food in town. A recent award from Grand Rapids Magazine for Best Restaurant in the "Lakeshore" category just shouts the fact a little further. Locally sourced, made-in-house dishes include the starter wasabi pea-crusted ahi tuna with sweet miso dipping sauce and Thai chili aioli. For your main course, try the Gorgonzola pork chop, a 12-ounce roasted local pork chop with caramelized onion jam and Gorgonzola cheese. For lunch, an over-the-top (in a good way) BLT with a fried local organic egg and avocado mayo. At brunch, dress up your own Bloody Mary with house-pickled veggies and local meats and sausages, and smother your golden malted waffle with mascarpone, fruit and Michigan's own bourbon maple syrup. Dine al fresco to the tunes of live jazz during the summer every Thursday through Sunday (generally starting mid-June).

This authentic New Orleans–style restaurant in the heart of Greektown is loud, brash, funky, and fun. The spicy creole fare on the seasonal menu includes gator, gumbo, crawfish, and gulf oysters on the half shell. The whiskey ribs are tops year-round. If you're staying in the suburbs, check out the branches in St. Clair Shores and Southfield.

Tucked into a bed-and-breakfast of the same name, Harbor Haus offers breathtaking views of Lake Superior through large picture windows. The dinner menu, which changes daily, is heavy on seafood, with some varieties caught in local waters and others selectively flown in from far-off spots like Hawaii. Local berries and vegetables are incorporated into dishes when in season. Boasting Copper Harbor's best wine list, selections tilt high-end (such as Napa Valley's Opus One winery) and also span the world, from Italy to Idaho.

Built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the 1930s, Keweenaw Mountain Lodge and Resort's restaurant is what you would expect of a rustic lodge. Hearty dinner dishes include Mountain Man Beef Chop, a 16-ounce steak with chili-fried onions; and smoked-bacon-wrapped sirloin filet mignon with basil smashed potatoes. Lighter items such as Cobb salad or a jerk-chicken ciabatta are available for lunch. Included on the wine list are bottles from near (Michigan) and far (Germany). During the warmer months the chefs pluck herbs and greens from the lodge's gardens. In addition to lunch and dinner, continental breakfast is served daily, with a buffet breakfast on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Since opening in the mid-1990s, this has consistently been a go-to spot for fine French cuisine. Dishes are prepared in an open kitchen while diners sit among plants, statuettes, and wall hangings. Come summer, the patio beckons. Dinner entrées include honey-lemon-braised lamb shank or half a roasted chicken with herbes de Provence, while lunch offers choices like chicken potpie or croque-monsieur. Brunch is served on Sunday until 3 pm. The menu rotates with the seasons to ensure optimum freshness and also highlights northern Michigan producers. One of Traverse City's best wine lists is another highlight, wth choices ranging from a sparkling wine from nearby Lake Leelanau to a Malbec from Argentina; 22 wines are available by the glass.

Detroit's contribution to gastronomy is the Coney dog: a hot dog topped with cheese, onions, and chili, all in a bun. Every day, suburbanites and visiting celebrities in stretch limos share counter space with workers getting off the night shift at this area institution, which serves all day.

Within the 1920s-era resort of the same name in downtown Copper Harbor, this restaurant is known for serving freshwater fish like Lake Superior trout and whitefish in a casual environment with a maple-log interior. Its kids' menu is a testament to the family-friendly approach. Vegetarian options include several pasta dishes and sandwiches. Lunch and dinner entrées do stray from fish, with dishes like tequila-lime chicken, sirloin steak, or ground Italian sausage grilled with pepperoni and mozzarella in a panini sandwich. The smoked-trout pizza is a popular lunch order.

This longtime favorite with its high, peaked ceilings, palms, and a soothing color scheme is the dressiest Asian restaurant in the metro Detroit area. The menu includes staples such as moo shu pork, General Tso's chicken, and a variety of sushi. Other choices include the inventive Singapore noodles—chicken, shrimp, chiles, and curry on angel-hair pasta—or seared sea scallops with corn-chili sauce.

Specialties such as pastitsio (Greek-style lasagna) and avgolemono (chicken-lemon soup) are prepared in a huge open kitchen at this Greek tavern. You'll also find American classics like Caesar salad and sandwiches.

This is a relaxed yet elegant place, with white linen and votive candles on the tables and quaint old scenes of the motherland on the walls. Here you can enjoy delicious homemade ravioli, lasagna, and several veal dishes.

Bridging rustic and gourmet, this restaurant in Fennville adopts a strict mantra: to source as much of its menu as possible from within 50 miles. This philosophy results in farm-fresh entrées rich on flavor, like braised pork shoulder with mushrooms or scallops accented by apples, also honoring the region's food traditions. Orders designed for sharing include aged-cheddar pierogies or kale salad with crispy pork belly. Wood-fired pizzas are topped with meats like pulled smoked chicken, house-made bacon, or salami piccante.

Known for its thick burgers and "moose chips" (a twist on Tater Tots), Sleder's is also a local institution for down-home friendly service. Food has been served in this family-run tavern in the center of the city since the early 1880s; today the menu includes fish baskets and deli-style sandwiches for lunch, a cherry-barbecued chicken that's an ode to the region's cherry crops, and casual Mexican selections, such as three burritos. Deer and elk heads and a bearskin line the wood-paneled walls, and an antique chandelier is suspended above green tablecloths. Outdoor dining is available during summer.

As the name suggests, Tom's is an area favorite with an extensive oyster selection. But don't miss the spicy crawfish bisque and the many fresh fish dishes. The walls are done in dark paneling covered by lots of old New Yorker covers. There's open-air dining on a flower-filled patio.

The menu changes often, but you can count on wheatberry and other interesting breads, inventive salads, and daily specials like spinach lasagna and Caesar salad. Dessert is key: try the Five Chocolate Cake, a white-chocolate cheesecake topped with three chocolate layers, wrapped in chocolate fondant.

For folks watching their wallets, this family-owned, family-friendly diner serves a worthy bang-for-your-buck, all-day breakfast, with nearly everything under $10. Veterans of the restaurant business, Vicki and Ron Beisel received plenty of kudos when they opened their diner in spring 2012. It's for dishes like Belgian waffles topped with strawberries and whipped cream; three-egg omelets made fresh in a sauce pan; and the lunch-menu club sandwich, featuring shaved turkey and ham, generous bacon slices and thick, crunchy lettuce.

Once the mansion of lumber baron David Whitney, this posh restaurant turns out creative American dishes, snappy pastas, and very fresh seafood. Brunch is served on Sunday, and lunch is available Tuesday through Friday.

In the trendy, walkable East Town neighborhood, The Winchester is a casual eatery with farm-to-fork options supporting Michigan farms. Comfort foods dominate the themed menu, but there are twists on classic cuisine too, such as duck poutine, bacon-cheddar meatballs with Sierra Nevada Stout barbecue sauce, or turkey on naan bread. Burgers carry quirky names like the Johnny Cash (two beef patties with cheddar cheese, bacon, and PBR-battered onion rings). Vegetarian and vegan selections are on the menu too, like chicken-fried tofu and entrée-size salads. Many of the beers and wine choices are produced in Michigan. A menu of "shareables" is perfect for small groups. There's live jazz some evenings.