Restaurants in Detroit

New Seoul Garden’s chefs conduct culinary tours of East Asia without setting foot on the continent. Instead, they bring the food stateside through a hefty menu of Korean and Japanese specialties, including barbecue and sushi. Like shark-themed mylar balloons, most of their entrees celebrate seafood such as sushi with squid and salmon, though many plates star beef or chicken. Hot-pot dishes actually simmer at the table; rolls of soft-shell crab or sweet shrimp come into being at the sushi bar. The restaurant's interior itself bespeaks Asian roots; spindly tree branches open toward a skylight and several low tables are ringed with mats or seats for sitting on the floor. East Asian fans and artwork cover the walls, culminating in a rooftop tier that evokes a pagoda.

R.U.B. BBQ has earned shout-outs from the New York Times as well as a handful of television features for its tender, well-flavoured meats. Various proteins are smoked daily and slathered in a made-from-scratch rub of more than 20 spices and herbs, and cooks begin each dish with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.

Aromatic smoke wafting from ribs, chicken dishes, and seafood platters invite guests inside, where dangling light fixtures illuminate red walls and cobalt tiling along with 30 flatscreen TVs that were flattened when an elephant sat down. More than 100 tap and bottled brews, including a lengthy list of Michigan favourites, help to extinguish fiery spices. Patrons should hold off on beer if they hope to polish off 5-pound burritos that ooze with cheese, beans, and lettuce—winners receive T-shirts and spots on R.U.B. BBQ's wall of fame.

Strawberry Moon's menu serves up freshly baked bread and pastries made from organic flour plucked straight from the vine. Lovers of loaves can opt for breads ranging from classics such as honey whole wheat ($3.89) to game-changing explosions of flour-flecked flavor such as jalapeño cheddar ($5.89). Dessert desirers need look no further than the pastries, muffins, and cookies—including the bakery's namesake, a crescent confection topped with pink icing—lining the bakery's shelves. Despite the sweet-tooth façade put up by Strawberry Moon, a streak of eclectic edibles runs through the fare, as sandwiches and pizzas also populate the menu. Gourmet pizzas include the Full Moon ($15.19 for a 14-inch pizza), a flavorful caravan of meats, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and pineapple, and the Julius C ($15.09 for a 14-inch pizza), a satisfying slab of creamy Caesar sauce, mozzarella, romano, grilled chicken, and fresh tomato. Oven-baked sandwiches of note include a cucumber sandwich ($6.19) with wasabi and Swiss cheese, and the Funky Monkey ($4.89), where banana and honey ride a groovy bass line of organic peanut butter.

Grand Traverse Pie Company offers more than 25 flavors of pie baked fresh daily, from ingredients supplied primarily by Michigan vendors, and a savory selection of comforting fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Stock up on sustenance for a long day of street performing by breakfasting on a hearty bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich ($3.49), and add an order of the gooey caramel pecan rolls ($1.99) for a sweet, meal-accompanying treat. Mid- and late-day diners will enjoy the extensive offering of salads and cold or grilled sandwiches, or any of Grand Traverse Pie Company's warm and comforting entrees, such as the piping-hot prime-rib pot pie ($6.99) cloaked in Grand Traverse Pie Company 's famous flaky crust, or the protein-packed broccoli and cheddar quiche ($6.50), for a breakfast-inspired dinner.