Restaurants in Hamtramck

As guests sit down to eat at Taste of Ethiopia, the first thing placed on the table is a bowl of steamy washcloths. True to the traditional style of Ethiopian cuisine, dishes are served family-style and without silverware; instead, patrons eat with their hands, using gluten-free flatbread called injera.

Jane Slaughter of the Metro Times praised the flavors of the menu, crafted by Chef Meskerem Gebreyohannes, as “so deep and so true … you’ve never really experienced a lentil or a collard so intimately.” Doro we’t, a spicy, slow-cooked chicken stew, celebrates generous amounts of onion as well as the traditional hard-boiled eggs it’s served with. Berbere, a distinctive Ethiopian blend of 12 spices, perfumes dishes of split red lentils and marinated cubes of lamb with rue seed, basil, cardamom, and other aromas.

In her article, Slaughter also relished the restaurant’s distinctive and convivial experience. To encourage the family-style experience, patrons rest around a traditional wicker table with their muskets in plain view, and chef Gebreyohannes makes frequent appearances in the dining room to chat.

Named one of Detroit CityVoters’ top five finalists for Best Indian Restaurant in 2012, Priya Indian Cuisine serves a vast menu of dishes crafted from beloved recipes from across India. Skilled chefs prepare each signature regional dish according to centuries-long traditions, showcasing the smoky, tandoor-cooked meats and unleavened breads of Northern Indian tradition as well as Southern India’s distinctive blends of spices and flavorful sauces. The culinary crew can also be found fueling the kebab-filled clay tandoor oven with charcoal and wood or whipping up rice-based pulaos and biryanis native to the southern city of Hyderabad. To complement the meat-focused dishes, the chefs forge a variety of meatless dishes featuring fresh, housemade paneer to sate the appetites of vegetarians. Eaters can chow down amid the regal dining room’s rich-purple linens, palm trees, and Indian statues or break bread.

Mazaar's decor blends urban chic with traditional design details. Sleek, shiny tables line up beneath rough-hewn stone archways, and white tassels create silhouettes of iwan arches against textured crimson walls. And though it tends further toward tradition, the eatery's Lebanese cuisine gets equal consideration and care. Chefs mix fresh lemon and cracked wheat into tabbouleh, grill up tender shish kebabs and shawarma, and flavor pan-seared seafood fillets with pepper- and lemon-based sauces. Complimentary, made-to-order pitas accompany every entree to the table, much like government chaperones accompany every MP to the House of Commons annual mixer. Located blocks from the Caesars Windsor casino, Mazaar cultivates a party-friendly atmosphere through flowing libations and live entertainment. Recessed lighting glows beneath the sleek bar where mixologists shake cocktails and pour wines and beer. On select nights, belly dancers weave between tables, mesmerizing diners with their fluid dance moves and slowly swaying pocket watches.

Mosaic's ceiling looks like a sculpture from Poseidon's undersea art gallery. Hand-blown blue glass and a droplet-shaped light fixture make it resemble the ocean. Waterfalls plummet to granite floors, binding the earth and heavens with more grace and ferocity than a saber-toothed ballerina. This dramatic scene is a fitting prelude to the restaurant's menu, which spans several oceans to incorporate fare from Greece, France, and Japan. Japanese ingredients pepper several seafood dishes, which range from tuna tataki sushi to chilean sea bass steeped in a sake lee marinade. The Greek influences stem from owners Athina, Maria, and Stella Papas, who cut their teeth at Pegasus, their father's iconic Greektown restaurant, and the French element emanates from Executive Chef Mark Kelly, who studied Gallic cuisine in culinary school. Together, these inspirations flavor fruit-studded goat-cheese salads and lamb chops brushed with olive oil and lemon juice. A sprawling list of wines and martinis pairs nicely with fare from all three countries and encourages patrons to mingle in the lounge area where DJs perform each weekend.

The only Detroit eatery named to OpenTable's 2011 list of top 50 scenic-view restaurants, Coach Insignia lets diners soak in views of the city from the 71st and 72nd floors of the GM Renaissance Center. In the sky-high kitchen, executive chef Frank Turner gives traditional dishes a modern twist—for instance, a corn-dog appetizer comes stuffed with fried lobster, and standards like veal Oscar share menu space with Asian-fusion pan-seared tofu. Turner and his staff also grill USDA prime and certified Angus beef steaks and source fresh local ingredients from Michigan farmers and markets whenever possible. Additionally, the 720-bottle wine list earned Wine Spectator's "Best Of" Award of Excellence in 2011.

At Shogun Japanese and Chinese Bistro, cooks amass an army of fresh ingredients to fire up on a griddle at diners’ tables. Here, shrimp, calamari, and sirloin morph into hibachi-style dinners as they sizzle in the heat and tumble through the air with the help of the chef’s spatula. Fresh fish and rice converge to form sushi such as the crispy roll #24, whose salmon and yellowtail flaunt a sauce as sweet and spicy as a valentine from a jalapeño pepper. The Chinese section of the menu brims with house specialties such as beef with stir-fried string beans and family-style meals of shrimp kow and almond chicken.