Over the past few years, Dearborn Heights, a city in the Detroit metropolitan area, has transformed with a growing Asian population. As new cultures and ethnicities have found a home in the city, new restaurants of all shapes and sizes have been opening their doors. Check out these ten great joints to find out what Dearborn Heights, and the surrounding area, has to offer.
Ollie’s Lebanese Cuisine
Visit Ollie’s Lebanese Cuisine for a taste of authentic Lebanese food. From delicious hummus to savory chicken kafta, Ollie’s is a great spot for lunch or dinnertime dining. Founder Ali Hojaij prepares traditional Middle Eastern cuisine with high-quality meats, fresh produce, and vibrant spices. The upscale décor is fashioned with sleek, stone walls, antique chandeliers, and smooth granite tables.
A hit for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine is Al Sultan Restaurant. The family-owned restaurant prides itself on its flavorful, fresh food. Try the marinated and charbroiled boneless grilled chicken or the classic chicken shawarma, a popular dish of marinated chicken that is slow cooked and served with an aromatic garlic sauce. Al Sultan’s servers are friendly and helpful. Although the exterior looks unremarkable, the restaurant continuously impresses with its delightful dishes.
Good Burger
Good Burger specializes in flavorful, simple, satisfying burgers. The chefs use halal meat to handcraft their patties before cooking them to perfection. Try the eponymous Good Burger, a burger topped with mozzarella sticks, onion rings, GB sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato in a pretzel bun. If you can’t pick one from the pre-written selections, build your own burger. Grab an order of onion rings or Cajun fries for your side dish and settle in with a juicy, messy Good Burger.
Cong Nguyen and Tommy Hoang opened Pho Lucky in 2012 to serve authentic Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant’s focus is perfecting the pho, a Vietnamese noodle soup. Traditionally the soup is made with beef, but there is a selection of meats on the menu. Meat is added to the rice flour noodles, Asian basil, cilantro, chopped green onions, lime juice, and bean sprouts. Try the summer rolls, which are made of rice noodles, lettuce, cilantro, pork, and shrimp wrapped in rice paper and served with Hoisin peanut sauce. The generous portions are a great deal, and with four locations near Dearborn Heights, you should have no trouble finding a restaurant.
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Mexican Fiesta
Restaurant, Mexican, American
Mexican Fiesta is the place to go for Mexican cuisine in Dearborn Heights. The restaurant is packed at weekends with its many loyal customers. The family of owners have been serving up consistently great food since the 1960s. Try the super tostada, enchiladas, or a simple but delightful bean and cheese burrito. Each meal is handcrafted with the freshest ingredients and served hot. There are two Mexican Fiesta locations in the Dearborn Heights area.
Lue Thai Café
Cafe, Restaurant, Thai, Vegetarian
Lue Thai Café is a trendy place to go for your next Thai meal in the Dearborn area. The food is served in huge portions, and every meal tastes fresh and full of spices. Try any of the curries or noodle dishes for a satisfying meal. Lue Thai Café doesn’t load on the spice, conscious of the American palate, so don’t be afraid to go for the spice level you really want. The restaurant uses halal meats, and the menu also features many vegetarian options. There are just a few tables inside the small restaurant, so make sure you come early to grab a space.
Brome Burgers & Shakes
Diner, Restaurant, American, Vegan, Vegetarian, Fast Food
This restaurant provides a great ambiance and gourmet burgers to the people of Dearborn Heights. The burgers burst with flavors, nothing resembling a greasy diner burger. The sustainability-conscious restaurant serves organic, grass-fed beef and has vegan options on the menu. Try the Mex, a burger topped with corn salsa, cheddar-jack cheese sauce, pickled jalapeño, avocado, and chipotle mayo. For a tasty side dish, try the garlic and cilantro or truffle and parmesan fries. The restaurant is open and bright, making it a pleasant place to spend a relaxing afternoon.
Wasabi Sushi
Come to Wasabi Sushi for high-quality sushi and nigiri in a modest location. Each roll is bursting with great flavors and a fresh taste. The menu has many simple, classic rolls along with a selection of rolls that show more attitude, like the aptly named Michigan roll. The affordable restaurant serves soups and salads as well as fine hot teas. Enjoy Wasabi Sushi’s great food and quick service in a family-friendly location.
Try Laughing Panda’s Szechuan cuisine for a generous portion of high-quality food. The bourbon chicken is a popular dish along with the pepper steak and cashew beef for something spicier. The Laughing Panda caters for those dining in or taking their food away; customers dining in are treated to exceptional service and quick preparation, and guests ordering take-away are given an option of a complimentary tea or drink while they wait.
Famous Hamburger
Famous Hamburger was started by Hussein Hider who opened his first burger business in Lebanon in the 1960s. He moved the business to Beirut and finally to the US, where he and his family started their first restaurant in 1998. Famous Hamburgers are prepared with the finest halal meat. Try the Famous Burger, the original recipe of an open-faced burger served with a fried egg and American cheese. The Juicy Lucy, a burger with American cheese cooked inside the meat, is another good choice from the expansive menu.