Midtown Detroit is located near the historic Woodward Ave and Wayne State University. These are Midtown’s restaurants that serve and reflect the traditional and cultural personality of an evolving town.
A bakery, brewery and restaurant conveniently located in one location, Traffic Jam & Snug is a multi-faceted stop. The restaurant (bakery/brewery) has been around since 1965, enthusiastically serving the Midtown Detroit area. With this reputation, Traffic Jam & Snug offers classic bar food with some twists, like Mediterranean and Tex-Mex flavor options.
The Grille Midtown serves up New American cuisine. With a laid-back architecture – gray brick walls and painted Motor City references, the decor makes this restaurant comfortable, easy and American. Located within radius of Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, the Grille Midtown holds a cultural reference point for American grub. This is evident with their lunch and dinner menus that include a spin-off on American classics like their Shotgun Shrimp appetizer or the Dr. Pepper braised pulled pork entree.
Selden Standard dish | Courtesy of Evan Hansen, Marvin Shaouni Potography
Selden Standard
Selden Standard is one of the newest restaurants to be launched in Midtown. Reconstructing an old dry-cleaners spot, Selden Standard owners’ Andy Hollyday and Evan Hansen formulated the restaurant based on a vision for a neighborhood community sharing local food. From mentions in the Wall Street Journal to Hour Detroit, Selden Standard has welcomed rave reviews for their locally sourced and seasonally crafted menus. Serving small plates, Selden Standard is ideal for group dinners. It is open for brunch, lunch and dinner; be sure to grab the haloumi and melon salad for an appetizer.
Roast is a medaled steakhouse. The dinner-only restaurant is known for serving the highest quality meats accompanied with a fine-dining ambiance. Owned by seasoned chef Michael Symon, Roast encourages the American palate while mixing in bold flavors. For instance, there is the dry aged lamb rack accompanied with some orange, olive and almond. Aside from the dinner-menu, Roast is locally known for the happy hour that serves up lavish bar classics, but with a deal. Happy hour starts at 4pm every day.
The Whitney has a mothering presence in Midtown and surrounding Detroit hubs. This mansion has been around for a century and a half. The Whitney mansion hosts this luxurious restaurant along with their Ghost Bar and pastry shop. This building was formerly home to the wealthy Whitney family, and the mansion stands to be a landmark in the Detroit area. The Whitney has served Midtown and the metro-Detroit community for decades and continues to uphold its lavish and respected reputation. With entrees ranging from Parmesan crusted sea bass to lobster tails, the Whitney is one of the finest restaurants in Midtown.
Selden Standard | Courtesy of Evan Hansen, Marvin Shaouni Photography
Union Street
With wooden paneled doors, red-frame windows, and a red-lit interior, Union Street’s traditional and timeless personality becomes apparent. Just like the decor, the food is traditional American with a play on some classics. There’s a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees that make Union Street ideal for a lunch and dinner spot. Union Street also has an array of beer and booze that makes this an event of a dinner. However, the Union Street encourages casual – as seen with the wooden bar tables. It’s an unpretentious place with one of the locally best menus.
The Bronx Bar is a casual restaurant and bar known for the burgers and a wide selection of beers and booze. Being a local watering hole presence for decades, the bar offers vintage wooden seating with a music selection from two jukeboxes. Living up to its dive bar aesthetic, the Bronx Bar offers some of the best burgers in town. Pair that with a beer or a simple drink, and that’s the repertoire for a meal at the Bronx. For the youthful community of Midtown, the Bronx Bar serves the dual purpose of feeding and entertaining.
From sweet to savory, this ‘rock and roll pie shop’ is located in Midtown’s Third Street Bar. Rodney Henry and Don Duprie are musicians by night and pie-makers by day. Starting to make savory and sweet pies to pay the bills, Henry and Duprie have since created a masterpiece. In the corner of one of Midtown’s best bars, Third Street, Dangerously Delicious Pies has established themselves as a top spot. Whether going for the pies or the beer, Dangerously Delicious Pies are around with an option for savory or sweet.
Restoring a forlorn building built in 1926, Jim Geary established Woodbridge Pub. With supporting the neighborhood and the greater Detroit in mind, Geary’s Woodbridge Pub has historic roots with a social worker mentality. Continuing this community-focused mindset, Woodbridge Pub’s menu is completely sourced from local surroundings. Therefore, the menu changes seasonally. The spring/summer menu hosts fresh and local ingredients with a never-fail magic. Woodbridge Pub is a rare gem in Midtown with a heart for the community in every dish prepared.
