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Metro Detroit’s Best New Restaurants of 2024

Posted By: The Detroit News on December 11, 2024.  For more information, please click here to read the source article.

The area’s dining scene brought el fuego over the past 12 months.

Not only were there dozens of chic and anticipated openings since late last year, but nearly half of the businesses on our annual best-of list use actual open-flame cooking techniques via wood-fired grills and stoves. Much of the action happened in Detroit proper, with a few gems surfacing in the suburbs as well.

To put some parameters on this list, I looked at restaurants that had fully opened from November 2023 through October 2024. Second locations, chain restaurants and reopenings (although there were many exciting ones this year) were not considered for this list.

In no particular order, here are 10 of the best new Metro Detroit restaurants that made a splash this year.

Leña — Brush Park

A Spanish restaurant with cuisine filtered through the lens of Michigan’s bounty, Leña in Brush Park is a fine dining, farm-to-table restaurant at its core. Leña, which means “firewood” in Spanish, has nestled nicely into the Brush Park neighborhood since opening in May. It’s built around an open kitchen with a wood-burning stove that chars Romanesco, roasts lamb and flame-kisses sea bream, all helmed by executive chef Mike Conrad and executive sous chef Marcello Molteni. The two culinary professionals are part of a team of industry veterans that make Leña a deserved hot spot for shareable plates, Spanish wines, cool cocktails and a dining room that welcomes anyone who has come to enjoy themselves, no matter what their attire (the sports stadiums are nearby, so jerseys and baseball hats are totally fine). I recommend the multi-course chef’s tasting menu that will touch on in-season dishes from all sections of the menu, plus wine pairings for $120 per person; a great price point for such an experience considering the labor intensiveness and high-quality ingredients. The menu changes frequently based on what Conrad and team can get from their local purveyors — Creekstone Farms, Marrow Detroit Provisions, Motor City Seafood and Fisheye Farms, to name a few — but there’s always something for vegans, vegetarians and those who eat gluten-free. On top of that, the very capable and invested staff will ask about any allergies or dietary preferences you may have. Cocktails change seasonally, too, with a fall-friendly version of the house sangria, plus a menu of gin and tonics, mocktails, and European wines that include sherry and vermouth. For me, it’s the fire-infused flavors and the engaging service that easily make Leña one of Detroit’s best new restaurants.

Open 5-10 p.m. Mon., Wed.-Sat. and 5-9 p.m. Sun. Closed Tuesdays. 2720 Brush, Detroit. (313) 262-6082. lenadetroit.com.

Vecino — Midtown

If you’re a regular reader, Vecino being named one of the area’s best new restaurants will come as no surprise. Last week they earned a four-star review on these pages, the same week they were named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Esquire magazine. The 66-seat restaurant opened in April on Third Street in a building that had sat empty for decades. Co-owners Lukasz Wietrzynski, Detroit-based designer Colin Tury and Adriana Jimenez, a native of Mexico City who was raised in southwest Detroit, brought it back to life and made it one of the most exciting debuts of 2024. Vecino is modeled after the upscale restaurants in Mexico City, and has custom touches, exposed brick walls, large windows and Spanish moss native to Mexico hanging here and there. The lighting is dim in a way that makes the atmosphere moody and sultry, but not so dark that you can’t see what you’re eating. Your audio senses are also entertained here with a cool playlist of Spanish-language covers of standards, bossa nova versions of classic rock and other enchanting selections. Some of the standout menu items are on the “masa” portion of the menu, using tortillas all made from scratch at the restaurant using organic heirloom corn. Chefs Edgar Torres’ and Stephanie Duran’s current menu has fire-grilled tiger prawns with chilpachole sauce, duck enchiladas and a broccolini and mole dish that elevates the cruciferous vegetable to the heavens.

Open 5-10 p.m. Tues.-Sat. and 5-9 p.m. Sun. 4100 Third, Detroit. (313) 500-1615. vecinodetroit.com. 

Puma — Core City Detroit

This place, the second Detroit restaurant from Buenos Aires-born chef Javier Bardauil, is so much fun. Puma is a small L-shaped South American street food restaurant with a long bar at the entrance and a dining room in front of an open kitchen with a wood-powered oven. Bardauil’s other Detroit restaurant Barda, across the street, is also known for using fire to cook everything. When it finally opened the buzz was about the choripan, a sausage sandwich served with chimichurri on a locally made baguette. It’s a lovely and hearty sandwich, but I was personally floored by the chivito. This classic Uruguayan sandwich has thinly sliced and seared beef, tomato, cheese, arugula, flavorful aioli and a fully cooked fried egg; no runny yolk, which is just how I remember having it in Uruguay on a visit 20 years ago. Another specialty at Puma is the ceviche with a vegan version, one with mussels and a tender shrimp bowl with a good amount of heat (almost too much for me), bright citrus, cilantro and cucumber to balance the chili peppers. If you’re a cheese fan, do not leave Puma without tasting the cast-iron cheese dish provoleta or the Ecuadorian empanada made with a starchy, crispy plantain shell, stuffed with melted cheese and served with a pile of bright, pickled cabbage. Puma is as much of a bar as it is a restaurant, and even serves as a lounge at times with a custom sound system and 360-degree DJ booth.

Open 5-10 p.m. Thurs., 5 p.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat. and 5-10 p.m. Sun. 4725 16th Street, Detroit. (313) 819-6804. pumadetroit.com. 

Antica Nova — Troy

Turkish Village — Dearborn

While it may be the biggest as far as square footage, Turkish Village in Dearborn is likely the most inexpensive restaurant on this list. The 8,000-square-foot, all-day destination is good for a break in the afternoon for some Turkish coffee and kanafeh, a round, spun pastry that may incorporate chopped pistachios, walnuts and clotted cream. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, too, with global favorites like shakshuka, labneh, soujuk, döner, falafel, grape leaves, hummus and flatbreads. The drinks are endless yet there’s no alcohol. Instead, sip on raw juices, smoothies, iced coffees, lattes, cappuccino, chai, matcha and Yemeni tea and coffee by the cup or pot. My go-to for lunch is the döner bowl with a pile of thinly shaved beef over saffron rice, plus hummus, a salad and some bread; a portion large enough for two meals for under $20. The vast halal menu has plenty to offer kids, vegetarians and those with nut allergies or who are sensitive to spicy foods.

Open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri., 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat. and 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. 21931 Michigan, #100, Dearborn. (313) 789-7442. turkishvillagecuisine.com.

The Savoy — East English Village

With its easy-to-read menu, approachable bar program, well-seasoned seafood and Southern dishes and a lineup of live musicians, the Savoy brings a lot to the table. Blue easy chairs and booths fill the medium-sized dining room, and even the few chairs at the bar are nice, high seats with cushy backs. Chef and owner Melba Dearing presents cuisine that she calls “an eclectic American menu with a soul flair.” It is tailor-made for a great date night, with steaks, seafood, shareables and New Orleans-inspired dishes. Dearing makes all her sauces in-house from scratch, and you can really tell. The tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, honey mustard and salad dressings are all balanced and really sing. The service is nice, too, with a waitstaff that seems to really know the menu and can make helpful suggestions. The Savoy has live jazz combos, singers and piano players, and it’s also a hot spot for weekend brunch with oysters, stuffed salmon, bacon-wrapped shrimp, entrée-sized salads and fish and grits. The Savoy is big on deals, too, with two pounds of crab legs for $29.99 on Tuesdays, $25 lobster Wednesdays and date night Thursdays when you can get a three-course meal for two for $75.

11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-10 p.m. daily. 17131 E. Warren, Detroit. (313) 469-7558. Savoydetroit.com. 

Hiroki-San — Downtown Detroit

Fifteen to 20 years ago, this building was struggling and a restaurant like the one that opened in January in its basement, Hiroki-San, wouldn’t have made sense in Detroit. It’s a different city in 2024, however, and Hiroki Fujiyama’s Japanese restaurant is a very hot spot within a hot spot, the renovated Book Tower. Portions are small and prices are high, but the service is excellent and the flavors and textures of the food are superb. There’s an artfulness to the dishes and the attention to detail is appreciated. The dimly lit dining room has cozy booths, two-tops and counter seating facing the open kitchen as well as around the sushi station. The best approach is to share several small plates from the sushi and robata grill menu, but even the noodle and rice dishes, which seem like entrees, can be quite small. You can dance around the menu creating an exquisite and filling dinner for around $100 per person, or you can soar past that price point with a simple order of $150 snow beef, premium wagyu from Hokkaido in northern Japan. I recommend the nikujaga, a small hot pot of glass noodles, slices of wagyu beef, mushrooms and potatoes in a deeply flavorful and thick soy sauce broth. The steamed Hirata buns with luscious and crispy pork belly are the best bao buns I’ve ever tasted. Reservations are strongly recommended, and servers will explain the entire concept to new visitors or welcome back return guests like cool friends who are in the know. Make a night of it and have a pre- or post-dinner drink at the posh cocktail lounge Aladdin Sane on the same level, or at the much more casual Sakazuki on the ground level.

Open 5-10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. and 5-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 1265 Washington, Detroit. (313) 597-8344. Hirokisandetroit.com.

The Jackson — Rochester Hills

Great food, awesome service and a unique theme make the Jackson restaurant a standout in 2024. Located in an upscale, 375,000-square-foot outdoor shopping plaza called the Village, this lunch and dinner spot showcases seasonal ingredients in the shareable plates and steakhouse-style main entrees. A mainstay of the menu no matter the season are the “cones.” It’s a fun and social way to have an appetizer. Gluten-free sesame tuiles a few inches tall are stuffed with gourmet ingredients for a two-bite taste to start your meal off. They look like little ice cream cones, but the taste is more nutty and savory than sweet. The wine list and cocktails here are also above average. You can treat yourself a little with lunch here like the smashburger-style burger, with two modestly seasoned patties served on a sesame bun with shredded lettuce, white cheddar, a juicy heirloom tomato and dill pickle slices that have just a hint of heat, plus salty and superb fries. Or you can treat yourself a lot with a full dinner: a seasonal Brussels sprouts salad, rack of Australian lamb ribs, creamy scalloped potatoes and a killer slice of frosted carrot cake for dessert.

Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tues.-Thurs. and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 184 N. Adams, Rochester Hills. (248) 709-9453. thejacksonrestaurant.com.

Adelina — Downtown Detroit

Another Italian restaurant on this list that is run, in part, by an actual Italian chef, Adelina has the benefit of being in a hot location, on Woodward next to the new Hudson’s Detroit building and steps away from festive Campus Martius. The reason it’s on the list is the service and the food, though. Chefs Gabriel Botezan and Marco Dalla Fontana collaborated with Florence-born celebrity chef and businessman Fabio Viviani for this menu, which puts a Mediterranean spin on the Italian cuisine. The menu has been smartly streamlined a bit since the March opening and now features shareable starters like salty focaccia with whipped ricotta, rosemary and olives or the octopus with garbanzo puree. Among the house-made pastas are a really nice, springy rigatoni in a palomino sauce with stracciatella cheese. I like the bar area here, and while the cocktails have downtown prices, they are fun, with Adelina’s own spin on trendy drinks like a spicy margarita, an espresso old fashioned and an alcohol-free espresso martini. The friendly bartenders also excel in the classics like martinis and Aperol spritzes.

Open 4-10 p.m. Sun.-Thurs. and 4-11 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 1040 Woodward, Detroit. (313) 246-8811. Adelinadetroit.com. 

The Ledger — Plymouth

Downtown Plymouth has a lot of nice restaurants, and in February they got a new one that adds a level of sophistication and focused hospitality. The Ledger is formerly Greek Islands Eatery and was once a huge, hulking bank. The high ceiling and large windows are assets and care is taken to make sure the dining room isn’t cavernous or too loud. When I reviewed the Ledger over the summer, I thought it was a great spot for a date night or other special occasion, because the staff is so attentive, especially to tables with something to celebrate. Chef Greg Alexiev’s menu is much like an American steakhouse, but with some worldly influences like duck wings with garlic soy pepper sauce and a lamb and harissa pierogi that has been swapped out for a seasonal spiced butternut squash samosa. He cooks a mean steak, too, served with his own spin on buttery zip sauce. The Ledger also has weekend brunch service that is quite tony with surf-and-turf Benedict, shakshuka, pumpkin French toast and a $130 “bankers reserve” steak and eggs dish. Don’t forget the cocktails and mocktails, which are complex and beautiful to look at.

Open 4-10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., 4-11 p.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-11 p.m. Sat. and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Sun. 306 S. Main, Plymouth. (734) 984-0020. theledgerplymouth.com.