Skip to main content
Clear icon
13º

⛽ 7 Detroit spots perfect for a pit stop at Grand Prix weekend

Apparatus Room (Copyright 2023 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Plus a popular, award-winning food truck is planning a second location -- that’s what’s on the menu for the 63rd edition of the Dine In The D Newsletter. (Hi, I’m Michelle!)

Recommended Videos




🍿 Appetizers

-🍝 Friday on “Live in the D,” we will be coming at you LIVE from the Detroit Grand Prix! Not only will we cover all the great eats that are coming into town for the weekend, but I will have a spot just a little ways away from the hustle and bustle where you can indulge in milkshakes, burgers and tater tots! We Dine in the D at the Mercury Burger Bar.

- 🍟The popular and award-winning food truck, Detroit 75 Kitchen, plans to open a second location in Troy in the former Sears Auto Center on 14 Mile near Oakland Mall. They made the announcement on their Instagram page. (If you watch the linked video, please just note they swear at the very end, but I think it is worth the watch to see what they have planned.)

-🥩 It’s grilling season! If you want to fire up the BBQ this weekend, you may want to keep these food safety tips in mind.

-🍔 Are you looking to mix up your breakfast? Check out this beefy recipe!

-🍗 Have you tried this chicken sandwich? The “hot chick” sandwich at Ma Lou’s Fried Chicken was named the best chicken sandwich in Michigan, according to the website “Love Food”.

- 🥕 Veg Fest is returning to Eastern Market this weekend after a two-year hiatus! The event is free to attend and is all about yummy plant-based foods.


⛽ 7 Detroit spots perfect for a pit stop at this Grand Prix Weekend

Start your engines, the Detroit Grand Prix will be taking off tomorrow! This weekend-long event is coming back to the streets of Detroit after being on Belle Isle for the past 3 decades. While you’re downtown, you’ll probably need to refuel at some point so I rounded up 7 restaurants that aren’t too far from the track where you can make a pit stop.

Dine In The D: Sloppy Crab on Live In The D

Sloppy Crab - 519 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

With their doors right on Jefferson Avenue, it doesn’t get closer to the track than this. With their signature dish being seafood slathered in a deliciously buttery sauce, it’s no wonder how Sloppy Crab got its name. Here you can dine on fish and chips, blackened salmon, lobster mac and cheese, bang bang shrimp, and more. While their specialty is seafood, they do have some land-lover options, like their signature sloppy chops. For the full story, click here.


The Apparatus Room (Copyright 2023 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Apparatus Room - 250 W Larned St, Detroit, MI 48226

Located just north of the straightaway on Jefferson is the Apparatus Room inside the Foundation Hotel. The building used to be an old firehouse house but has now been converted into a very chic restaurant and hotel with leather upholstery, tall ceilings, and Edison bulbs dangling from the ceiling around the bar. You can keep it casual with a burger and fries, or make it a special meal with a New York Strip. Reservations are available if you want to ensure your spot.


Atwater Brewery (Atwater Brewery)

Atwater Brewery and Tap House - 237 Jos Campau, Detroit, MI 48207

This one is perfect for the beer lovers! Just a few blocks east of the track, you will find Atwater Brewery and Tap House. This spot has a very relaxed atmosphere with an amazing rooftop patio that just re-opened. On the menu, you will find many handhelds, a few salads, and lots of bar favorites like pretzels and beer cheese, wings, and nachos.


Andrew's on the Corner (Copyright 2023 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Andrew’s On the Corner - 201 Joseph Campau Ave, Detroit, MI 48207

This longtime favorite is in the same Rivertown neighborhood as Atwater Brewery. Open since 1918, this place has been serving up classic comfort food with a family touch. With lots of sandwiches, perch, and walleye on the menu, everyone is sure to find something they’ll love. You can see the full story of this historic spot here.


Joe Muer in Downtown Detroit (Copyright 2023 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Joe Muer - 400 Renaissance Center #1404, Detroit, MI 48243

If you want to keep an eye on the race as you eat, then Joe Muer’s inside the GM Renaissance Center is a prime place to be. The name, Joe Muer, has been synonymous with good seafood in Detroit since they first started serving it in 1929. This is definitely more of an upscale place with lots of classic dishes like oyster Rockefeller and Dover Sole a la Meuniere. They will be open their regular hours on Friday and will be open for walk-ins right after the last races on Saturday and Sunday. You can make a reservation for dinner on their website.


Grand Trunk Pub in Detroit (Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.)

Grand Trunk Pub - 612 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

On Woodward Avenue, a short walk away from the main excitement is Grand Trunk Pub. Well, how does a classic Reuben with Michigan-made beer sound? At Grand Trunk Pub in Detroit, they like to focus on all the favorites you’d expect to find at a bar. On the menu, you will find some Irish dishes, an homage to its previous incarnation as Foran’s Irish Pub. They have lots of sandwiches on the menu including a Veggie Riot wrap with their house-made hummus, panko-crusted eggplant, and roasted red peppers. Grand Trunk Pub is also very well known for its brunch, where you can order a lobster benedict or its signature chicken and waffles with pure maple syrup. For the full story on this cool spot, click here.


Central Kitchen and Bar on Live In The D

Central Kitchen+ Bar - 660 Woodward Ave #4A, Detroit, MI 48226

Just a bit further north on Woodward, across from Campus Martius is Central Kitchen+ Bar. From juicy burgers to savory Asian salmon dishes, will make your mouth water. Owner Dennis Archer, Junior wanted to create a restaurant that was welcoming to everyone. The name itself is a call back to history. In the area across the street from the restaurant, there used to be a big public market called Central Market. The restaurant took its name from that. The menu has changed a bit since they first opened in 2015, but they’ve kept the favorites and introduced new ones. Always popular is their house burger which features a special blend of meat, tomato jam, and beef bacon. (For the full story, click here).


✍️Can I take your order?

Michelle Oliver Dine In The D (2020 WDIV)

Hello! My name is Michelle Oliver. I am a reporter, and the resident foodie on our 11 a.m. lifestyle show, “Live In The D.” Every Friday, I will take you to “Dine In The D” at a different local restaurant, so make sure to watch.

Thanks for reading this newsletter! I’d love to hear about the restaurants you love in your city -- click here to submit an idea, or email me directly here.

By the way, we have a Facebook group for our “Dine In The D” foodies! Check it out here and join the conversation.