It’s been another award winning year for the Detroit food and bar scene.
Eater released its annual list of the best of the best around the country -- restaurants, bars, chefs, bartenders and more -- and there are a few Detroit names on the list.
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Here’s a look at what was on the list and what Eater said about it:
Best New Restaurant: Alpino
Alpino is tucked in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood, where Lady of the House once operated (and St. CeCe’s Pub before then), with a focus on Eastern European cooking.
“Standouts include an herbaceous güurkensalat accented with edible marigold petals and a healthy dose of dill, a baseball mitt-sized wienerschnitzel made with a cut of breaded Strauss veal and a creamy morel rahmsauce, and pastas like a ragu tagliatelle made with buttery decadent Piedmontese beef. Of course, if you’re looking for ski resort vibes in post-industrial Detroit, come for Sunday brunch and be treated to cheese in many forms,” Eater Detroit editor Serena Maria Daniels writes.
Alpino is open for reservations and good food here.
Best New Wine Bar: The Wine Side
The Wine Side opened this year next to the Dennis Archer Greenway, adjoined by Red Hook cafe in the George Harrison Phelps, Inc. building.
“At Wine Side, customers can purchase bottles to take home, crack one open for a corkage fee, or order select wines by the glass. Outdoor seating offers alfresco relaxation and when weather permits, the patio area also hosts the occasional pop-up, happy hour, DJ set, and collaborates with its neighbors Breadless and empanada shop Empacho to encourage folks to stick around awhile,” Daniels writes about the wine bar. “Detroiters have yet another worthy place to palm a glass of wine on a patio on a warm summer evening, fully realizing the potential of the greenway as a destination.”
The Wine Side is open at 2761 E Jefferson Ave, from noon till 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon till 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Tacos Hernandez: Best New Taqueria
Tacos. I love tacos. I haven’t been to Tacos Hernandez yet, but it’s now on my list. The food truck, known around town for its lovely design and tacos, pops up all over town, though it has been based in the East Warren corridor area.
Diana Gomez, originally from El Paso, started the food truck business in 2022. Her secret is brisket and handmade flour tortillas.
“Gomez says whenever she gets questions about why she’s not in Southwest Detroit, the eastsider says her response is emphatically, “Because I like living here. I like being your neighbor.” A reminder that all things Mexican do not have to be bound by the confines of Southwest,” Daniels said.
---> Find more Detroit winners and read more from Serena Maria Daniels here