The Best American Food in Detroit
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The best American food in Detroit, according to the experts: 50 Top Pizza, Eater, and The New York Times have all weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Palazzo Di Pizza comes out on top.
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Rank 1. Palazzo Di Pizza
Detroit Style American Pizzeria
Detroit-style pizza comes out of the oven as a thick, airy square with a crispy, caramelized undercarriage, and Palazzo di Pizza has quietly become one of the better places in the country to eat one. It ranked tenth on 50 Top Pizza's national slice list, which for a suburban Royal Oak shop is a notable thing. The pepperoni option, layered under the cheese and sauce in true Detroit fashion, is the move.
The awards
- 50 Top Pizza 50 Top Pizza: #10 · 50 Top Pizza Slice USA
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Rank 2. Louisiana Creole Gumbo
Cajun & Creole
The gumbo here has been a Detroit obsession for decades, a shrimp-and-sausage situation thickened with okra and a proprietary spice blend nobody's giving up the recipe for. This is a carryout counter spot, casual and no-frills, with jambalaya, red beans and rice, and shrimp po'boys on crackly baguettes rounding out a menu that stays squarely in the Louisiana lane. Order at the counter, take it home, and resist eating it in the car.
The awards
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Rank 3. Mike's Famous Ham Place
American
The ham sandwich here landed on the New York Times list of the 26 best dishes eaten across the U.S. in 2024, which is a lot of glory for a poppy-seed roll packed with thick-cut ham, a slice of cheese, yellow mustard, and pickles. This old-school counter spot on Michigan Avenue has been doing exactly this for decades, and the new owners kept the recipe intact. Some things shouldn't be a project.
The awards