Modern Roman cuisine served in a modern dining room. Influenced by the regions of Emila-Romagna, Piemonte, Compania and Sicily.

Everything about this shop is spectacular… the pride, design, packaging, thoughtfulness, mission and of course the chocolate creations. Self proclaimed “classic French techniques with a little Detroit ingenuity.” Dazzling packing and energy. Handmade and sold in Hamtramck.

Head downstairs in a Victorian mansion and be prepared for a unique sensory experience, but you won’t be. Castalia serves uniquely crafted cocktails inspired by Sfumato’s entirely natural fragrances, alongside with the scent itself.

Situated between Brush Park and Midtown, Grey Ghost is committed to butchery and the refinement of crafting cocktails. The Grey Ghost was the pirate on the Detroit River during prohibition. Menu ranges from fried bologna and smoked whitefish to cajun shrimp dumplings and jerk chicken wings. Be sure to cross the street for cocktail time at Second Best.

Hamtramck is a bustling blend of Polish and Middle Eastern and New Palace is definitely pure Poland. Ginormous and mindboggling selection of paczki, chrusciki, pastries, strudels, breads, tortes, danish, donuts, cakes, cookies. But do not leave without paczki and angel wings.

Open to members and guests since 1930, Detroit’s original urban health club and the only historic bath house left in the city. Hot room, sauna, cold pool and relaxation room Schedule divided between men only, women only, co-ed and private parties so check before you visit. Unexpected bonus is a great meal or snack at The Schvitz.

The 1926 Wurlitzer is alive again. Music store, repair shop, concert space and recording studio and now reborn as the slender and elegant Renaissance Revival Siren. Behind the red velvet curtains lies the glamorous and sexy Candy Bar. Sip original creations beneath a magnificent glass chandelier and white palm trees. Guestrooms range from bunk bed hideouts to the lavish penthouse. Enjoy freshly roasted coffees at Populace on the lobby. Siren Shop for curiosities

One of few choices available in downtown Detroit for unique lodging. Stay in the former Detroit fire department headquarters building and experience The Foundation. Many original features preserved and local furniture and craftsmanship everywhere. Visit The Apparatus Room for any meal, or in between snack, coffee and cocktails. 

“There exists a deeper connection that flows among our collective unconsciousness like a river on ancient knowledge. All you see is not all that is. This is something different. This is Bad Luck.” Walk down the long alley behind the address and enter an intimate space to enjoy exquisite cocktails often made with rare on vintage spirits.

Serving finely roasted local coffees in orange modernist building on Griswold Street. Proud support of electronic music.

Bustling downtown cafe serving coffee they roast themselves and baked in-house cheesecakes.

Tiny downtown spot just off Woodward serving Italian subs and tasty breakfast sandwiches.

Hamtramck cafe featuring Middle Eastern Halal delicacies from sandwiches to complete meals. Portions are enormous and tremendous value. Homemade bread, fahsah meat stew, lamb, and ghallaba are not to be missed.

Restaurant collective + beer garden built within the walls of shipping containers. At any given time you will find an assortment of food, beer, cocktails, live music, coffee and ice cream, but not necessarily at the same time.

Perfectly situated downtown hotel created in the old Detroit Fire Department headquarters building. Custom designed fixtures and furnishings everywhere, dine in the Apparatus Room. Detroit’s proud history of manufacturing is celebrated throughout and original materials abound.

Minimalist shop collaborating with designers worldwide. Great sunny spot overlooking Eastern Market.

Climb up the old stairway in Cadillac Square and you will find a hip spot for haircut indulgence.

Well worn comfortable spot off Woodward for drinks and food. Nothing fancy or pretentious but great weathered charm.

Former derelict Holiday Inn turned into hip, well-designed lodging. Restaurant, bar and half the rooms are still a work in progress but great value alternative to the downtown hotels and convenient to Corktown.

“Dedicated to the art of hospitality and creative thinking.” Standby is a necessary stop for creative and equisite cocktails and food. Head down the alley near Greektown and be transformed.

Anthem has an ambitious purpose, “to create lasting memories befitting a feast.” French influenced American fine dining served on sleepy stretch of Gratiot Avenue near Eastern Market. Visit the exquisitely appointed Art Deco dining rooms and bar.

Underground comfort just off Woodward Avenue.

Great old-school breakfast spot in the center of rapidly changing new-school downtown.

Inside the historic Chrysler House, Dime Store serves “breakfast lunch and booze” in the center of downtown. Friendly and happy well designed space.

A most interesting, intriguing and exciting lodging experience, El Moore is thought provoking, (somewhat) revolutionary and common sense. A true local experience, El Morre is ideally situated in the Midtown/Cass Corridor neighborhoods, in an A.C. Varney & Company designed 1898 former apartment flat.

Permanent residents, hotel guest and hostel guests share common indoor and outdoor spaces, making for interesting and fascinating interactions. Four spectacular rooftop cabins with outdoor space and draw-dropping skyline views augment two comfortable hostel rooms and hotel accommodations. Green initiatives are a way of life at El Moore and are way too numerous to list but include geothermal heating and cooling, rain water harvesting, extensive reuse of building and neighborhood materials and composting. A must-visit while in Detroit.

Super spicy and energy-filledCorktown spot for spectacular cocktails and food. Vibrant and loud.

John Varvatos in downtown Detroit? You betcha and prominently situated on Woodward Avenue.

Detroit People Mover opened in 1987 and is a 2.94 elevated mover of people operating on a single track.  The system is driverless and includes thirteen stations all featuring unique artwork forming a loop around downtown Detroit.

Charming Corktown cafe serving breakfast and lunch with style. Cute and comfortable using the freshest ingredients.

The other DIA, Detroit Institute of Bagels serves this freshly made delicacy in Corktown. Breakfast and sandwiches featured in modern space. Bagels for the masses.

Grab a beer and snack in the former Grand Trunk railroad station.  American foods served in a comfortable busting bar and dining room. Located in the heart of downtown on Woodward Avenue.

Glimmer of light and activity on desolate block in former Chinatown. Contemporary American-Chinese foods served brightly with style.

Quirky Corktown bar, indie music venue, art gallery and eatery just off Michigan Avenue. Visit often.

Modern, casual dining room and bar serving local fresh foods. Beside Wayne State University just off the Cass Corridor in Midtown.

Warm and inviting Midtown coffee bar and cafe serving fresh roasted coffee and light fare. Great spot to linger. Other locations as well.

Intimate cafe in Corktown featuring a variety of roasters and producers.

Large upscale bar, lounge and dining room in the Westing Book Cadillac Hotel. Large and varied food menu and wine list.

Half wine shop, half wine bar; perfect blend of wine, music and art. Snacking menu of meats and cheeses.

First licensed distillery in Detroit since prohibition. Producers of highest quality handmade spirits: gin, vodka, bourbon, rye whiskey and single malt whiskey. Located in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown. Be sure to have a snack or two so you can leave this fabulous spot walking a straight line. Tasting room and tours offered.

Seasonal cocktail menu, often changes weekly, showcasing the talents of the staff. Elegant setting in the heart of Cocktown. Sugar House cocktails truly are an art.

One of the world’s leading centers of education, science and art. The 319-acre campus features the work of architects Eliel Saarinen, Albert Kahn and others. The School is comprised of a graduate Academy of Art, contemporary Art Museum, Library, Gardens, Science Institute and Pre-K through 12 college preparatory Schools, The magical and largely intact campus is a superb place to spend the day and get lost. Enchanting.

Somewhat cheerful brunch spot on Woodward Avenue where breakfast spots are scarce. Gaze across the street and try to imagine the tallest department store in the world and the second largest by square footage, Hudson’s, demolished 1998.

Cass Corridor spots for freshly made exceptional breads, sandwiches, sweets and coffee beverages. Friendly cafe.

Live jazz, claasic cocktails and ambitious and varied menu. Feels like a “night on the town.”

Arts-and-crafts simple and stunning spot in West Village to enjoy craft cocktails and interesting foods.

Crepes et salades, tartine, ratatouille, assiettes charcuterie et fromages.

Friendly and often packed equestrian-looking establishment serving sliders of all types… quinoa, cuban, tempeh, korean, mystery meat, friend chicken, hot brown, coney dog and fried bologna. Prices and sizes will allow you to eat many more than you expected.

Fabulous sandwiches made with high quality local ingredients in Corktown. Comfortable dining rooms and outdoor patio with full bar service. Dazzling array of choices.

Pizzeria in Eastern Market serving red or white pizza by the pie or slice.

Brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and St. Louis ribs with the sides you would expect make this Corktown classic bustle at all hours.

Established in 1938, closed for twenty years and reopened in 2012, London Chop House has always been a downtown Detroit institution known for fine food served in a traditional and inviting atmosphere. Steak tartare, shrimp cocktail, oysters rockefeller,steaks and chops are specialties.

Coney Islands are a unique type of Greek-American restaurant often serving a variety of items. But the menus are centered on the coney, a natural casing hot dog covered with chili, diced onions, sauce and yellow mustard. Also popular are loose hamburgers. Detroit is full of Coney Islands but side-by-side downtown are the legendary Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island. Grab a seat at the counter at Lafayette and savor the aroma.

Take in an opera, dance production or concert at the Detroit Opera House, an historic 1922 movie palace that was renovated and now serves as the home of the Michigan Opera Theatre.

A fabulous resource located in Eastern Market. Loads of workshops and open studio time to utilize the Vandercook 3259,Triumpf Proof, C&P Tabletop Platen Press #1 and #2,Poco Press and Nolan Press.

Three spectacular skyscrapers, all designed by Wirt C. Rowland, anchor Downtown’s Finacial District. The magnificent 47-story Art Deco Penobscot opened in 1928 and was the tallest buidling in the United States outside Chicago and NYC. Named after a Native American tribe from Maine, the Penobscot Tower is connected to two older buildings comprising the Penobscot Block.

The Neo-Gothic Buhl Building with Romanesque accents opened in 1925 and is faced in cream-colored terra-cotta. The building stands atop what used to be the Savoyard Creek which was covered and turned into a sewer in 1836.

Entering the Guardian Building will elevate your senses, no matter how the day is treating you. Formerly the Union Trust Building, the breathtaking 40-story Art Deco and Art Moderne palace has an exterior comprised of brick, tile, terra cotta and limestone.The building’s lobby is stunning and will shock you and is lavishly adorned with mosaic and Pewabic and Rookwood tile. You must visit the Guardian if in Detroit.

Belle Island is a 982-acre island park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted of NYC Central Park. Situated between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, it is home to Belle Isle Aquarium, Belle Isle Conservatory, Detroit Yacht Club, Detroit Boat Club, the James Scott Memorial Fountain, the Great Lakes Museum, a Coast Guard station, municipal golf course, nature center and a half-mile swimming beach. Additional information for visiting Belle Isle: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/detroit/d6.htm.

Just across the Detroit River lies Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Take the tunnel, bridge or rail and explore.

The Detroit Institute of Arts is one of the largest and most significant art collections in the United States. Located in Midtown, the Beaux-Arts Italian Renaissance structure opened in 1927 with 65,000 works and 658,000 square feet.

Books are dusted with a paintbrush when purchased, gift certificates are made with fancy paper and embossed, pull strings to turn on the lights in your aisle. Warehouse building with over a million used and rare books. Four stories and overwhelming.

Oldest roaster of pistachios in the United States, since 1924. Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, spices and coffees also featured. Adjacent coffee cafe.

Boutique selling barware, grooming accessories and home decor with a mid-century masculine style.

Handpicked non-fiction in four categories: history and culture; health and well being; books by and about women; metaphysical and spiritual.

Midtown shop of curated objects from Scandinavia, Japan and elsewhere displayed in a modern aesthetic. Extra knowledgable staff will enlighten you.

Don’t accept that manufacturing is gone from America. Detroit has a proud past promising future in making goods that are not disposable. Progressive business and smartly appointed shop and showroom dedicated to producing high quality bicycles, watches, leather goods and  journals. Random items such as books, fresh flowers and a cafe will hook you.

Situated in the center of Eastern Market, Rocky’s is a large and bustling grocery selling loads of interesting products. Be sure to explore the environs surrounding Rocky’s.

Located in the Cass Corridor, Nest carries unique gifts and provisions for the home.

Two miles from downtown but a world apart. Two bedrooms above Slow’s (barbecue), Sugar House (bar) and Astro (coffee shop). The Inn is filled with goods designed by Detroit artists and artisans.

Neo-classical, Italian Renaissance, brick and limestone masterpiece; The Book Cadillac is standard-issue Westin on the inside. Created within the shell of a historic landmark, the hotel enjoys a central downtown location and features a full array of restaurants, bars, amenities and services. Tallest hotel in the world when it was completed in 1924; little of the historic charm remains inside.

Small hotel offering a full array of personalized services with the feel of a bed and breakfast. Situated on a lovely tree-lined residential street in Midtown. Walk to the Detroit Institute of Arts, restaurants and bars, with easy and close access to downtown on Woodward Avenue.