Discover These 10 Hidden Gems + 5 Restaurants in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan’s Motor City, is known for many things. To sports fans, it’s one of the country’s greatest sports towns. To music enthusiasts, it’s got some of the nation’s best concert venues. For art enthusiasts, it has historic museums that rival the best in the world.
While its place as one of the nation’s most historic and culturally enriching cities is embraced every day, there’s always something new to discover in Motown.
In the shadow of popular spots and scattered throughout historic neighborhoods are fascinating hidden gems that showcase Detroit in an entirely new way.
Whether you’re a longtime resident or a first-time visitor, consider adding these 10 hidden gems and 5 hidden gem restaurants to your Detroit bucket list.
Fort Street Bridge Interpretive Park
Opened in 2020, this Southwest Detroit park recognizes the significance of the former Fort Street Bridge and its role in the Ford Hunger March in 1932.
The centerpiece of this park is a sculpture known as “March On,” which features parts of the original bridge.
With its location near the Rouge River, the park also connects to the Downriver Linked Greenways and Michigan’s famous Iron Belle Trail, which starts at Belle Isle State Park.
Detroit Canals
Tucked away in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood, this “Little Venice” on the edge of the Detroit River allows paddlers to explore a series of canals to see the Motor City in an entirely new way.
The canals are about 15 minutes from downtown and flow past homes, under bridges, parks, and historic canal communities. Several companies offer historic canal kayaking tours for a truly unique perspective.
African Bead Museum
Detroit is known for having world-renowned museums, but this museum at the corner of Grand River and West Grand Boulevard still stands out. Founder Olayami Dabls sought to create a place for communal understanding through his work, which uses rock, wood, iron, and mirrors to create incredible works.
Occupying almost an entire city block, the museum is a place for quiet reflection that honors African heritage with numerous outdoor installations, an African language wall, an African bead gallery, and a N’kisi house.
Heidelberg Project
Located on Detroit’s east side on the corner of Mount Elliot and Heidelberg streets, the Heidelberg Project is a place unlike any other in the Motor City. Abandoned homes are covered in eccentric art — much of it made from recycled pieces of Detroit-made goods — to tell stories of Detroit.
Merchant’s Row
Woodward Avenue is one of the main arteries running through the Motor City and this famous district — which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999 — can be found downtown near Campus Martius Park.
In the 1920s, the district was the place to be in downtown Detroit, and well-known companies such as Sanders, Hudson’s, and Vernors had stores in or near the district. Today, shoppers can find popular brands like Nike, Lululemon, and Under Armor in a historic part of Detroit.
Majestic Theatre
4140 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Originally built in 1915, the Majestic once was one of the largest movie theaters in the world (and the site of magician Harry Houdini’s final performance). Today it’s an under-the-radar music venue with three performance areas — The Majestic, The Magic Stick, and The Majestic Cafe — which host a variety of concerts.
Pewabic Pottery
10125 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48214
Detroit’s history is so rich and diverse that it even has one of the country’s oldest operating potteries! Since 1903, Pewabic has operated on Detroit’s east side and is known for its iridescent glazes that are part of some of the city’s most notable buildings. Visitors can buy different pottery pieces, attend exhibitions, and take ceramics classes to learn from the experts.
Secret Garden Gallery
This outdoor art gallery and urban garden is one of many unique and creative places in Detroit worth exploring.
Curious visitors can find colorful murals that make for great photo ops, participate in engaging workshops and art classes, and even take a small piece of art home as a keepsake.
The Saturday Art Market showcases different artists each week and is a great place for families to enjoy music, art demos, and more.
Spot Lite
Do you like artsy places with a little bit of everything? That’s exactly what you’ll find here in a place designed to foster an environment of collaboration and creativity in Detroit.
Visitors can enjoy a lively art gallery, a record store, an on-site coffee shop, and a food truck to soak up the good vibes and experience some of the city’s best creative outlets.
The Corner Ballpark
For true Detroiters, the Corner Ballpark is a well-known, historic spot. But for the uninitiated, the park is the site of the former Tiger Stadium at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Trumbull Street.
Though the famous stadium has since been demolished, its legacy lives on at the site of a youth sports complex that hosts many events during the year and can also be rented for private events.
5 Hidden Gem Restaurants in Detroit
Original Gonella’s
295 Oakwood, Detroit, MI 48217
When you’ve been in business for 75 years, you might not necessarily be the most hidden of gems. Still, this eatery near the Rouge River feels like an off-the-beaten-path spot that just so happens to serve mouth-watering, made-to-order sandwiches.
Hungry customers can order Gonella’s famous 6-on-1 (six layers of meat, 1 layer of cheese) or pile them even higher with a variety of options.
Shelby
607 Shelby St, Detroit, MI 48226
An honest-to-goodness speakeasy in Detroit? That’s exactly what curious visitors will find in Detroit’s Financial District behind a blue door at Coffee Down Under. It may be tough to find, but the reward is a menu of crafty cocktails and delectable share plates.
Head to Coffee Down Under and tell the barista you’re there to see Shelby!
Flowers of Vietnam
4440 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
Nestled in Southwest Detroit, Flowers of Vietnam has established itself as the go-to spot for Vietnamese cuisine in the Motor City.
Once a weekend-only destination, Flowers of Vietnam is a hidden gem on the local culinary scene that serves a dazzling array of delicious Vietnamese cuisine and specialty cocktails.
Cadieux Cafe
4300 Cadieux Rd, Detroit, MI 48224
Once a Prohibition-era speakeasy, Cadieux Cafe is a hopping social hub that oozes Belgian culture and serves as a headquarters of sorts for a unique mix of social clubs, including pigeon racing and feather bowling.
The community atmosphere is the star here, but visitors can still find Belgian favorites like beer, pomme frites, and steamed mussels.
The Whitney
4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
Detroit’s most iconic mansion is well-known around the city, but with a restaurant and a third-floor ghostbar, the Whitney still feels like a hidden gem.
The Ghostbar is one of the best spots for Happy Hour and is known for its famous “Witching Hour Martini.” The mansion also offers lunch, dinner, Sunday brunch, and Friday afternoon tea, giving visitors plenty of options for an enjoyable experience.
Explore Under-the-Radar Gems in Detroit
Don’t get us wrong, places like Belle Isle, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and Campus Martius are wonderful places that showcase some of the best things about Motown. But a look beyond the popular tourist spots and eateries reveals plenty of secrets that allow visitors of all ages to appreciate Detroit even more.
This article was originally published by Awesome Mitten on September 6, 2024 and has been republished with permission.