Al Ameer Ranks Among Eater’s 38 Essential Restaurants in America

No surprises here: Dearborn’s Lebanese dining gem Al Ameer has ranked among the 38 essential restaurants in America for a second year in a row — just one step closer to Eater Hall of Fame status.

Al Ameer, which recently was named one of the best restaurants in the Midwest, has long been a favorite of Eater’s traveling national critic Bill Addison. The West Warren Avenue spot was a highlight of one of his first trips to metro Detroit after joining Eater in 2014, and has remained an vital stop on his itinerary during subsequent visits to the city. “Khalil Ammar and Zaki Hashem’s family enterprise excels in its always-fresh mezze and lush stuffed lamb,” Addison writes in the annual guide.

Similar to the city-based Eater 38 maps, the Addison’s rankings attempt to capture restaurants that are defining dining in America. Places that, Addison writes, “don’t just exemplify culinary excellence — they foster hospitality and pleasure and purpose in their communities.”

The National 38 is something Addison takes extremely seriously. This year alone he spent 32 weeks on the road eating more than 500 meals in 36 cities across the country.

Numerous outstanding establishments joined this year’s list including Le Coucou in New York City, Staplehouse in Atlanta, and — the best restaurant in America — The Grey in Savannah, Georgia. Al Ameer remains the only Michigan restaurant in 2017 to score a coveted spot on the guide. Eater Hall of Famers are restaurants that maintain a place on the National 38 for three years in a row.

• America’s 38 Essential Restaurants [E]
• Al Ameer Is One of the Best Restaurants in America [ED]
• All Awards Season Coverage [ED]
• All Al Ameer Coverage [ED]