Eater Awards 2019: Here Are the Detroit Finalists

Today, the process of choosing this year’s stars in the Detroit restaurant world — the Eater Awards winners for 2019 — continues apace. After fielding many solid ideas from readers during the course of our month-long nomination period, it’s time to narrow the playing field. There are five finalists in three categories: Best New Restaurant, Design of the Year, and Bakery of the Year.

Here they are:

Best New Restaurant:

Balkan House: A casual Bosnian diner serving one of the most-hyped dishes of the year — döner kebab.

Ochre Bakery: A bright and inviting cafe specializing in naturally leavened breads with an impressive seasonal menu of sandwiches, spreads, and pastries.

Saffron De Twah: A Moroccan-influenced American carryout restaurant-turned-dine-in spot with outstanding sandwiches and some of the warmest service in the city.

Magnet: A wood-fired restaurant with stellar Middle Eastern-style flatbreads, seasonal charred vegetables, and meats.

Yum Village: A come-as-you-are New Center restaurant serving bowls of soul-warming Afro-Caribbean food including lemon pepper jerk chicken, ginger curry chickpeas, and black-eyed pea fritters.

Design of the Year:

Karl’s: A convincing recreation of an old-fashioned luncheonette with a welcoming atmosphere that seamlessly transitions from day to night. Take a tour here.

Magnet: A vibey, modular restaurant in a former garage with a sunken bar, an open kitchen, and loads of blue tile. Take a tour here.

Pernoi: A secluded fine-dining restaurant with a loads of wood paneling, mid-century chairs, and lots of art. Take a tour here.

San Morello: A sprawling restaurant with high-ceilings, mid-century appeal, and tons of vibrant, patterned Spanish tile. Take a tour here.

Antihero: An izakaya-influenced restaurant with alcoved booths, blond woods, and eclectic murals throughout. Take a tour here.

Bakery of the Year:

Warda Patisserie: A patisserie with international influences and a immaculate selection of seasonal tarts, quiches, and cakes.

Cannelle By Matt Knio: A French patisserie with an awe-inspiring selection of delicate pastries, fresh breads, sandwiches, and quiche.

White Wolf Patisserie: A French and Japanese bakery and cafe with pastries, cakes, and cookies in flavors like matcha and yuzu.

Moose Pastry and Tea: A small Japanese and French-style pastry shop with adorable breads that stepped in to fill some big shoes.

Ochre Bakery: A Core City bakery with some of the best breads in the city and a case chock-full of stunning tarts, cakes, and flatbreads.

All of these finalists have either opened or come into their own in a new way between November 1, 2018 (the cutoff for last year’s nominees) to October 1, 2019. All of them were key contributors to making 2019 a great year of eating in Detroit. So please, take a moment to give these brave finalists a round of applause. Winners will be crowned, with much fanfare, on December 10, 2019.

• All Detroit Eater Awards Coverage [ED]
• All Eater Awards Coverage [ED]