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10 Iconic Detroit Meat Dishes

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To kick off The Five Days Of Meat at Eater Detroit it's always good to start with some of the city (and the Metro's) best meaty dishes. From the classic coney to rack of lamb, if it's meat, it could be here. These aren't the meatiest restaurants or "best" meat dishes around per say, they are simply the animal protein meals that bring the city together, or maybe polarize it and create an ongoing debate that will never be solved, but these are the dishes with the power. Grab a burger in the burbs, take in some ribs and blues at Eastern Market, and be thankful that Detroit has so much for carnivores to love.

Did we miss your favorite iconic meat dish? Tell us about it in the comments, and it just might make it on to the next meaty map.


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Rack of Lamb at The Lark

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The Rack of Lamb Ghengis Kahn has been served, with a numbered card alongside each dish, over 75,000 times. It's always fresh farm raised Michigan lamb prepared with Asian spices, and it's The Lark's most beloved dish. [Photo]

The Burger at Redcoat Tavern

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Ask about the best burger in Metro Detroit, hands down, and the answer is more often than not "Redcoat Tavern". The toppings like the house sauce have their fans, but what gets people every time the flavor of the beef, plain and simple. [Photo]

Smoked Kielbasa at Polish Village Cafe

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While most of Hamtramck's Polish population is long gone, much of the food remains, a favorite being the smoked kielbasa at this little basement restaurant. It's juicy, served with sauerkraut, and it's a local classic. [Photo]

Ribs at Bert's Marketplace

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The fried chicken is a favorite, but the ribs are what keep people coming in, and the atmosphere keeps them coming back. The smell drifts out over Eastern Market and it's hard to feel like there is anything more Detroit on a Saturday afternoon than ribs and blues at this busy institution. [Photo]

Chicken Shawarma at Bucharest Grill

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In a city full of excellent Lebanese food, with Dearborn just a short drive away, it's hard to pick one dish that is widely regarded as the best, but the chicken shawarma have become legend, for Detroiters and suburbanites alike. [Photo]

Chicken Wings at Sweetwater Tavern

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The spicy wings are the draw here, no ifs, ands, or buts. Diners cannot get enough of them, and most say they're the best in Detroit, period. [Photo]

The Coney at American Coney Island

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Whether or not it's the best depends on who you ask, but all arguments aside, they did open first, and the coney is mostly meat, and all Detroit. [Photo]

Yardbird Sandwich at Slows Bar-B-Q

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Slows has become the poster child for Detroit's culinary revival, and while many swear by the ribs, those who know say that it is in fact actually all about the Yardbird sandwich. [Photo]

Corned Beef Sandwich at Hygrade Deli

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It's simple, it's meaty, and it's been done the same (right) way for ages. The corned beef is made in house, and it doesn't need much to shine, so sit back and enjoy it, just as it was meant to be. [Photo]

Grilled Chicken at Taqueria El Rey

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To many, this is the best chicken in the city, without question. They make it on the grill out back, and it's enough to keep all kinds of people from the city and the suburbs driving back to the small taqueria over and over again. [Photo]

Rack of Lamb at The Lark

The Rack of Lamb Ghengis Kahn has been served, with a numbered card alongside each dish, over 75,000 times. It's always fresh farm raised Michigan lamb prepared with Asian spices, and it's The Lark's most beloved dish. [Photo]

The Burger at Redcoat Tavern

Ask about the best burger in Metro Detroit, hands down, and the answer is more often than not "Redcoat Tavern". The toppings like the house sauce have their fans, but what gets people every time the flavor of the beef, plain and simple. [Photo]

Smoked Kielbasa at Polish Village Cafe

While most of Hamtramck's Polish population is long gone, much of the food remains, a favorite being the smoked kielbasa at this little basement restaurant. It's juicy, served with sauerkraut, and it's a local classic. [Photo]

Ribs at Bert's Marketplace

The fried chicken is a favorite, but the ribs are what keep people coming in, and the atmosphere keeps them coming back. The smell drifts out over Eastern Market and it's hard to feel like there is anything more Detroit on a Saturday afternoon than ribs and blues at this busy institution. [Photo]

Chicken Shawarma at Bucharest Grill

In a city full of excellent Lebanese food, with Dearborn just a short drive away, it's hard to pick one dish that is widely regarded as the best, but the chicken shawarma have become legend, for Detroiters and suburbanites alike. [Photo]

Chicken Wings at Sweetwater Tavern

The spicy wings are the draw here, no ifs, ands, or buts. Diners cannot get enough of them, and most say they're the best in Detroit, period. [Photo]

The Coney at American Coney Island

Whether or not it's the best depends on who you ask, but all arguments aside, they did open first, and the coney is mostly meat, and all Detroit. [Photo]

Yardbird Sandwich at Slows Bar-B-Q

Slows has become the poster child for Detroit's culinary revival, and while many swear by the ribs, those who know say that it is in fact actually all about the Yardbird sandwich. [Photo]

Corned Beef Sandwich at Hygrade Deli

It's simple, it's meaty, and it's been done the same (right) way for ages. The corned beef is made in house, and it doesn't need much to shine, so sit back and enjoy it, just as it was meant to be. [Photo]

Grilled Chicken at Taqueria El Rey

To many, this is the best chicken in the city, without question. They make it on the grill out back, and it's enough to keep all kinds of people from the city and the suburbs driving back to the small taqueria over and over again. [Photo]

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