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Taystee’s Burgers is a Dearborn favorite.
Taystee’s Burgers

18 Awesome Places to Eat in Dearborn

Take a tour of one of metro Detroit’s tastiest cities

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Taystee’s Burgers is a Dearborn favorite.
| Taystee’s Burgers

It’s no secret that Dearborn, with its significant Arab American population, is metro Detroit’s epicenter when it comes to Middle Eastern cuisines and culture. It’s easy to find great food at its many restaurants, bakeries, and markets.

Look beyond those destinations though and there is so much more to feast upon in this city just west of Detroit. Budget-friendly chicken sandwiches and Hungarian chimney cakes, high-end Yemeni cafes, and seafood-forward Middle Eastern entrees — it’s all here. From classic restaurant Al-Ameer (which has a Canton location opening soon) to gas station hot spot Taystee’s Burgers, below find 19 spots to dine in Dearborn.

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Bangkok 96 Restaurant

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Eater Award-winning chef Genevieve Vang’s flagship restaurant Bangkok 96 has been stunning diners with refreshing takes on Thai cuisine since 1996. The menu here runs the gamut from palate-cleansing fresh spring rolls to chicken larb salad to Thai fried rice.

A sliced pad thai roll surrounded by herbs, sliced lime, chopsticks, and a pool of brown sauce. Gerard + Belevender

Miller’s Bar

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In business since 1941, this classic dive bar has endured while staying true to its roots. The famous ground round is served on a bun with or without cheese, pickles and onions — and that’s pretty much it. No heirloom tomatoes, no housemade bacon, no organic fried eggs — just a burger on a square of parchment paper. Make sure to take cash. Miller’s goes by the honor system: Customers pay at the bar and tell the staff what they had. 

The red, brick exterior of Miller’s bar has the word Miller’s on the side of the building, and a sign on top that reads Miller’s Bar. It’s on a corner. Brenna Houck

House of Chimney Cakes

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This spot is part of a growing number of franchise locations for House of Chimney Cakes. Based in Anaheim, California, it takes Hungary’s chimney cake (kürtöskalács) — made with freshly baked dough that turns out crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside — and fills each with soft serve ice cream. Its Anaheim (Disney-inspired) roots show because guests can also select fruity vegan Dole whip (available in pineapple or strawberry) as a filling. Specialties also include The Mouse, made with vanilla bean soft serve, an Oreo chimney cake, sprinkles, Oreo ears, and chocolate buttons; or shakes, like the Ubecorn featuring an ube shake base, Fruity Pebbles, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a mini chimney cake.

The Himalayan Flames

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This halal restaurant serves up flavors of the Himalayas — Indian, Nepali, and Tibetan cuisine. Start with the samosas, which are flavorful and fried to perfection. The butter chicken and the chicken tikka masala are popular with customers, who’ve given high marks to the restaurant since its 2019 opening.

The Great Commoner

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This French patisserie from the team behind Brome Modern Eatery and Detroit’s Cannelle is a dream for both pastry lovers and folks looking for brunch in Dearborn. The space is as elegant as the buttery croissants, rich eclairs, colorful macarons, and freshly baked bread. It also offers robust breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus that include sandwiches, salads, a variety of fancy toasts, and a full coffee bar featuring locally roasted brews.

Sheeba Restaurant

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For Yemeni food, Sheeba Restaurant is a go-to place with dishes such as seltah (root vegetables with whipped fenugreek) and fahsah (shredded lamb and potatoes) — both of which come to the table bubbling hot in a clay bowl. The lamb haneeth is the most popular dish with slow-roasted lamb over basmati rice. The Yemeni tannour bread is perfect for scooping and sopping it all up.

Haraz Coffee House

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The Yemeni coffee scene continues to grow little by little in metro Detroit with Haraz Coffee House with locations in Dearborn and at 32766 Ryan Road in Warren. Named after the ancient villages of the Haraz Mountains in Yemen’s lower west coast region (considered by many as the birthplace of coffee), the menu consists of espresso drinks, Turkish tea, smoothies, saffron cakes, sabayah (thinly layered bread drizzled with honey), and other sweet treats.

M Cantina

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Michigan Avenue’s M Cantina specializes in Nuevo Latino cuisine, including halal tacos and tortas as well as refreshing cocktails from chef and mixologist mastermind Junior Merino (aka The Liquid Chef). Due to staffing shortages, reservations are required.

Taystee's Burgers

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There’s no shortage of great burgers in metro Detroit, but Taystee’s stands out for its halal beef, creative flavor combinations, and unsuspecting location. Like spicy? There’s the Volcano, boasting jalapeno, jalapeno poppers, and spicy mayo. Want breakfast for dinner? The Breakfast Burger has a fried egg, beef bacon, and not one but two grilled cheese sandwiches as a bun. Located in a gas station across from the Ford-Wyoming Drive-in, it offers fuel for both cars and stomachs.

Cedarland Restaurant

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This Lebanese mainstay features a ski chalet-inspired diner interior and a clever drive-thru window for takeout orders. Regulars love it for the complimentary lentil soup, juicy rotisserie chickens, and plentiful combination plates piled high with everything from falafel to fried kibbeh to grape leaves. Drive-thru and curbside pickup available.

Qahwah House

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This coffee bar is a popular Dearborn destination, specializing in high-end coffee from Yemen, which it serves brewed and in latte form. Customers can also snack on Yemeni pastries including honeycomb bread and layered honey cake called sabaya.

Dearborn Meat Market

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Whether cooking or dining in, this emporium of halal meat has all the bases covered. Cooking plans, however, might go out the window once the smell of roasted meats from the charcoal grill hits your nose. Skewered meats from typical cuts to offal are complemented by creamy hummus, baba ghannouj, fresh salad, and plentiful pitas. 

Al Chabab

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Al Chabab serves Syrian food paired with friendly, attentive service. Those who seek out spicy flavors will find a lot to like here, such as the hummus halabi that has a little kick from Aleppo chilies and the spicy kibbeh. The kabobs are standouts, especially the cherry. Can’t decide what to get? The mixed grill has a little bit of everything, or ask the owners who are always ready and willing to make suggestions. 

Al-Ameer

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For more than 25 years, Al-Ameer has been a beloved favorite among locals for top-notch Lebanese cuisine. But this family-owned restaurant with sister locations in Canton and Dearborn Heights achieved national acclaim with a James Beard America’s Classics Award and then a spot on Eater’s National 38 list. With dishes like stuffed lamb and kibbeh neyeh (raw beef mixed with bulgar, onion, and spices), it’s an essential destination for any culinary tour of Dearborn. There’s a new location showing up in Canton, soon, too.

Shatila Bakery

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With its indoor palm trees, local institution Shatila Bakery feels like an oasis of crave-inducing sweet treats. The cases teeming with tempting pastries make choosing dessert a challenge, but some must-haves include the baklava made with layers of phyllo dough stuffed with nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, cashews, or almonds. The pistachio ice cream is also outstanding.

Aliz Seafood House

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This new spot in Dearborn serves up Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, but with a seafood twist. Many of the classic offerings one would find in a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant are available here, including skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches, with one key distinction: In addition to beef, lamb, chicken, or other typical proteins, Aliz prepares with a variety of marinated or spicy fish or shrimp. The menu is rounded out with entrees like roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, as well as casseroles and shrimp biryani.

AlTayeb Restaurant

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Al Tayeb, which means “the delicious” in Arabic, serves the type of tasty traditional breakfast you’d find in Beirut. The restaurant, which got its start as a sub shop in Garden City in 2017, has since expanded. Half of the items on the menu contain chickpeas; the menu includes Lebanese classics like fool, falafel, hummus, and even beef tongue delicacies. 

Holy Cluck Food Truck

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Holy Cluck is the Dearborn food truck making a name for itself in metro Detroit’s increasingly crowded hot chicken scene for its juicy, all-halal fried chicken tender sandwiches. Tenders are sourced from Saad Meats in Eastern Market and can be eaten alone or in a sandwich. The Cluck features slaw, pickles and Holy Sauce, the Holy Cluck Nashville hot chicken-inspired sandwich, the Mac Cluckin’ with mac and cheese, and filling sides like the Coop, crinkle-cut fries loaded with nacho cheese, slaw, pickles, and three different sauces. Visit the truck in Dearborn or hit up the new restaurant at 25827 West Warren in Dearborn Heights, where guests can also find the 1922 Milkshakes counter, featuring a variety of Instagrammable shakes.

Bangkok 96 Restaurant

Eater Award-winning chef Genevieve Vang’s flagship restaurant Bangkok 96 has been stunning diners with refreshing takes on Thai cuisine since 1996. The menu here runs the gamut from palate-cleansing fresh spring rolls to chicken larb salad to Thai fried rice.

A sliced pad thai roll surrounded by herbs, sliced lime, chopsticks, and a pool of brown sauce. Gerard + Belevender

Miller’s Bar

In business since 1941, this classic dive bar has endured while staying true to its roots. The famous ground round is served on a bun with or without cheese, pickles and onions — and that’s pretty much it. No heirloom tomatoes, no housemade bacon, no organic fried eggs — just a burger on a square of parchment paper. Make sure to take cash. Miller’s goes by the honor system: Customers pay at the bar and tell the staff what they had. 

The red, brick exterior of Miller’s bar has the word Miller’s on the side of the building, and a sign on top that reads Miller’s Bar. It’s on a corner. Brenna Houck

House of Chimney Cakes

This spot is part of a growing number of franchise locations for House of Chimney Cakes. Based in Anaheim, California, it takes Hungary’s chimney cake (kürtöskalács) — made with freshly baked dough that turns out crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside — and fills each with soft serve ice cream. Its Anaheim (Disney-inspired) roots show because guests can also select fruity vegan Dole whip (available in pineapple or strawberry) as a filling. Specialties also include The Mouse, made with vanilla bean soft serve, an Oreo chimney cake, sprinkles, Oreo ears, and chocolate buttons; or shakes, like the Ubecorn featuring an ube shake base, Fruity Pebbles, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a mini chimney cake.

The Himalayan Flames

This halal restaurant serves up flavors of the Himalayas — Indian, Nepali, and Tibetan cuisine. Start with the samosas, which are flavorful and fried to perfection. The butter chicken and the chicken tikka masala are popular with customers, who’ve given high marks to the restaurant since its 2019 opening.

The Great Commoner

This French patisserie from the team behind Brome Modern Eatery and Detroit’s Cannelle is a dream for both pastry lovers and folks looking for brunch in Dearborn. The space is as elegant as the buttery croissants, rich eclairs, colorful macarons, and freshly baked bread. It also offers robust breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus that include sandwiches, salads, a variety of fancy toasts, and a full coffee bar featuring locally roasted brews.

Sheeba Restaurant

For Yemeni food, Sheeba Restaurant is a go-to place with dishes such as seltah (root vegetables with whipped fenugreek) and fahsah (shredded lamb and potatoes) — both of which come to the table bubbling hot in a clay bowl. The lamb haneeth is the most popular dish with slow-roasted lamb over basmati rice. The Yemeni tannour bread is perfect for scooping and sopping it all up.

Haraz Coffee House

The Yemeni coffee scene continues to grow little by little in metro Detroit with Haraz Coffee House with locations in Dearborn and at 32766 Ryan Road in Warren. Named after the ancient villages of the Haraz Mountains in Yemen’s lower west coast region (considered by many as the birthplace of coffee), the menu consists of espresso drinks, Turkish tea, smoothies, saffron cakes, sabayah (thinly layered bread drizzled with honey), and other sweet treats.

M Cantina

Michigan Avenue’s M Cantina specializes in Nuevo Latino cuisine, including halal tacos and tortas as well as refreshing cocktails from chef and mixologist mastermind Junior Merino (aka The Liquid Chef). Due to staffing shortages, reservations are required.

Taystee's Burgers

There’s no shortage of great burgers in metro Detroit, but Taystee’s stands out for its halal beef, creative flavor combinations, and unsuspecting location. Like spicy? There’s the Volcano, boasting jalapeno, jalapeno poppers, and spicy mayo. Want breakfast for dinner? The Breakfast Burger has a fried egg, beef bacon, and not one but two grilled cheese sandwiches as a bun. Located in a gas station across from the Ford-Wyoming Drive-in, it offers fuel for both cars and stomachs.

Cedarland Restaurant

This Lebanese mainstay features a ski chalet-inspired diner interior and a clever drive-thru window for takeout orders. Regulars love it for the complimentary lentil soup, juicy rotisserie chickens, and plentiful combination plates piled high with everything from falafel to fried kibbeh to grape leaves. Drive-thru and curbside pickup available.

Qahwah House

This coffee bar is a popular Dearborn destination, specializing in high-end coffee from Yemen, which it serves brewed and in latte form. Customers can also snack on Yemeni pastries including honeycomb bread and layered honey cake called sabaya.

Dearborn Meat Market

Whether cooking or dining in, this emporium of halal meat has all the bases covered. Cooking plans, however, might go out the window once the smell of roasted meats from the charcoal grill hits your nose. Skewered meats from typical cuts to offal are complemented by creamy hummus, baba ghannouj, fresh salad, and plentiful pitas. 

Al Chabab

Al Chabab serves Syrian food paired with friendly, attentive service. Those who seek out spicy flavors will find a lot to like here, such as the hummus halabi that has a little kick from Aleppo chilies and the spicy kibbeh. The kabobs are standouts, especially the cherry. Can’t decide what to get? The mixed grill has a little bit of everything, or ask the owners who are always ready and willing to make suggestions. 

Al-Ameer

For more than 25 years, Al-Ameer has been a beloved favorite among locals for top-notch Lebanese cuisine. But this family-owned restaurant with sister locations in Canton and Dearborn Heights achieved national acclaim with a James Beard America’s Classics Award and then a spot on Eater’s National 38 list. With dishes like stuffed lamb and kibbeh neyeh (raw beef mixed with bulgar, onion, and spices), it’s an essential destination for any culinary tour of Dearborn. There’s a new location showing up in Canton, soon, too.

Shatila Bakery

With its indoor palm trees, local institution Shatila Bakery feels like an oasis of crave-inducing sweet treats. The cases teeming with tempting pastries make choosing dessert a challenge, but some must-haves include the baklava made with layers of phyllo dough stuffed with nuts such as pistachios, walnuts, cashews, or almonds. The pistachio ice cream is also outstanding.

Related Maps

Aliz Seafood House

This new spot in Dearborn serves up Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, but with a seafood twist. Many of the classic offerings one would find in a traditional Middle Eastern restaurant are available here, including skewers, hummus, grilled kibbeh, and kofta sandwiches, with one key distinction: In addition to beef, lamb, chicken, or other typical proteins, Aliz prepares with a variety of marinated or spicy fish or shrimp. The menu is rounded out with entrees like roasted red snapper, grilled salmon with herbs, as well as casseroles and shrimp biryani.

AlTayeb Restaurant

Al Tayeb, which means “the delicious” in Arabic, serves the type of tasty traditional breakfast you’d find in Beirut. The restaurant, which got its start as a sub shop in Garden City in 2017, has since expanded. Half of the items on the menu contain chickpeas; the menu includes Lebanese classics like fool, falafel, hummus, and even beef tongue delicacies. 

Holy Cluck Food Truck

Holy Cluck is the Dearborn food truck making a name for itself in metro Detroit’s increasingly crowded hot chicken scene for its juicy, all-halal fried chicken tender sandwiches. Tenders are sourced from Saad Meats in Eastern Market and can be eaten alone or in a sandwich. The Cluck features slaw, pickles and Holy Sauce, the Holy Cluck Nashville hot chicken-inspired sandwich, the Mac Cluckin’ with mac and cheese, and filling sides like the Coop, crinkle-cut fries loaded with nacho cheese, slaw, pickles, and three different sauces. Visit the truck in Dearborn or hit up the new restaurant at 25827 West Warren in Dearborn Heights, where guests can also find the 1922 Milkshakes counter, featuring a variety of Instagrammable shakes.

Related Maps