Restaurants in Detroit: Key Takeaways
- Detroit has approximately 1,806 restaurants spread across various neighborhoods.
- Full-service restaurants are the most common with about 1,000 venues in the city.
- Burgers and pizza cuisines dominate with over 500 restaurants each in Detroit.
Detroit features a vibrant dining scene with 1,806 restaurants. This article provides a detailed breakdown by area, category, and cuisine, while explaining why exact numbers can vary depending on data sources.
If you’re thinking about hiring staff for your Detroit restaurant, learn how to find the best staff for your restaurant to create a high-performing team.
Explore restaurant distributions in Detroit’s neighborhoods and examine types like full-service, fast food, along with popular cuisines from Burgers to Mexican, reflecting the city’s diverse food culture.
Restaurants in Detroit: Key Takeaways- Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Area
- Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Category
- Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Cuisine
- Official Detroit Records and Registered Restaurant Businesses
- Restaurants in Detroit Listed on Google and Other Online Platforms
- Why Restaurant Counts in Detroit Vary and Conclusion
Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Area
Here is a detailed view of the number of restaurants located within key Detroit neighborhoods.
| Area | Number of Restaurants |
|---|---|
| Downtown | 313 |
| Greektown | 50 |
| Midtown | 100 |
| Corktown | 30 |
| Mexicantown | 40 |
| Eastside | 100 |
| Westside | 100 |
| Northwest Detroit | 100 |
| Northeast Detroit | 100 |
| Southwest Detroit | 100 |
| Southeast Detroit | 100 |
Downtown stands as a major culinary center with 313 restaurants, reflecting its vibrant urban activity. Neighborhoods like Midtown, Eastside, and several Detroit sectors host a balanced share, each around 100 establishments.
Developing a solid business plan for your restaurant can be crucial for those operating or opening dining establishments in any Detroit neighborhood.
Smaller districts such as Greektown, Corktown, and Mexicantown contribute unique flavors with 30 to 50 restaurants, highlighting Detroit’s neighborhood diversity in dining options.
Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Category
This table presents the variety of restaurant types that make up Detroit’s food service landscape.
| Category | Approximate Count |
|---|---|
| Full-Service Restaurants | 1000 |
| Fast Food and Quick-Service Restaurants | 400 |
| Cafes and Coffee Shops | 200 |
| Bars and Pubs | 100 |
| Food Trucks and Street Food Vendors | 50 |
| Pop-up Restaurants | 30 |
| Ghost Kitchens and Virtual Restaurants | 26 |
Full-service restaurants are the largest group with about 1,000 venues, offering sit-down dining experiences across Detroit. Fast food and quick-service outlets follow with 400 establishments.
For owners and managers, understanding how to hire servers or waiters can help ensure excellent customer service across all restaurant types.
Cafes, bars, and emerging concepts such as food trucks, pop-ups, and ghost kitchens add to Detroit’s multifaceted restaurant scene, making it both dynamic and varied.
Breakdown of Restaurants in Detroit by Cuisine
Below is the distribution of restaurants based on their primary cuisine focus in Detroit.
| Cuisine | Approximate Number |
|---|---|
| Burgers | 506 |
| Pizza | 499 |
| Traditional American | 413 |
| Seafood | 192 |
| Mexican | 248 |
| Chinese | 152 |
| Italian | 129 |
| New American | 150 |
| Barbecue | 119 |
| Indian | 60 |
| Thai | 56 |
| Greek | 54 |
| Japanese | 46 |
| Vietnamese | 24 |
| Korean | 9 |
| Cuban | 6 |
Burgers and pizza are leading cuisines with over 500 restaurants each in Detroit, while traditional American dining also holds a significant share. Mexican flavors attract a solid following with roughly 248 eateries.
Hiring a line cook for your restaurant can help maintain consistency in popular cuisines like burgers, pizza, and American fare.
Asian cuisines such as Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese add rich cultural diversity. Greek, barbecue, and Cuban cuisines also contribute to Detroit’s rich food tapestry.
Official Detroit Records and Registered Restaurant Businesses
The City of Detroit keeps official records of food establishments through health departments and business licenses, tracking registered restaurants that meet safety and operational standards.
Successful restaurant owners often focus on effective restaurant operations management to stay up to code and thrive in a competitive market.
These records provide a baseline count of legally registered and operational restaurants, offering reliable data for regulatory and public awareness purposes.
Restaurants in Detroit Listed on Google and Other Online Platforms
Online platforms like Google Maps showcase publicly listed and active restaurants, often reflecting slightly different numbers than official records due to user-generated content and updating delays.
For those managing or opening Detroit restaurants, reviewing current restaurant industry trends can provide useful insights for your digital and operational strategy.
Such listings capture venues with an active digital presence but may not include newly opened, temporarily closed, or unlisted restaurants, resulting in varied counts.
Why Restaurant Counts in Detroit Vary and Conclusion
Differences in counting methods, data definitions, and reporting timelines cause variation in Detroit’s restaurant figures. Some sources count only licensed restaurants, while others include informal or emerging food services.
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Overall, Detroit’s restaurant scene is a diverse and evolving culinary landscape with over 1,800 venues, reflecting the city’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant growth in dining experiences.
