Michigan has plenty to love, from the Great Lakes and small waterfront towns to Detroit’s history, music, culture, and unmistakable personality. But having grown up in Michigan, some of my strongest memories are tied to the food.
For me, Michigan food isn’t just something to try while traveling. It brings back memories.
I grew up loving Coney Dogs, Detroit-style square pizza, and the foods that were simply part of life in and around Detroit. Some of my favorite memories are of going out with friends and ending the night downtown over Coney Dogs, sometimes at 2 a.m., laughing, talking, and having a great time around the table.
And yes, I have eaten at both Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island. If you know Detroit, you know there is a rivalry!
If you’re planning a trip to Michigan, here are seven foods and drinks that deserve a place on your list.
Coney Dogs
You really can’t talk about Detroit food without talking about the Coney Dog.
A Detroit-style Coney Dog typically starts with a hot dog topped with chili, yellow mustard, and chopped onions. It sounds simple, but Detroiters can have very strong opinions about where to get the best one.
Two of the most famous names are Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island, longtime neighbors in downtown Detroit with a famous rivalry. I’ve eaten at both, and the experience itself is part of what makes Coney Dogs so memorable to me.
When I was younger, Coney Dogs were also part of those late nights out on the town. We’d end up eating them at 2 a.m., laughing and having fun after a night out. Those are the kinds of Michigan memories that stay with you.
If you’re visiting Detroit for the first time, try both Lafayette and American and decide for yourself which side of the rivalry you’re on.
White Castle Sliders
I can’t write about the foods I loved growing up in Michigan without including White Castle.
I’ve probably eaten hundreds of these delicious little morsels over the years. And when I say a “bag” of White Castles, I’m not talking about two or three. I could easily eat 10 or a dozen of those little sliders myself!
There’s just something about them: the small steamed burgers, onions, soft buns, and that unmistakable White Castle flavor. They’re nothing fancy, but when you grow up eating them, the craving never really goes away.
White Castle has a long history in the Detroit area, and for me, it’s another one of those foods that immediately brings back memories of growing up in Michigan.
For years after moving to Florida, getting a fresh White Castle wasn’t so easy. Then White Castle made its big return to Florida, opening its enormous Orlando-area restaurant near the attractions in 2021.
And yes, I’ve been there.
More than once.
And yes, I’ve eaten a few bags!
Even after all these years, those little sliders still taste like a bit of Michigan nostalgia to me.
If you’re visiting Michigan and you’ve never experienced White Castle, order a sack of Original Sliders and give them a try. Just don’t be surprised if two or three suddenly turns into ten.
Frankenmuth Chicken Dinners
Another Michigan food tradition that brings back wonderful memories for me is heading north to Frankenmuth for one of its famous family-style chicken dinners.
Growing up in Michigan, Frankenmuth was a favorite destination for day trips and overnight visits, and the food was always part of the experience. I remember those enormous meals with platters of golden fried chicken surrounded by potatoes, vegetables, breads, and all the sides that seemed to keep coming to the table.
Two names have become synonymous with the Frankenmuth chicken dinner tradition: Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth and the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. They’re located across the street from one another, and both have been serving generations of families who make a trip to Frankenmuth partly because they know exactly what they’re going there to eat.
For me, the chicken dinner was part of the whole Frankenmuth experience: walking through town, visiting the shops and candy stores, enjoying the German-inspired atmosphere, and then sitting down for that big meal.
If you’re exploring Michigan beyond Detroit, Frankenmuth is well worth adding to your trip, and you should arrive hungry.
Read more about my memories and favorite things to do in Frankenmuth in my article: Why Frankenmuth, Michigan Will Always Be One of My Favorite Getaways
Blue Moon and Superman Ice Cream
Michigan has another ice cream tradition that immediately takes me back to growing up there: Blue Moon ice cream.
I absolutely loved Stroh’s Blue Moon. I remember going to the candy store and seeing that unmistakable bright blue ice cream in the case. That was the flavor I wanted. It had this wonderfully unusual fruity, almost citrus-like flavor that was difficult to describe, but I loved it.
I haven’t had Stroh’s Blue Moon in decades, but I can still remember it. It’s funny how a particular food can instantly bring you back to childhood.
Blue Moon is also one of the flavors closely associated with another Michigan favorite, Superman ice cream. With its colorful swirls of blue, red, and yellow, Superman became a childhood staple throughout Michigan and remains strongly associated with the state.
And here’s the good news for fellow Blue Moon fans: Blue Moon ice cream is still around in Michigan today. So on my next trip back, I may have to track down a scoop and see if it tastes the way I remember it.
For anyone visiting Michigan, skip the ordinary vanilla for a day and look for Blue Moon or Superman ice cream. They’re colorful, nostalgic, and a fun little taste of Michigan childhood.
Vernors Ginger Ale
Vernors isn’t just another soft drink in Michigan. For many Michiganders, it’s practically a tradition.
Created in Detroit in the 1800s, Vernors is famous for its distinctive, bold ginger flavor. If you’ve never had it before, don’t expect it to taste like an ordinary ginger ale. It has a flavor all its own.
Growing up in Michigan, Vernors was one of those drinks that seemed to be everywhere, and it’s still one of the tastes I immediately associate with home… especially when you’re home sick with a cold or the flu. Vernors was always served between hot chicken noodle soup.
Detroit-Style Pizza
Detroit-style pizza will always be one of my favorite Michigan foods. Growing up, square pizza was a Friday-night favorite, and I especially loved Buddy’s Pizza.
Buddy’s is where Detroit-style pizza began in 1946, at the original location at Six Mile and Conant on Detroit’s east side. The thick, airy crust, crispy cheesy edges, and square corner pieces are exactly what I think of when I think of Detroit pizza.
I have so many memories of eating at that Buddy’s Pizza while growing up in the Detroit area. To me, that was pizza. I didn’t think of it as a special “Detroit style” back then. It was simply the square pizza we loved.
Today, Detroit-style pizza has become popular across the country, but there’s something special about eating it where it all started.
If you’re visiting Detroit, put Buddy’s Pizza on your food list and order the square pizza. And definitely try to get a corner piece!
Polish Food in Hamtramck
No Michigan food list inspired by my Polish-Detroit roots would feel complete without mentioning Hamtramck and its Polish food traditions.
Hamtramck has long been known for its Polish heritage, and generations of Detroit-area families have headed there for comforting dishes such as pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, potato pancakes, and other Eastern European specialties.
For visitors who want to experience another side of Detroit-area food culture, exploring Hamtramck is well worth the short trip.
Come hungry. Polish food isn’t exactly known for sending you home hungry!
Pasties
Head north to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and you’ll encounter another Michigan classic: the pasty.
Pasties are handheld savory pies traditionally filled with meat, potatoes, onions, and other vegetables. They became closely associated with the Upper Peninsula through the immigrant miners who brought the tradition to the region.
They’re hearty, portable, and especially satisfying on a chilly Michigan day. You’ll find them at restaurants, bakeries, roadside stops, and specialty pasty shops throughout the U.P.
Michigan Cherries
Michigan and cherries belong together, particularly when you travel to the northwestern part of the Lower Peninsula.
Tart cherries are especially associated with the Traverse City region, and during cherry season you’ll find them incorporated into everything from pies and preserves to sauces, baked goods, candies, and other local specialties.
Of course, a classic Michigan cherry pie is hard to beat. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a wonderful Michigan summer dessert.
A Taste of Michigan
One of the things I love about Michigan food is how much it reflects the different communities and regions of the state.
Detroit gives us Coney Dogs and square pizza. Hamtramck brings its Polish food traditions. Head north and you’ll find pasties in the Upper Peninsula and cherries around Traverse City. Even something as simple as a glass of Vernors or a scoop of Superman ice cream can bring back memories for someone who grew up there.
For me, though, those late-night Coney Dogs will always be special.
There was something about being out with friends, ending up downtown at 2 a.m., ordering Coney Dogs, and sitting around laughing together that captured a particular time in my life.
So when you visit Michigan, don’t just see the sights. Eat your way through some of the foods that have become part of Michigan’s identity.
And when you get to Detroit, try a Coney Dog.
Better yet, try one at Lafayette and one at American.
Then you can join the debate.
Exploring Beyond Detroit?
If you’re exploring Michigan beyond Detroit, one of my favorite trips growing up was heading north to Frankenmuth. It’s an easy addition to a Michigan road trip and a completely different food experience, with its famous family-style chicken dinners, German heritage, bakeries, and sweet shops.
Continue your Michigan travels with my article: Why Frankenmuth, Michigan Will Always Be One of My Favorite Getaways
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