How to experience the latest food trends in Detroit

Written by Sarah Bence

Calling all foodie travelers planning a trip to Detroit in 2025! Whole Foods just released their 10th annual food trends forecast. From packing in more protein and crunchy textures, to fighting food waste, and experimenting with ingredients like seaweed and sourdough, there is a lot to expect in the coming year.

Detroit, a hotspot for all types of innovation, is ahead of the curve... and we’ve hand-picked the best trending spots in this article. Here is how you, as a visitor (or local!), can experience each of the 2025 food trends in Detroit.

2025 Food Trend: “International Snacking”

1. Check Out an International Grocery Store

Whole Foods predicts that in 2025, our love of snacking will expand to more international horizons. Embrace this trend by browsing the aisles at one of the many international grocery stores in Detroit.

For example, pick up some mochi, sushi, or nori sticks at One World Market in Novi, which is metro Detroit’s largest Japanese grocery store.

Or, head to Srodek’s Market in Hamtramck
or Sterling Heights for Polish snacks like paczki, pierogi, or sauerkraut.

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Honeybee Market
Credit: @mexicantowndetroit

2025 Food Trend: “Ever-Adaptable Dumpling”

2. Dine on Dumplings, Detroit-Style

Dumplings are predicted to take the worldwide food scene by storm in 2025. Luckily, there are already some great spots to dine on dumplings in Detroit.

Indulge in momos, which are Nepalese dumplings, at Momo Cha, inside Detroit Shipping Company (perfect for a pre-game meal!). Keep your eyes on Gajiza Dumplins, serving a variety of southeastern Asian-style dumplings, with pop ups across Detroit.

In Madison Heights, head to Tai Pan Bakery for bao buns, Ima Noodles
(which also has a location downtown) for gyoza, or Chao Zhou for Chinese steamed dumplings.

You can also find European-style dumplings in Detroit: try the German spätzle from Dakota Inn, Hungarian dumplings at Hungarian Rhapsody (the country’s largest Hungarian restaurant!), and Polish dumplings (pierogi) at Polish Village Cafe. In short, the dumpling options are endless in Detroit!

2025 Food Trend: “Crunch: Texture of the Moment”

3. Get Your Crunch On

Food is about to get crunchier in 2025, according to the trend-setters at Whole Foods. So where can you find the best, crispiest, and crunchiest food in Detroit?

We have to start with Detroit-style pizza, which is known for its unique crisped-up cheese crust. Check out Buddy’s Pizza
for the original, with multiple locations around downtown and the metro area.

Detroit’s Original Chicken Shack and Captain Jay’s Fish & Chicken are both fabulous options for objectively crunchy fried chicken – and a bonus is that both are Detroit-founded, family-run companies.

Crunch into the notoriously crispy tacos at Shell Shock’d Tacos, gobble up the deep fried mac and cheese pops from Sugar Factory, and finally for dessert crack the shell of a crème brulee donut from Main Donut Shop in Royal Oak.

2025 Food Trend: “Hydration Hype”

4. Quench Your Thirst With Mocktails and Juices

Forget boring, plain water in 2025. The new trend is to put a twist on hydration - whether that’s through electrolytes, juices, antioxidants, and more.

Detroit has plenty of juice bars where you can try this trend out. Beyond Juicery + Eatery, was founded in Detroit and now has multiple locations, where you can order a “functional smoothie” with 19 mood-boosting ingredients, or a raw juice made-to-order.

Head to Seva Detroit for an extensive mocktail menu, including a turmeric tonic or “Persephone’s punch.” At Pink Flamingo, try unusual drinks like a soursop juice, or their probiotic beet kvass.

2025 Food Trend: “Tea’s Time”

5. Try an Afternoon Tea in Detroit

Tea just got trendier for 2025, in all its forms. Infuse (pun intended) your next trip to Detroit with tea by making a booking for one of the city’s afternoon teas.

On the fancier end of the spectrum, try high tea at The Whitney – one of Detroit’s most historic mansions – in Midtown. Dine on scones and sandwiches alongside a selection of tea blends, with the accompaniment of live piano music.

For the city’s new and only dedicated tea lounge, head to Lily’s and Elise Teahouse on the historic Avenue of Fashion. Book in for a European-style afternoon or high tea unlike any other in Detroit.

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The Whitney
Credit: @uniquemoniquek

2025 Food Trend: “Next-Level Compostable”

6. Eat at Restaurants That Fight Food Waste

Whole Foods predicts that 2025 will see more compostable food products and packaging enter the market. Follow this trend during your visit to Detroit by supporting restaurants with amazing compost and food waste standards.

Marrow should be top of your list. This restaurant is not only James Beard Award nominated, but also a whole-animal butcher shop. This means, zero waste when it comes to their meat.

Other Detroit area restaurants are certified by PLEDGE on Food Waste, a program that helps minimize food waste. Some of these include Folk Detroit, Alchemi, Sylvan Table, and Johnny’s Speakeasy.

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Four-time James Beard nominated restaurant, Marrow
2025 Food Trend: “More Sustainable Sips”

7. Drink Sustainably

Opt for more environmentally-friendly alcohol options on your trip to Detroit.

Two James Spirits, in Corktown, was founded in 2012 and is Detroit’s first licensed distillery since prohibition. They have a focus on sustainability by using solar energy and trying to source as many ingredients locally as they can.

Valentine Distilling Company is another sustainable liquor option. They are in the midst of a $500,000, decade-long sustainability plan that involves working toward carbon neutrality and recapturing up to 98% of the water used during distilling.

Want a meal with your drink? Pay a visit to IVY Kitchen + Cocktails, where they pay special attention to sourcing responsible spirits on their menu.

2025 Food Trend: “Sourdough Stepped Up”

8. Break (Sourdough) Bread at These Restaurants and Bakeries

Everyone knows that sourdough was a trend during the pandemic, but it’s getting a second wave in 2025. Think: unique twists on sourdough, rather than just a loaf of bread.

Check out Sicily’s Pizzeria, in southwest Detroit, which is the city’s only sourdough pizzeria – since 1989. The dough is naturally fermented with no commercial yeast, and they have a focus on locally sourced ingredients.

In Troy, stop by Sourdough Ida, a bakery with a focus on all things sourdough. Every single product here is sourdough-based, after being fermented for a minimum of 24 hours. This means not just sourdough loaves, but also sourdough chocolate chip cookies, cinnamon rolls, pizza dough, and more.

Want to try an even more under-the-radar sourdough? Over in Ferndale, there is definitely not a bakery serving up one of the best sourdoughs in metro Detroit. And it’s certainly not called Secret Bakery. Because that would be top secret, of course.

2025 Food Trend: “Plant Based Aquatic Ingredients”

9. Eat and Drink Seaweed

We are going to forget fish, and embrace plant-based aquatic ingredients in 2025, according to Whole Foods. This means not just seaweed, but sea moss, duckweed, and more.

At Sozai, a sustainable sushi restaurant whose chef won a 2024 James Beard Award, try the kaiso (a seasoned seaweed salad) or a vegan poke bowl.

Alternatively, for an aquatic-twist on a classic craft cocktail, visit Kiesling Detroit, a neighborhood bar in Milwaukee Junction not far from the Ford Piquette Plant Museum. Order their filthy martini. Beyond vodka, you’ll find ingredients like nori (dried seaweed) and seagrape (a type of algae).

You can also drink your sea-plants at Trap Vegan, where you can add sea moss and spirulina (a type of algae) to any smoothie.

2025 Food Trend: “Protein Power-Up”

10. Devour Protein-Packed Offal

Protein is popular in 2025, with more and more people trying to incorporate it into their diets. Whole Foods also claims there will be an increasing trend toward animal-based proteins like organ meats, also called offal.

In Southwest Detroit, where you can find the best Mexican restaurants in the city, head to Xochimilco
for delicious tripe soup, and Taqueria El Rey for tacos de lengua (tongue).

If you want to buy organ meats to cook yourself – either at home, or at a long-stay apartment-hotel like ROOST, if you’re visiting Detroit – then head over to Gratiot Central Meat Market. This is near Eastern Market, the country’s largest outdoor farmer’s market, and is the city’s go-to place for fresh meat. While there, explore the Eastern Market district.