The Michelin Guide is bringing its Great Lakes ceremony to Detroit next April, and people have a lot of questions. What does a Michelin presence actually mean for our local food scene? How do diners, chefs, and journalists navigate the hype?
To break it down, Detroit News restaurant critic Melody Baetens stopped by the TechTown studio. We talk about what those stars actually represent, what inspectors look for, and why the national spotlight is shifting toward the Great Lakes.
We run through some of the big highlights — from long-awaited returns like Cass Cafe and Highgrade Deli to fresh concepts like Agnes in West Village, Aurora Italiana, Slutty Vegan, Mike's Red Tacos, and Spiedo on West Canfield.
Check out Melody’s full list on The Detroit News: 25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit
Transcription
Hello friends and welcome to your Daily Detroit for Thursday, September 17th, 2026. I am Jer Staes coming to you from our studio at TechTown, and I am very honored to have across the table from me a repeat, return, welcomed guest, Melody Baetens from The Detroit News. We're going to talk about restaurants, food, and so much more. Welcome back to the show, so good to see you!
Melody Baetens: Thanks, Jer. Thanks for having me.
Talking Michelin Guide and Great Lakes Ceremony coming to Detroit
Jer Staes: Well, you've got a couple of things I want to talk about, but before we get into it, you know, a lot of people have been asking me questions about a thing that has gotten a lot of attention, and that thing is the Michelin Guide. And their ceremony is actually going to be coming to Detroit next April. Why don't we talk about that for a little bit and like why Michelin matters, and kind of how it sits in the context of food, how diners make decisions, journalism, all that?
Melody Baetens: Yes, I think to put it plainly, Michelin means money, it means tourism, it means attention, spotlight. It's a French tour guide, basically. They write guides to where to eat. They've done it all over the world; they have not come to Detroit. They are in Detroit and have been in Detroit, as well as I think five other Great Lakes cities. Those cities' kind of tourism boards groups have pooled their money to get Michelin, because you do have to kind of entice them. It's a lot of work, involves a lot of people.
So they announced that I believe in Minneapolis a couple months ago, and this month they announced that Detroit's getting the first ceremony for all of these cities, these six cities that are going to be part of the America Great Lakes Michelin Guide. So we can expect a lot of people coming from other cities, a lot of chefs that are hoping to get Michelin stars, or a Michelin connotation, or a Bib Gourmand, which is kind of like Michelin saying like, "Hey, this place has got great food and is a good value, and you should check it out."
But I think to your point, like people do travel to Michelin-starred restaurants, and when they do come to town, a lot of them think, "Well, is there a Michelin-starred restaurant around here we can check out?" I've done it, you know, and especially in the shadow of Chicago, which has had Michelin for, I think, 20 years now, maybe 15 years. You know, that's why they're not included in this group, which is a big question people ask, "Well, how come Chicago's not in it?" Chicago's had their own guide for many years. So it's exciting that we're hosting it. I hope that means we're getting stars, but I can't say, I have no idea.
Jer Staes: Yeah, no one really knows, because it's not something that you can apply for, right?
Melody Baetens: No, you have to be a great restaurant, you have to be consistent. Michelin has a set of standards that they look for whether the restaurant's in Paris, or LA, or Detroit now. So we're going to be held to those same standards, and I think that expectations should be tempered. I can't get you into the ceremony; people have asked, I'm not even invited yet! Like, I have no idea. You have to be invited to go.
Jer Staes: So, you've been to Michelin-starred restaurants? What in general, like in a wider sense, sets them apart, or gives it that extra layer of, shall I say, je ne sais quoi, since it's French?
Melody Baetens: I think what they're looking for is a lot of consistency. I have not been lucky enough to go to any of the same starred restaurants consistently, you know, maybe once. A lot of them are tasting menus, and we do have a lot of those around here. Michelin does seem to like a restaurant that does a tasting menu, and that does lend to consistency if you're, you know, a chef that's putting your best foot forward with a set menu that you're not really taking an order, and it just gives it more room to be perfect, I think. And I think that's what they look for.
They're also very expensive. They're also in like metropolitan areas—I went to one in Amsterdam and one in Chicago, two in Chicago. And yeah, it's, you know, you have to be really, really, really good, and then there's the immense stress of, you know, when you get a star, is keeping it. Because they'll come back next year and they'll make sure you continue to deserve it, that one- or two-star rating.
Jer Staes: Now, some people, when this news came out, said, "You know, is Detroit a Michelin town? Is the kind of food that we produce... does that vibe with Michelin? Does that resound?" What do you think of that?
Melody Baetens: Of course we are! I think we could get a couple stars. I think there's restaurants around here that could really wow them. You know, Detroit and Paris have always had a little, little bond.
Jer Staes: "Paris of the Midwest."
Melody Baetens: Exactly! I hope they see that. I have high hopes, and yeah, you never know. I don't know what they're going to do. I'm excited to see.
Jer Staes: And I'm excited to see who they select out of it. And you know what might be interesting? It might be something we don't even expect.
Melody Baetens: Exactly.
Jer Staes: Yeah, because they do not disclose their criteria, but I've also listened to podcasts with chefs who talk about getting a Michelin star, what it takes to get one, and then some of them being like, "Hey, just do your thing, and if you happen to get the star, great," which I thought was really interesting as well.
Melody Baetens: Great, yep, exactly.
Upcoming Detroit Restaurant Openings
Jer Staes: So, all right, well, I also want to talk about some of what is coming to Detroit. You have a great article up on The Detroit News, "25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit." We are not going to talk about all 25, but we are going to get into some highlights in a few different categories: favorites—I know you don't have favorites, but I'll call them favorites—and of course, we'll put a link to the full list in the show notes.
Why don't we start with some of the favorite returns? One that I was really excited about: Cass Cafe. As a former resident of the Cultural Center, Cass Cafe was a real standby, and I'm so glad to see that looking like it's going to come back.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, it closed, I think, four years ago, and it's coming back. A non-profit in Detroit called the Chalfonte Foundation is bringing it back. These are people that are within the arts community, and they remember the same Cass Cafe that we remember. They're working on a menu, they're working on drinks, I know they intend to have a full bar, they intend for it to be a community space with lots of artwork, neighborhood meetings, and things like that. It's not, you know, a big business or big corporation bringing something back. Like, I feel like this is like a connective tissue between, you know, Detroit now and Detroit as people knew it when they were in college, or even five years ago, or even pre-pandemic. I'm very excited. I think there's an authenticity behind it, and people are going to be really excited. I know people are really excited.
Jer Staes: Well, I've got to tell you, Cass Cafe was always one of those restaurants where it tasted good and I also always had enough food.
Melody Baetens: Yeah.
Jer Staes: Because that's a thing.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, good portions, good hearty food, and they really want to focus on nutritious food.
Jer Staes: That is good. And then, is it technically Corktown? Is it counted as Corktown, Highgrade?
Melody Baetens: Um, you know, if you're coming from downtown, you pretty much drive through...
Jer Staes: You drive through Corktown to it. But you know what? That's another long-standing establishment that people are going to be excited about.
Melody Baetens: Yes, the gal that bought Mike's Ham Place next door, she bought Highgrade Deli from... it was in receivership, I believe, so she got it, she's going to open it this fall. She remembers how it was; the original—not the original owner, but the man that owned it for a long time, Stew, he's going to come back and, you know, kind of help her set up. So I think people are going to see a lot of the things that they loved there, hopefully, but most importantly is it's going to not be empty. It's going to be open, the lights are going to be on.
Jer Staes: Listen, I am all about sandwiches! I spent an entire afternoon at the Detroit Sandwich Party.
Melody Baetens: Oh, I love it!
Jer Staes: It was so much fun. We've got an episode coming where we actually interviewed nearly a dozen people about sandwiches.
Melody Baetens: That's great.
New Concepts & Regional Expansions
Jer Staes: I'm so excited to share it. Let's talk about some completely brand-new things that are coming.
Melody Baetens: Okay, let's see, where should we start? Agnes in West Village. This is a big deal because it's the folks behind Selden Standard, which is basically, you know, when people say, "What's the best restaurant in Detroit?" I hear Selden Standard a lot.
Jer Staes: One could argue that it's the standard!
Melody Baetens: Yes! So this is where Metropolitan Pizza Kitchen was, right on Agnes. It was Craft Work before Metropolitan Pizza Kitchen. So it's been a restaurant on this block in the neighborhood of West Village for a while, but now you've got Evan Hansen and Andy Hollyday teamed up with Alex Jewell and Paul Swernuck. And they're going to do like a neighborhood thing. Like, I think people are really excited. They don't have a lot of details for me yet...
Jer Staes: I want a neighborhood thing! I live over there, and I remember my grandmother was a regular at what used to be the Harlequin Cafe in that spot, and I remember being taken there by her when I was real little. And I want that there. We need more of those neighborhood spots over there, especially, you know, there's so many residents right in that area, so much energy, not just in Indian Village and West Village, but there's all those new homes over on Fischer, there's the Riverwards Market that's coming near there. There's a lot of energy happening, but I really feel like neighborhood spots are going to be a good thing over there.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, and it's tricky because if they're too good, then people from other neighborhoods want to eat there too, so it's a sticky situation! But I think they'll do well. I know the neighborhood is very excited for them to come in. It'll be open hopefully later in 2026, so later in the fall.
Jer Staes: You know what they should do is they should set up like a little jar, and buy a dinner for somebody in the neighborhood if you're in from outside of the neighborhood! Also, one that I wanted to mention because I don't know much about it: Aurora Italiana.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, so there's an Aurora Italiana restaurant—there's two in Oakland County, and I've been to the one in West Bloomfield, and it's a very nice, very colorful, very hospitality-forward Italian restaurant. This is from the same restaurant group that does Sexy Steak, and this is right around the corner from Sexy Steak. So this is an Aurora Italiana for downtown Detroit, so it's the third one, but the group's already been in the area because they have Sexy Steak. So I would expect a little of both of the vibes, but it's definitely going to be upscale Italian.
Jer Staes: Have you ever eaten at Sexy Steak?
Melody Baetens: I have.
Jer Staes: What makes the steak sexy? I have so many questions!
Melody Baetens: I think that the vibes are definitely sexy, like the... there's a lot of glossiness to the whole decor, and there was a big pair of red lips in the ladies' room like a sculpture, and it's just a... it's very vibe. Like the kids say, it's all vibes, it's the aesthetic. But the food was very good, and it was very expensive, and it was definitely an experience.
Jer Staes: Well, from sexy to slutty, Slutty Vegan is coming!
Melody Baetens: It is! And this is a national brand. They've got locations all over, I believe they started in Atlanta. They're coming to Michigan Central essentially, where Pizzeria Biga was on West Elizabeth. I don't know what makes it slutty, but it's all going to be vegan. I think it's just more of the vibe like, you know, colorful, fun, playful, more of like kind of what Street Beet does where it takes on fast food or comfort food. And I think Street Beet is doing so well that I think the area can definitely sustain another fun and modern vegan restaurant.
Jer Staes: That's really good to hear, too.
Melody Baetens: I'm not worried, I think it's going to be fine.
Jer Staes: There are so many restaurants right in that little set of blocks right there. Like, I think about where that was, remembering picking up pizza there back in the day, and you walk through and it's so different even than like 10 years ago. I remember it used to be kind of flat behind the streets back there, and now you've got all those apartment buildings and everything. Quite a shift.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, it's developing, as they say.
Jer Staes: Yes, as they say. So let's talk about second or multiple locations, maybe something that is new to us.
Melody Baetens: Something that's new to the Metro Detroit area coming in: Mike's Red Tacos is opening in Royal Oak, and that's going to be the first of like 15 locations they want to do in Michigan. This is like birria tacos, so their big thing is the beefy birria tacos with the consommé that you dip in, which we have here, of course. We have all over Southwest, all over the suburbs, we have a lot of great places. But this is more of like a casual chain, and they're coming in. So you'll see a lot of them opening up in the next couple years, but the first one is opening later this year on Woodward between, I think like between 13 and 14. So look out for that, the pictures look really good. Food looks good.
Jer Staes: Listen, anytime there are new tacos, I am there, without a doubt. And that's a good corridor, too. There's a ton of people who live over there, tons of traffic, hospitals, exactly! There's a ton of traffic that goes up and down. Woodward is just crazy busy.
Melody Baetens: Yeah.
Jer Staes: And then there's another one over on Canfield Street, is it West Canfield?
Melody Baetens: Yes, on West Canfield, right by Cass, Spiedio—I think we're going to call it Spiedio.
Jer Staes: You know what, daily-detroit@gmail.com, send in your corrections, we're going to go with Spiedio.
Melody Baetens: Well, I've heard the owner and the chef say it to me, but I still, you know, like I type things, I write things, I'm not always saying them out loud. It's S-P-I-E-D-O. It's opening where Jolly Pumpkin was. There's an Ann Arbor location that's been open, and if you know, you know, because this food is really good. This is Chef Brad Greenhill's project, he's from Takoi, he has roots in Ann Arbor and Detroit.
So he's opening this soon, they say, I've seen some renderings, but expect like Mediterranean-ish, Middle Eastern-ish, lots of grilled vegetables, lots of grilled meats, sandwiches, salads. They're going to be able to do a little bit more than they do at the Ann Arbor location because this is bigger, this is definitely going to be a sit-down restaurant. Think a little bit about if you remember what Brad was doing at Magnet with like a lot of open flame, a lot of wood fire.
Jer Staes: Oh, I have some friends who absolutely loved that place! I mean, it was really good, but I have some friends that would just rave about it.
Melody Baetens: Yeah, so I think this... Jolly Pumpkin closed there a couple months ago and left a hole in this little strip that's like great for shopping, great for people, visitors and locals, to kind of like hang out. There's a dog park, there's City Bird there, Motor City Brewing Works is there, Third Man, Shinola, it's just a fun spot. It's a good honey hole of things to do and things to eat.
Jer Staes: Oh, for sure! That whole corner there, you've got Go! Sy Thai, though I do believe that Cold Truth is leaving...
Melody Baetens: I heard that.
Jer Staes: That is what I heard. And then the other thing, do you have any idea—I've got to ask, I don't know—the old Traffic Jam & Snug space, have you heard anything?
Melody Baetens: No, and I've tried to find out, I should try again. It's my quarterly time to try again!
Jer Staes: You set a reminder to go look for it! See, I just want the fried pickles back.
Melody Baetens: I know, it's one of the places people miss the most.
Outro & Listener Support
Jer Staes: Yeah, well, listen, there are so many great places to check out, and you're going to want to go to The Detroit News to do it. The article is "25 Restaurants Expected to Open Soon in Metro Detroit." We will put a link in the show notes.
Melody Baetens, Detroit News restaurant critic and reporter, thank you so much for your time on Daily Detroit. Come back now, you hear?
Melody Baetens: I will, thank you!
