Amelia Street Pizza Co.
Just when it seemed that pizza had peaked in metro Detroit, a new player entered the scene. Chef Matt Arb makes ultra-crispy, New York-style thin crusts with 72-hour cold sourdough ferment, using a biga with both commercial and wild yeast. A signature “half-moon” pecorino shave on top adds to the pizza’s flavor and looks.
The menu is simple: one cheese pizza, one pepperoni, one rotating special, cheese bread, quarter-pound chocolate chip cookies, and soft drinks. Backed by Mabel Gray’s James Rigato, the new pizzeria occupies a one-of-a-kind space in the local pie world.
951 E. 9 Mile Road, Hazel Park; @ameliastpizzaco on Instagram.
— Jack Thomas
Cafe Origins
James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Young has bounced around quite a bit since leaving Zingerman’s Roadhouse in 2017, but he seems to have found his speed after quietly opening Cafe Origins in downtown Birmingham in early 2025.
The beautifully calligraphed chalkboard menu feels like a throwback to the simpler days of cafés. Over morning coffee or tea, enjoy a house-baked sweet, savory hand pie, or delectable omelet. Lunch and dinner center on soups, fresh salads, and sandwiches on lightly buttered baguettes.
163 W. Maple Road, Birmingham; originsbirmingham.com.
— JT
Fred’s
From Fred Lelcaj, who co-owns Pocket Change upstairs with his brother Kris, Fred’s brings a polished all-day café to Eastern Market. Conveniently situated for visitors to grab a coffee before browsing the market or sit down for a leisurely lunch afterward, the bright, welcoming space shines with dishes like the tuna melt or barbacoa sandwich, both served on crusty Zingerman’s sourdough.
Fred’s offers the kind of thoughtful, unfussy food that makes it easy to become a regular.
1454 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; fredsdetroit.com.
— Serena Maria Daniels
Tall Trees Cafe
Detroit-area hospitality veteran Mike Finsilver turns sandwiches into an art form at Tall Trees Cafe, a tiny Ferndale shop next to Secret Bakery. Try the spicy mortadella layered with bomba calabrese and preserved lemon buttermilk-dressed lettuce. Or go for a rotating special, like a Philadelphia roast pork sandwich stacked with roasted pork shoulder, braised rapini, aged provolone, and Calabrian chiles, all stuffed into a sesame semolina hoagie.
Seasonal soups and local ingredients round out one of metro Detroit’s most exciting new lunch spots.
817 Livernois, Ferndale; talltreesferndale.com.
— SMD
More of Hour Detroit’s Best New Restaurants 2026
Wilder’s in Birmingham
Rose’s in Detroit
The Franklin Oyster Bar and Eatery in Franklin
Little Liberia in Detroit
Best New Bars
Sunda New Asian in Detroit
Medusa in Detroit
Bar Gabi in Hazel Park
Ostrea in Detroit
This story originally appeared in the August 2026 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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