Dinner in Detroit doesn’t get more festive than Greektown. Along Monroe Street, just east of Woodward, the aroma of grilled lamb, lemon and cinnamon drifts from family-run Greek restaurants that have served the neighborhood for generations — many with a cheerful ‘Opa!’ as the saganaki arrives flaming at your table.
The district grew around St. Mary Roman Catholic Church, founded by German immigrants in 1835, and the Greek community that made Monroe Street its own in the early 1900s. Today, bakeries sell trays of baklava and loukoumades, cafes pour strong Greek coffee, and the sidewalks fill on game nights thanks to the short walk from Comerica Park and Ford Field.
Come hungry and linger: Greektown is compact, walkable and tailor-made for a long evening — appetizers at one spot, dinner at another, dessert and coffee to finish. Opa, indeed.
