How to Eat and Drink Your Way Through the End of Summer in Detroit #DetroitFood

2:53 PM ,
A crowd of people at a festival.
Rock Media

Diaspora cuisine at Afro Nation, a Black food and wine experience, untinned fish in Ferndale, and more

Summer in Detroit is a time for residents and visitors to peel off those winter layers to reveal their best warm weather looks, to while away an afternoon from a rooftop lounge or outdoor patio, a lush waterfront, and, of course, to attend one of the many seasonal festivals that bring folks together over music, art, culture, and food. As Labor Day approaches, marking the unofficial end of summer, a flurry of festivals as well as unique dining experiences are taking place across the city, inviting localsy to gather before heading back to school or regular work life and the eventual doldrums of winter.

Here’s a glimpse of what to expect — with particular attention to the food and drink options available at each festival or event.

A crowd at Afro Nation 2023. Rock Media

August 17-18: Afro Nation

Bedrock Detroit Douglass Site at Beaubien Boulevard and Winder Street

Rema and Lil Wayne are headlining this two-day festival, along with a roster of local and international talent highlighting the vast world of Afrobeats, Amapiano, Afro house, hip-hop, R&B, and dancehall. Festivities kick off at 2 p.m., Saturday, August 17, at the Douglass site in the Brush Park area. General admission tickets start at $99.

In addition to all the sonic vibes from the stage, the food options here include beloved local eateries that highlight the region’s diverse African diaspora and beyond.

  • Fork in Nigeria
  • Waka
  • Junk Food & Friends
  • KG’s African Grill
  • Jackson 5 Star
  • Delectabowl
  • Mercurio’s
  • Taqueria Los Lobos
  • Robbie B
  • JJ Concession
  • Mouthfull ATL
  • Gweeenies Jamaican Jerk Chicken
  • Keniya’s Kitchen
  • Afro Beats & Eats by Andiamo
  • Konjo Me Ethiopian Cuisine
  • Pequeño Cantina
  • Little Liberia
  • Aunties African Kitchen
  • The Continent DC
  • For the Love of Cheesecake
  • Papi’s Khebab

August 24: SW Fest

Senate Theater, 6424 Michigan Avenue

SW Fest is a free, family-friendly celebration taking place 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, August 24, organized by a collective of Detroiters from the city’s southwest side that showcases local musical artists, community-based organizations and resources, and food.

  • The Lemelle Cookie Company
  • Delicias
  • La Poblana
  • Pete’s Down-N-Out Tacos
  • Cocina Vega
  • Nepantla
  • Small Batch Detroit (DFA)
  • Las Lupis
  • Mama’s Kitchen
  • Mikey’s Cocina
  • Sun Buttah
  • Vamonos!
  • Hip-Bachi
  • Alba
  • Minnie’s Sweets and Treats
  • Taste of Adan

September 12-14 Black Food and Wine Experience

Location varies

Oakland, California-based festival Black Food and Wine Experience is making its Detroit debut with a series of programming downtown, in partnership with Bedrock.

The first event starts with a reception on Thursday, September 12, at Book Tower, followed by the Black Food & Beverage Summit from noon to 3 p.m. on Friday, September 13, at One Campus Martius with speakers including Riana Lynn, an Al patent-holder, entrepreneur, investor, artist, author, farm owner, and neuroscientist; Detroit’s own Quiana Rice of the Kitchen by Cooking With Que and Wendy Cruz of Cruz Burgers. Panel topics will include exploring lyrics from Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us” and the Keith Lee Effect. The summit is followed by the invitation-only Black Renaissance Dinner taking place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday, September 13, at Table No. 2 Restaurant at 1045 Brush Street. Further details about who else will be participating in the multi-day festival weren’t immediately available.

Annual festivals

Labor Day weekend highlights include the Detroit Jazz Festival, Friday, August 30, through Monday, September 2 at Hart Plaza and Woodward Avenue in Campus Martius Park; and the Hamtramck Labor Day Festival, Saturday, August 31 through Monday, September 2, on Joseph Campus between Caniff and Carpenter. The following weekend, Saturday, September 7, Dally in the Alley takes over the Cass Corridor. Food vendors will be on hand at all three events. In addition, attendance of these festivities is a great way to check out the dining scenes in each respective community, from splurge-worthy destinations and old favorites downtown and halal-friendly burgers and hot dogs in Midtown to Polish, Bangladeshi, and Yemeni favorites in Hamtramck.

Other dining events to watch

An above shot of several dishes over a multi-color surface. Little Liberia

August 20, Little Liberia

Brooklyn Street Local, 1266 Michigan Avenue

Little Liberia, the forthcoming restaurant and self-described first Liberian food offering in Michigan, is gearing up for its New Center debut by launching a series of ticketed dining experiences. From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday, August 20, the restaurant’s founder, chef Ameneh Marhaba, will host a five-course meal to offer visitors a glimpse of the menu. Tickets are $65.

A toast with tomato and tuna held by a hand. Maryam Khan

August 17: Untinned Fish

Secret Bakery, 821 Livernois Street, Ferndale

Maryam Khan, whose roaming Khana pop-up includes hits like the Rich Boi shrimp masala and butter chicken nachos, is embarking on an exploration of tuna for one day only from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, August 17 at Secret Bakery in Ferndale. This won’t be a Khana venture. Instead, she’s making her version of tinned fish. She starts by procuring ahi tuna steaks from Western Market, poaching them in olive oil, and then preparing dishes like nicoise salad with aioli and a tonnato spread made with some of that oil she used for the poaching process. Secret Bakery’s Maxwell Leonard will supply the bread. Additionally, Khan says she will use locally sourced produce for items like an upside-down peach olive oil cake with Michigan-grown peaches. Khan tells Eater that she grew up loving Starkist Tuna and later as an adult began to appreciate higher-end conserva brands like Ortiz. “This is my ode to my love for tuna and my equal love for seasonal produce,” she says.

August 23, Little Asian Bites Night Market

Dequindre Cut Freight Yard, 3019 Orleans Street

The Little Asian Bites Night Market has become a popular way for metro Detroiters to indulge in an array of cuisines from the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora — ranging from food vendors representing local restaurants to informal, family-owned ventures. This time around, the event will be held 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, August 23 in a scaled-down format, in collaboration with the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy at the Dequindre Cut Freight Yard, just a short distance away from its previous location in Shed 5 at Eastern Market.

Sandwich Party

Eastern Market Shed 5, 2810 Russell Street

Aunt Nee’s tortilla chip maker and self-proclaimed food head Carlos Parisi is living his best sandwich life and to celebrate is hosting the inaugural Detroit Sandwich party from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 1, at Eastern Market. Music, drinks, and more than 25 sandwich vendors will be on hand to fulfill sandwich dreams. Partiers can purchase half-sandwich portions from each vendor. The event was inspired by Parisi’s longtime Detroit Sandwich Week — the time of year in December sandwiched between Christmas and New Year — an event that includes a roaming lineup of local legends where fans can come together over their shared love for sandwiches. This year’s party is organized in partnership with the North Corktown Neighborhood Association and Eastern Market.



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