The April Hit List: Leila, Barda, Saffron De Twah, Barrio, and More

Although the iconic Phoenicia restaurant didn’t make it past the semifinalist round of this year’s Beards — having been shortlisted for the Outstanding Hospitality category — the Eid family’s outstanding hospitality remains on full display at contemporary sister restaurant Leila, named for the Eid matriarch. While lunch service is no more, the Lebanese-style mezze and steaming hot pita fresh from the oven offer plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Detroit’s only modern Argentinian restaurant is the first from the city to break through to the nominee round of the Beard Awards in the Best New Restaurant category. Chef Javier Bardauil’s fire-kissed cuisine, tempered with an assertive use of acid, has turned heads for its elegance in a genre full of macho tropes. The Latin-heavy wine and spirits list and minimalist blue-tiled backdrop only strengthen what is already a confident, individualistic point of view.

Call 313-952-5182 for reservations.

Chef Omar Anani’s ode to Moroccan cuisine is a testament to community. Anani often telegraphs Saffron De Twah’s core values in social media posts, while frequently hosting fundraisers for vital causes and feeding the needy. It’s this people-centered approach, not to mention the flavorful tagines and sandwiches, that have earned Anani a nod as Best Chef: Great Lakes.

Call 586-359-6138 for reservations.

Algerian-born chef Warda Bougettaya creates immaculate pastries of such understated and stunning beauty that taking a bite comes with the guilt of ruining an object of perfection. Thankfully, the flavors that burst forth from her globally inspired financiers and tarts sweep those feelings of guilt away in short order. It’s no wonder, then, that Bougettaya is the first-ever Detroit-based chef to be nominated in the Outstanding Pastry Chef category.

No reservations.

J.D. Simpson and Roger Yopp didn’t make it past the semifinalist round of the Beards, despite being shortlisted in the Outstanding Restaurateur category. But that doesn’t discount their hard work keeping one of downtown Detroit’s few Black-owned restaurants alive through the pandemic. Chef Christopher McClendon continues to dazzle with upscale takes on Southern cuisine, typified by braised oxtails over creamy cheddar risotto and some of the meatiest crab cakes around. Next up, the restaurateurs are readying to debut Willow, a speakeasy-style craft cocktail lounge in the ground-level space below their stylish restaurant.

Call 313-926-0783 for reservations.

Due in part to its proximity to Ann Arbor, the city of Plymouth often gets overlooked as a dining destination despite a diversity of top-notch restaurants located along its historic, walkable downtown. The vast selection of Tequila and mezcal at Barrio act as an expansive counterpoint to the tightly focused menu of traditional Mexican fare presented in a contemporary setting. For the time being, service is mostly walk-ins, but you can add your name to the dinner waitlist via Resy.

Just around the corner from Barrio, NICO & VALI is a celebration of the DePalma family and its Italian roots. The restaurant’s name itself is an amalgamation of the three youngest DePalmas, all of whom work in their father’s business. Humming since 2008, NICO & VALI offers a more traditional Italian dining experience than some of the red sauce joints that populate metro Detroit. While the generous salads and wide array of pastas get top billing, the housemade tiramisu and other desserts are not to be missed.

Across the street from downtown Plymouth’s centrally located Kellogg Park, Campari’s is a slightly more casual Italian option that leans into the red sauces. Pizza is a highlight here, along with brick-oven specialties like stromboli made with imported ham, Genoa salami, and smoked provolone. There’s also a special kids’ menu for the little ones, making this one of Plymouth’s most family-friendly dining options.

Over on the east side, Red Crown has been filling Grosse Pointers’ stomachs out of an old Standard Oil gas station for nearly 10 years now. But a pre-pandemic renovation in 2020 included an outdoor seating expansion just in time for indoor dining to close. Since reopening in the summer of 2020, chef Brian Psenki has been turning out takes on Southern fare with standbys like shrimp and grits made with Tasso ham, as well as more inventive creations like the “Mississippi caviar,” a dish of black-eyed pea salsa and whipped feta on toast. Thanks to an extensive kids’ menu and the unique filling station decor, Red Crown has become a popular spot for families, especially during weekend brunch.

One of Ferndale’s most beloved and inventive diners closed in September 2021, after nearly two decades in business — but it didn’t stay closed for long. Matthew Buskard, Fly Trap regular and the owner of multiple Bobcat Bonnie’s restaurants around metro Detroit, purchased the business from Kara and Gavin McMillian with the promise of leaving it alone. In late March, Buskard delivered on that promise, reviving The Fly Trap with most of the original staff in place and all of its offerings preserved. Red flannel hash and gingerbread waffles are back on Woodward Avenue just in time for the springtime brunch rush.

Walk-ins only.