There's Variety Down River

Downriver, there are countless eateries of all kinds. You've got various Mediterranean places, Asian cuisines, pizza joints, mom and pop coney islands, Mexican restaurants- you name it, we got it. When there's this much to choose from, it can be a bit daunting to try and figure out where to go, if it'll taste good, if the price is right, and if the environment is hospitable. Let's look at some of my top picks, yeah?

First, you might need to know the general location to see if it's even in your area. If you're not familiar with the term, Downriver is the area of Michigan that's in and around Detroit, particularly on the south side of the river, going down from Detroit itself. This includes places like Dearborn, Taylor, Allen Park, Lincoln Park, Southgate, Wyandotte, and even as far south as Woodhaven or Gibraltar. This is far from an exhaustive list, but if you're from around here, you know.

Let's talk pizza

When we're talking pizza, there are a lot of different places you could try. You could easily go for a big chain, like Domino's, Jet's, or Pizza Hut. If you want more of a fast food style pizza, you can hit up Little Caesar's for that hot n' ready. But, none of these really replace that homemade with individuality mom and pop style pizza.

For the best one, my recommendation is Nibo's Pizza and Baked Goods, on King Road in Riverview.

I've been going there for years; I think my first visit was back in either late 2016 or early 2017. I fell in love immediately, and the only time I don't get my pizza from there is if I'm not the one picking and paying. Being all homemade, of course it's going to cost a bit more than the famous 5$ pepperoni from elsewhere, but it's cheaper than some of it's other chain competitors, with a much better quality. They say that you get what you pay for, and it's comparatively better on most fronts- aside from the cheapest price from the fast food style competition.

Not only does Nibo's have homemade pizzas, they're also a bake shop. So alongside the pizza pies, calzones, wings, pepperoni rolls, and other lunch/dinner type foods, there's a whole slew of baked goods. One of my favorites is their lemon muffin. My friend, who I have also turned into a Nibo's lover, would be addicted to their chocolate bombs (I think that's the name. It looks like a giant ball of chocolate, covered in chocolate, filled with maybe a chocolate cake or filling. It's basically just a... bomb of... well, chocolate. I stand by the name.) if they lived closer and had easy access to their restaurant. Nibo's also has paczkis, and like many bakeries, go HARD for paczki day every February. I'm not a big fan of paczkis myself, but I do like their donuts. And cheesecake. They have really good cheesecake.

Another thing to note is the amazing people who work there. They are always welcoming and kind, and the 'mom' of mom and pop is an absolutely remarkable woman. Sometimes there will be months between my visits, but not only does she remember my name every time, she also remembers my order. Granted, I go a bit off menu, and I'm sure I'm the only one who has ever ordered what I do, but she always remembers.

I haven't been there in about 8 or 9 months because I've been living in Europe, so we'll see if she remembers when I get back. Their pizza and cheese bread (oh maaaaan, their cheese bread!) has definitely been one of the things from home I've been missing and craving over here.

What about Italian, but not pizza?

One of my favorite Italian places is Antonio's Cusina Italiana, on Ford Road in Dearborn Heights. However, it's decently high-end, so the price definitely goes up with the quality and you probably shouldn't walk in wearing scrubby sweatpant pajamas and a beanie. You won't be turned away or thrown out, but you'll definitely feel out of place and get some stares from other patrons. Not that I would know first hand or anything...

Now, the true teller of any good Italian restaurant is their bread. Theirs definitely passes the test. So much so, that if you bring home the rest (if there IS any left), whoever didn't join you will know that the bread is from Antonio's just by the flavor. While it's very similar to most Italian restaurants I've personally been to, there's something that just sets it slightly apart from the pack. Maybe it's some extra garlic, or a specific type of salt. Whatever that little difference is, well, makes a difference. As the kids my age like to say, it slaps.

However, with it being higher end, it's not a place I visit frequently. I have to be planning for the price of the meal, which means I probably went for a special occasion. For two people, you can easily surpass the 50$ mark- before tip- if you're not careful in what you order. While it's definitely worth the price, it's not something I can personally afford regularly. So, my friends and I reserve it for special occasions, such as a birthday or big celebration where we can all go and enjoy together.

I'm feeling a bit Mediterranean hungry today. Got anything for that?

You betchya! Already being in Dearborn Heights from Antonio's, it's a very short drive down Ford Road to get to Golden Bakery. There's a second, larger location on Warren Ave in Dearborn, but I prefer the smaller location.

Honestly, I can't even remember the first time I was there. I was very young, and frequented with my grandparents. Whenever we went to Dearborn, we stopped at GB (as we shortened the name in college when our group frequented weekly, minimum) for some cheese bread, meat pies, spinach pies, and grape leaves. The bread was always best fresh from the warm oven, and often we would all eat our own just outside, and then take a bunch back home to eat throughout the week. As such, their food as always been sort of a comfort for me, and brings me joy whenever I visit.

Their prices are all very cheap as well, and I will gladly drive the half hour from my apartment for their food over places that are closer. Not only are the deals better, but so is the food. You can definitely tell that the people preparing the food not only know what they're doing, but care about putting their knowledge, passion, and heritage into every bite. If you're getting something made to order, such as a shawarma, you can see the care and dedication they use to make sure everything is delicious and accurate.

If I decide to make a day a chicken day, I'll get a shawarma with extra garlic extra pickles. Whoever is with me (either friend or fiance) usually hates pickles, but also wants extra garlic. Sometimes, there's even a whole group of us, and we all get them a little bit off from each other. Not only are they all correct, but they absolutely take into account the 'extra' in extra, and wrap them slightly differently and tell me which is which so that we can tell them apart. Otherwise, we wouldn't know about the pickles until biting into it.

Being a location with such a culture history and population base, they also take into consideration various holidays. For instance, right now (April 13- May 12, 2021) is the month of Ramadan. As such, the restaurant is open 24 hours a day for this occasion, to ensure that people have access to hot, ready, and good food any time of day that they're eating- regardless of whether or not they participate. Not a lot of places do something like this, so the fact that they ensure they can cater any and everyone is pretty phenomenal. They also ensure their workers can speak both Arabic and English, to keep up that 'cater to everyone' feel that is so so important in places like Dearborn/Dearborn Heights.

This is another place I'm itching to get back to indulging in when I return Sateside. I miss their grape leaves something fierce.

Where else are you missing from back home?

I'm glad you asked! One of my other favorites that I can't wait to eat again is another small joint in Dearborn. Lue Thai Cafe on Michigan Ave is easily glossed over, as it's nestled quietly between a lot of other, more well-known and often chain-type eateries on the main road. Despite this, they're doing decently well every time I've visited, and their food quality and prices don't reflect poor business.

I don't think I've ever spent more than 20$ on myself, and I always take home leftovers. The plates aren't skimping, and I'm absolutely stuffed every time I leave. The plates might be a tad smaller if you get takeout, but that's just because of the size of the containers. Those things are stuffed to the brim, and you have to be careful opening them or you'll have a big ol' Thai mess all over. The only way you could take more home is if you had more boxes!

The overall atmosphere of this place is really nice, too. The workers I saw frequently were always super nice, and even remembered some of my punny jokes and said them back to me upon a later visit. The ascetic of the place just sits really well with me, and I could honestly stay there all day and feel pretty comfortable about it- other than taking up tables from the servers. My conscious would get me for that, but in terms of look, appeal, and comfort, it hits 6/5 starts for me.

They also give complementary shrimp chips before the meal, and always have a big glass bottle of cold water that you can refill from. You can order other drinks as well, but most of the time I'm happy with the water. I do have to admit though, getting their jasmine tea is a whole other experience. You get your own little teapot to pour from and everything! It's the cutest.

The quality and flavor of their food is also on point. I'm absolutely in love with their vegetable pad ped, and order that with spring rolls every time I go. While I definitely want to branch out and try more of their food, as I know it'll be great, I'm very stuck in my ways of ordering the same thing every time. Also, it just wouldn't feel the same if I ordered something else. It'd be like cheating on the dish I know and love with my whole heart.

There are definitely other places that I like to eat in the Downriver area, but these are my most frequented and favorites. I absolutely miss their food where I'm at, and my mouth is watering, just waiting for my return so I can finally eat them again.

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