New York and Chicago get a lot of attention for their pizzas, but Detroit’s spin on the pie should not be overlooked. The square Sicilian-style pizza — which is about to celebrate its 70th anniversary — was introduced at Buddy’s, a neighborhood tavern at Six Mile and Conant in the heart of the city. To create the style, deep-dish dough is double-stretched daily, resulting in a thick-yet-airy square, and is topped with Wisconsin brick cheese, with sauce (and optional pepperoni or peppers) tucked underneath the cheese to keep the flavor without the charring.

Vegan soul food can sometimes sound like an oxymoron, but it’s completely believable and downright delicious at Detroit Vegan Soul. Dishes still feel indulgent, including the Soul Platter with mac and cheese, smoked collards with shiitakes, maple-glazed yams, hoppin’ johns and cornbread, but they are all plant-based, and dairy- egg- and lactose-free. Smoked coconut bacon, cornmeal-battered tofu and seitan pepper steak take the place of the typical proteins, but feel just as hearty with a touch of Southern flair.

While many of the new Detroit restaurants have erred towards more casual concepts, Prime and Proper exudes full-on meaty luxury. The dining room is a marvel, with a restored marble staircase from the original building, brass fixtures and plush velvet banquettes. Steaks are dry-aged and butchered in house with the modern dry-aging room visible to the dining room through full-length glass windows. Steaks, which include A-5 wagyu cuts, can be served with a torched foie gras with strawberry jam, pistachio, sea salt and Thai basil, and are better with a side of bruleed roasted sweet corn.

Trying a Coney dog for the first time is like a rite of passage in Detroit, with the two best purveyors set right next to each other in friendly competition. The famed rivalry between these no-frills spots, American Coney Island and Lafayette, dates back to the early 1900s and remains fueled to this day. The order may be the same — Coney dog slathered with chili, drizzled with mustard and sprinkled with onions — but the nuances are in the ingredients, particularly the chili. So go ahead and try both spots (and throw in some chili fries), but be prepared to come away with an allegiance after wiping the chili from your lips.