13 Michigan Dishes That Outsiders Overlook Until They Actually Try Them
I still remember my first road trip through Michigan, expecting nothing but cherries and lake fish on every menu.
Boy, was I wrong! The Great Lakes State hides a treasure trove of unique dishes that rarely make national food headlines.
From Detroit’s distinctive pizza style to the Upper Peninsula’s hearty pasties, Michigan’s food scene offers delicious surprises at every turn.
1. Coney Dog
Motor City’s favorite late-night indulgence isn’t from Coney Island at all – it’s pure Detroit magic.
A steamed beef hot dog nestled in a soft bun, smothered with a meaty, spice-laden chili sauce, diced onions, and a zigzag of yellow mustard.
The fierce rivalry between American and Lafayette Coney Islands – two neighboring downtown Detroit restaurants – has divided families since 1917.
Locals pledge allegiance to one or the other, but both serve this iconic handheld meal that’s somehow always better at 1 AM.
2. Detroit-Style Pizza
Square-shaped rebellion in a round pizza world! This rectangular deep-dish masterpiece features a thick, airy crust with caramelized cheese that forms a gloriously crispy edge all around the perimeter – what locals reverently call ‘the corners.’
Born in auto parts trays at Buddy’s Pizza in 1946, this style flips traditional pizza construction upside down.
Toppings go under the cheese, which stretches all the way to the edges, and sauce is ladled on top in racing stripes.
The result? A buttery, crunchy-bottomed slice that makes New Yorkers question their pizza loyalty.
3. Pasties
Cornish miners brought these hearty hand pies to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula during the copper rush, creating the ultimate portable lunch.
Pronounced ‘PASS-tees’ (not to be confused with certain burlesque accessories), these savory pastries are stuffed with beef, potatoes, rutabaga, and onions.
UP locals debate whether ketchup or gravy is the proper accompaniment.
The pastry-wrapped pockets were designed to stay warm for hours in a miner’s pocket, with the crimped edge serving as a disposable handle for workers with dirty hands.
Today, roadside pasty shops dot Highway US-2 across the Upper Peninsula.
4. Wet Burrito
Grand Rapids’ gift to Mexican-American fusion looks like it’s taking a bath – and that’s exactly the point!
This plate-filling monster is completely smothered in red enchilada sauce and melted cheese, requiring a fork and knife (and maybe a bib).
West Michigan restaurants compete for wet burrito supremacy, stuffing flour tortillas with seasoned ground beef, refried beans, and lettuce before giving them their signature sauce shower.
The dish emerged in the 1960s from the area’s growing Hispanic community. Unlike its handheld cousins, this saucy creation transforms the humble burrito into a knife-and-fork affair.
5. Smelt
Spring in Michigan means tiny fish by the basketful! These silver finger-length swimmers are caught during their spawning runs, then lightly breaded, quickly fried, and eaten whole – yes, head to tail.
Smelt frying parties become community events along the Great Lakes shores during the brief spring run. Locals wade into icy waters with dip nets to catch these diminutive delicacies.
Pop the entire crispy fish in your mouth and crunch away – the bones are so small they’re barely noticeable. Just remember: real Michiganders never use tartar sauce!
6. Whitefish Dip
The unofficial appetizer of Northern Michigan transforms humble smoked whitefish into a creamy delicacy that disappears from party platters faster than you can say ‘Up North.’
Flaked Lake Superior whitefish blends with cream cheese, sour cream, and herbs into a smoky, velvety spread.
Fishtown in Leland remains ground zero for authentic versions, where local fisheries smoke their daily catch over hardwood. Cottage owners serve it on everything from crackers to cucumber slices.
The dip embodies Michigan’s lake-to-table ethos – simple ingredients letting the pristine freshwater fish shine through.
7. Bumpy Cake
Chocolate frosting rivers flowing between vanilla buttercream mountains – this isn’t a dessert, it’s a Michigan geographical wonder!
Sanders Confectionery created this textural masterpiece in the early 1900s, featuring chocolate cake topped with piped buttercream ridges completely covered in pourable fudge frosting.
The ‘bumps’ were originally a practical solution for rationing buttercream during wartime shortages. Detroit grandmothers have been serving slices at Sunday dinners for generations.
The cake’s distinctive topography makes it instantly recognizable to Michiganders, while visitors wonder why anyone would intentionally make lumpy frosting – until that first heavenly bite.
8. Mackinac Island Fudge
Tourists flock to watch taffy-like sheets of molten chocolate folded on marble slabs in shop windows along Main Street.
This fudge-making spectacle is as much a part of Mackinac Island as the horse-drawn carriages and Grand Hotel.
The island’s fudge tradition began in the 1880s, catering to Victorian-era vacationers. Today, over 10,000 pounds leave the island daily during peak summer season.
Visitors are playfully nicknamed ‘fudgies’ by locals. The secret to its melt-in-your-mouth texture? The cooling Lake Huron air that affects how the sugar crystallizes during the open-air production process.
9. Better Made Potato Chips
Detroiters don’t just have opinions about cars – they’ll fight you over potato chips too.
Since 1930, the iconic red and yellow bags of Better Made chips have been a pantry staple across the state, made exclusively from Michigan potatoes.
The brand’s cross-town rivalry with New Era chips ended when Better Made emerged victorious in the great Detroit chip wars.
Their distinctive crunch comes from a proprietary cooking method that locals swear makes them superior to national brands.
The factory tour on Gratiot Avenue has become a quirky Motor City pilgrimage, complete with the heavenly aroma of fresh-fried potatoes wafting through east Detroit.
10. Boston Cooler
Despite the name, you won’t find this creamy concoction in Massachusetts! The Boston Cooler was born on Detroit’s Boston Boulevard, combining two Michigan icons: Vernors ginger ale and vanilla ice cream.
Not to be confused with a simple float, a proper Boston Cooler is thoroughly blended into a milkshake-like consistency. Vernors’ distinctive barrel-aged ginger bite cuts through the sweetness.
The beverage gained popularity at soda fountains during Prohibition. On sweltering summer days, Detroiters still line up at spots like the original Vernors soda fountain for this fizzy, creamy refresher.
11. Olive Burger
Michiganders took the all-American hamburger and gave it a briny Mediterranean twist that puzzles outsiders until they take their first addictive bite.
A beef patty topped with a creamy mixture of chopped green olives and mayonnaise creates a savory-tangy flavor bomb.
Lansing claims to be the birthplace of this oddball burger variation, though Grand Rapids and Flint have their own origin stories. The olive sauce ranges from chunky to smooth depending on the restaurant.
Olympic Broil in Lansing serves a version that’s converted olive-haters for decades. Once you’ve tried it, plain ketchup and mustard seem tragically boring by comparison.
12. Hamtramck Paczki
Fat Tuesday becomes Paczki Day in Michigan’s Polish enclaves, where these overstuffed doughnuts inspire predawn lines and daylong indulgence.
Pronounced ‘POONCH-key,’ these dense, rich pastries make regular doughnuts look like diet food.
Hamtramck bakeries like New Palace and New Martha Washington start production days before the annual celebration.
Traditional fillings include rose hip, prune and apricot, though American varieties like custard and raspberry have gained popularity.
The yeasted dough contains extra eggs, butter and alcohol, which prevents the pastry from absorbing too much oil during frying. True aficionados know to place orders weeks in advance.
13. Superman Ice Cream
Kryptonite for diets! This tricolor treat features swirls of bright blue, red, and yellow ice cream that Michigan kids have been staining their tongues with for generations.
The exact flavors vary by creamery – some say blue moon, cherry, and lemon; others swear it’s black cherry, vanilla and Blue Moon.
Stroh’s Brewery Company originally created this colorful concoction during Prohibition when they pivoted to ice cream production.
The mysterious blue flavor (called Blue Moon) remains a Michigan enigma – some describe it as fruity cereal milk, others as almond-vanilla with a hint of marshmallow.
Whatever the flavors, this primary-colored dessert remains a childhood rite of passage across the Great Lakes State.