Pop onto any community-based website and they're gonna point you to the most obvious places to dine, drink and shop. I mean, you don't need a PhD to know that Zingerman's is Ann Arbor's claim to deli fame or that Ferndale's Magic Bag has live music and cool second run movies.
The fact is, not all restaurants are created equal. Not all bars can boast a scene seven days a week. Sometimes you want to hang out in a cafe that doesn't look, feel and smell like a Starbucks, endlessly playing Norah Jones and Michael Buble.
What's the answer? Well, we've created the Insider Guides to offer you just that... an insider's perspective of some of Metro Detroit better known communities.
We want to tell you where you can find a cool scene on a Monday night, where the best burger is, who sells comic books and vinyl LPs, and who makes a mean martini. There might be ten fashion boutiques in Birmingham but we want to point you to the one that doesn't cater to middle aged hausfraus or High School Musical wannabees.
Not only that, we profile a quartet of locals who recommend the places where they hang out, chow and party with friends. Read their profiles, catch their vibe and see if it's in sync with your own highly developed predilections. Results may vary but you'll get a good feel for what's worth checking out.
And if all else fails, we provide Yelp reviews below our recommendations. Check out who agrees with us and who thinks we're out of our gourd. Add your own say-so. After all, it takes a village to have a good time.
BIRMINGHAM
Home to bloggers and CEOs. Case in point: Nicole Rupersburg, who is both web and food savvy, and Aaron Alston, co-owner of Candor Marketing, longtime board member with CreateDetroit and co-managing member of Vinton Building, LLC. One likes a sophisticated cocktail scene, the other is choosy when it comes to restaurants. Luckily the B-burb has both, if you know where to look.
DEARBORNWhen your community runs the spectrum from the Ford Motor Company to the Arab American Museum you know you're gonna miss something. On the one hand you've got homeboy lawyer Nabeel Hamameh's suggestions for where to eat, drink and hookah. On the other hand there's Dearborn native and HandMe Downs lead singer Chris Cuddy, showing you where to score choice tunes, catch a lip-smacking meal any time of day or drink with people who don't need little fake plastic swords impaling olives to make their evening.
FERNDALE
Okay, if Phil Cooley, owner of Slow's Bar BQ in Detroit points you to a restaurant or bar you should probably give it looksee. Unless you hate BBQ. Then you should be arrested. On the flipside there's DIY'er
Emily Linn, who'se part of the urban craft scene, teaches at the DIA and karmically cancels Phil out with her vegetarian preferences. Read their fave spots and learn.ROYAL OAKJulie Cook is a former PR and media flack turned personal stylist. She probably knows something about where to shop, dontcha think? Melinda 'Me Me' Anderson is an event planner known for her cocktail parties at the Detroit Yacht Club and involvement with the Detroit Opera House's Bravo! Bravo! event. Bet she can turn you onto a good bar scene or hip restaurant. Local music critic Chris Handyside doesn't hate everything. He'll turn you on to some unpretentious, no-nonsense RO cuisine.
Or you can take our editors' suggestions for what's worth your minutes and cents. We give the low down on what's where seven nights a week. AND THE REST...
And for those who understand that Metro Detroit is bigger and wider than just the Northern suburbs, we've got the skinny on where to go in Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti too! Check out the Concentrate Insider Guides. If nothing else, they're a damn fine read.
And, of course, there's Model D's Insider Guides to Detroit and Hamtramck, offering you the inside scoop on Motown awesomeness.
Jeff Meyers is the managing editor of Metromode and Concentrate. He is also a damn good film critic for the Metro Times. Ask him what movie you should see by emailing jeff@metromodemedia.com.
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