No. 9: Savoy's creative approach to Southern and Creole dishes makes it a soulful standout
Savoy in Detroit takes the No. 9 spot on the 2025 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list for its whimsical approach to Southern and Creole offerings.
For many years, the east side of Detroit's culinary scene has been driven by fast food and fast-casual restaurants. When it opened last summer, Savoy offered an upscale dining experience for the Cornerstone Village neighborhood. Led by chef Melba Dearing, the restaurant delivers an amalgam of Southern dishes and Creole flavors, plus a few fun riffs in between.
A creative starter elevates a classic carnival food. Dearing dunks two meaty lobster tails into a sweet cornbread batter and deep fries the tails until they're crispy and golden brown for a surf take on the corndog. The crustacean's hard, peach-toned shell gets pierced with a wood skewer.
Two thick slabs of meatloaf are made even heartier with crunchy onion straws, a generous helping of dense garlic mashed potatoes and a spicy Tennessee pepper gravy poured over top. With its navy and orange décor, live jazz performances and a spirited waitstaff, the Savoy has a refreshingly uplifting air.
[ Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for extras and insider scoops on Detroit-area dining. ]
Nola's Fish and Grits brings a twist to a Southern staple. Fried catfish filets are served with sticky grits cakes that have been molded into triangular wedges and deep fried. The dish is topped with a creamy Cajun sauce chock-full of chopped crawfish.
17131 E. Warren Ave., Detroit. 313-469-7558; savoydetroit.com.
Save the Date: On Tuesday, June 24, Savoy, the Detroit Free Press and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers will host a Top 10 Takeover dinner. Stay tuned for ticket information at Freep.com.
For a chance to win five $100 gift cards to dine at restaurants on the 2025 Detroit Free Press/Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list, visit chevydetroit.com/community/giveaways/roy25.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Best New Restaurants 2025: Savoy in Detroit
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