Looking to satisfy your appetite for Caribbean fare?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Caribbean restaurants around Detroit, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best spots to fulfill your cravings.
1. Vicente's Cuban Cuisine
Topping the list is Vicente's Cuban Cuisine, which opened in 2005, and features live jazz and salsa dancing. Located downtown at 1250 Library St. and specializing in Havana-style fare, Vicente's is the highest rated Caribbean restaurant in Detroit, boasting four stars out of 586 reviews on Yelp.
Owner Vicente Vasquez uses his family's time-honored recipes to give Detroit "an authentic taste of Cuba," the restaurant says on its website. If dining with a group, try the Cuban-style paella that must be ordered in quantities of two or more. On the menu, look for tapas; pear salad with dried cherries, candied walnuts and Manchego cheese; lobster bisque; arroz con pollo (saffron rice and chicken with sweet plantains); or the pan-seared trout with artichoke, tomatoes, red peppers and capers.
2. River Bistro Detroit
Next up is Rosedale Park's River Bistro Detroit, situated at 18456 Grand River. With four stars out of 44 reviews on Yelp, the bright, casual Caribbean spot has proven to be a local favorite. Chef and owner Maxcel Hardy — a former chef to retired NBAer Amar'e Stoudemire — commissioned a local artist for murals outside and inside the cozy eatery, per Detroit Eater. Check out the chalkboard menu for offerings like the bistro burger with plantain chips, coconut curry shrimp scampi and jerk ribs with island slaw. Round out your meal with dessert, including rum pound cake and vanilla bean cheesecake with caramel drizzle. A brunch menu is also available on weekends.
3. El Caribeño
El Caribeño, located at 8065 Vernor Highway, is cooking up Dominican cuisine in southwest Detroit, earning four stars out of 22 reviews on Yelp. Owner Judi Hernandez, who learned to cook by shadowing her Dominican mother-in-law, per the Metro Times, offers a wide assortment of Latin Caribbean flavors. With specials that change daily, look for favorites like the mofongo (mashed plantains) with shrimp, pork or chicken, pasteles (similar to tamales), empanadas and stewed meats with rice and beans and a side of plantains. Fresh juices and smoothies are also available.
