Downtown Detroit is going to be hopping with the Lions Playoff game starting at 8PM this Saturday, January 18th. Detroit has a lot of great restaurants . . . but maybe you don’t have the time to sit down for a meal. Well, you are in luck because this week we are focusing primarily on locations throughout the Downtown area which are great places to grab something while on the go.

There are a number of food trucks scattered around the city. This is nothing new, but in the past few years we have seen more street vendors serving hot dogs and burgers. We wanted to take a moment and share some of our favorites with you. Everything from a great cup of coffee and Bloody Mary’s to go to jumbo hot dogs and chicken shawarma sandwiches.

We’ll start with one of our all time favorites Iggy’s Eggies which opened in 2018. Iggy’s is located at 34 W Grand River Ave just west of Woodward near Central Park. They are primarily a breakfast and lunch place, featuring a variety of breakfast sandwiches and burritos, smash burgers and hot honey sandwiches for lunch. Their food is super delicious and their eggs sammies come with a “jammy-yolk” (aka… a runny yolk) so you have to be super careful when taking the first bite. Everything we have had here has been crazy good, the only downside is there can be a 20+ minute wait if they are busy since all orders are cooked fresh to order.

Right across the street from Iggy’s is Cannelle’s by Matt Knio. This is where you will find the absolutely best Almond Croissant, the same one we have featured in the past from Eastern Market. Cannelle’s, which is located at 45 W Grand River, serves a wide variety of pastries and some delicious coffee’s served up by their baristas.

There are a lot of places now offering to go cocktails and one of our favorites in in the heart of Lions tailgating country, Eastern Market. Yes, I’m talking about Vivio’s, where you can get one of their famous Bloody Mary’s to go and drink it while walking around the market. Vivio’s makes a delicious Bloody Mary but here’s our little secret…try it with bourbon instead of vodka. It’s the bomb!

We have noticed a lot of street vendors in the past few years selling burgers, hot dogs and red hots. Every year it seems we are seeing more and more and there are a few that stand out for not just their food but the people behind the food.

There are a few we see on a regular basis. There is Hell Yeah Dog which is located in The Belt, next to The Skip, which serves all beef gourmet dogs on brioche buns and smoked chicken nachos. They also have Vegan options available.

At the north end of the belt, on Farmer Street, you will find Red Tent, a hot dog cart serving dogs, sausages and burgers.

But our favorite is Big Dogs Hot Dogs which you will find at the corner of Woodward and Adams when events are going on. They are fun and energetic and are serving all beef hot dogs, steak burgers, sausages and various other items you can eat on the go.

Not in the mood for a hot dog? Maybe give Mootz Pizza a try. They have a walk up “grab a slice to go” area to the north of their main entrance. It is designed to look and feel like you are in New York getting a slice. They usually offer 4 to 5 different pies and they are served piping hot. I can say we have stopped here more than once.

If you are looking for something a little more satisfying, you can always grab a delicious Chicken Shawarma sandwich from the Bucharest Grill on Columbia between Cass and Grand River just a couple blocks west of the stadiums. It is the best Shawarma around and big enough to share.

Maybe some spaghetti is more your taste. Yes Spaghetti. You can get a quart to go and walk around with it but the easier way is to get the S’Ghetti Sandwich at Eminem’s Mom’s Spaghetti. It is 2 slices of Grilled Texas style garlic bread with a heaping portion of spaghetti and cheese sandwiched in between. As my brother Don said when he first had it . . . ”This is stupid good!” Mom’s Spaghetti is located next to, and is actually part of, Union Assembly at the corner of Woodward and Columbia. You order at the walk up window in the alley.

Lastly, maybe you want a delicious burger. While there are some great place to sit down and have one, there are only a few where you can get one to go. There Motor Burger in The Detroit Shipping Company, Royale With Cheese and The Detroit Burger Truck which are both on Cass in the Midtown area. While they are great choices, they are not really near the stadiums . . . but definitely worth the walk if you are up for it.

Closer to the stadiums you will find Mr Dips, which is located in Parkers Alley, near the Brakeman and Queens Bar, and Frita Batidos on the newly blocked off section of Columbia between Woodward and Park Ave.

Mr Dips may look like a chain restaurant, but it is really just 1 of the 2 locations nationwide. The other is in Brooklyn New York. They are known for their griddle burgers, fried chicken sandwiches and waffle fries all made fresh to order. They also serve ice cream, floats and shakes (known as Dipsy Doozy’s) beer, wine and Boozy Doozy’s which are alcoholic shakes.

Frita Batidos is inspired by Cuban culture and two staples in the world of Cuban street food. The Frita is a burger traditionally made with Chorizo, with French fries on top served on a soft egg bun. You can get your burger patty in a choice of beef, chicken, chorizo, black beans or fish. The Batido is a tropical milkshake made with fresh fruit, crushed ice and sweetened milk . . . with or without rum. They also sell beer and wine and have some fun specialty drinks which can be bought by the glass or you can share a fishbowl with your group.

No matter which of these resonate with your taste buds, you can’t go wrong. They are all good in their own right and easy to grab while on the go and a lot less expensive and better quality than most things you can find inside the stadiums.

Until next time . . . live well, eat well and enjoy life!

-Keith & Teresa Becker