Food · One day

Where should you eat Asian food in Detroit? Ramen, dim sum and nigiri in a day

Ramen in Corktown, the reborn train station, Asian art at the DIA, a Southeast Asian dinner, nigiri and Japanese whisky, then an anime-meets-techno lounge.

stops: 6
length: One day
areas: 5

You can now fill a whole day in and around downtown Detroit with Asian food, from ramen to dim sum to nigiri. On Friday you lunch in Corktown, spend the afternoon in the DIA's Asian galleries, then have dinner at District Detroit's Southeast Asian spot and a second round at a modern Japanese bar before an anime-flavored techno lounge. Getting around means the QLINE, some walking and a short drive or two.

Friday

12:00
Ima Izakaya
Corktown
Ima is a Japanese-inspired izakaya and bar: noodle dishes and plates to share, with dietary info marked on the menu. The official menu runs from ramen (yuzu miso, golden curry, a vegan mushroom bowl) to pho, udon and robata skewers, and there's a separate lunch menu on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A 6-minute walk west on Michigan Avenue.
13:30
Michigan Central Station
Corktown
Walk off the noodles: the 1913 station sat empty for decades and reopened in 2024 after Ford's restoration. Check the official visitor calendar for the interior; the facade and surrounding parks are worth it either way.

About 10 minutes by car to Woodward Avenue in Midtown.
15:00
Detroit Institute of Arts
Midtown
The DIA's collection spans ancient civilizations, African and Asian art, and American and European painting. Start in the Asian galleries, then swing through Rivera Court for the Detroit Industry murals.

QLINE from Ferry Street south to Grand Circus, then a few minutes on foot to Columbia Street.
18:00
Sunda New Asian Detroit
District Detroit
Dinner in District Detroit: Sunda reimagines Southeast Asian food with premium ingredients. The founders have Filipino roots, and the menu ranges across Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines with sushi, dim sum, noodles and rice dishes; per its official site it's open 5 to 11 p.m. on Fridays, and you should reserve on game and concert nights.

About a 15-minute walk south, or the QLINE from Grand Circus to Congress Street and a few minutes to Fort Street.
20:30
Soraya
Downtown
Round two on West Fort Street: Soraya's modern Japanese menu runs from classic nigiri to a twist on okonomiyaki, and the bar pours craft cocktails and rare Japanese whiskies. John Kim leads the sushi bar; it's open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with the occasional DJ night, and reservations are recommended.

A 3-minute walk to Woodward Avenue.
22:30
ZuZu Upstairs
Downtown (Woodward Ave)
Wind down above ZuZu, the Asian-fusion restaurant: this lounge and club, open since August 2023, pairs Detroit's sound with an anime aesthetic, live DJs and a serious sound system. It runs roughly 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Good to know

Ima's official menu marks vegan and gluten-free dishes, including a vegan pho and a vegan mushroom ramen (we checked on October 1, 2026).
For a fast Thai lunch, Go! Sy Thai sits at Cass and Canfield, open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 4 to 9 p.m. on weekends.
You can shift this day to Saturday, but Ima's lunch menu is weekdays only; Takoi's modern Thai in Corktown or Midnight Temple's Indian gastropub in Eastern Market make good swaps. Soraya is closed Sundays.
ZuZu Upstairs is 21+, first-come with no presale, and smart casual: no athletic wear or hats.