Restaurants & cafés / Downtown
BESA Detroit
Adriatic-inspired fine dining on lower Woodward: seafood, olive oil, a deep wine cellar and a AAA Four Diamond award.
01 / The story of this place
Make time for these
BESA brings the flavors of both Adriatic coasts to Woodward Avenue: seafood, grains, fresh vegetables and good olive oil. The name comes from an Albanian concept usually translated as a pledge of honor, or keeping your word. Managing partner Gerti Begaj was invited by his mentor Mario Camaj, of Tallulah in Birmingham, to partner on the restaurant in 2016, and Chef Brady Kelley now runs the kitchen. It holds a AAA Four Diamond award, and staff will give you a wine cellar tour if you ask.
- Adriatic menu of seafood, grains and olive oil
- AAA Four Diamond restaurant award
- Wine cellar tours on request
- Bar happy hour weekdays 4–6:30 p.m.
A closer look
Photos were taken at different times; images are resized and cropped on cards.
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¼ · Stay
Sleep right around the corner
Kasa Cadillac Square Detroit4 min walk · Downtown · Cadillac Square / Campus MartiusBook direct ↗
Fort Pontchartrain Detroit, a Wyndham Hotel6 min walk · Downtown · Financial District / Riverfront (next to Huntington Place)
Detroit Foundation Hotel6 min walk · Downtown · Financial District (near Huntington Place)Book direct ↗
Sources & fact check · Checked: 2026-10-01
An independently written bilingual guide. This collection is not an attendance-based ranking.
03 / Events
Events at this place
Published events automatically linked from our event guide. Times are local to the venue.
We have no published upcoming events linked to this place yet. That does not mean the venue has no events; check its official calendar too.
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