Since moving to Michigan a few years ago, I’ve been amazed by the variety and quality of restaurants. Want to eat a Polish meal that feels like it’s been cooked by your long-lost grandmother? The Mitten State has you covered. Want to eat one of the fanciest meals of your life in a building that used to be a bank? Come to Michigan; we have what you’re looking for. 

Well, one of our Mitten State eateries has recently been chosen as one of the 47 best restaurants of the year. Let me introduce you to the incomparable Selden Standard. From the exterior, this incredible dining experience in Michigan doesn’t look like much. The restaurant is housed in a simple, square building with an equally simple sign adorning it.

Don’t let the plain exterior fool you, though. Once you walk through the doors, you’re in for an absolutely delectable Michigan dining experience.

The interior of this Detroit restaurant is clean and modern, with both bar and table seating. No matter where you sit, you’ll eat one of your life's best meals. 

Selden Standard is a restaurant that focuses on local, seasonal flavors. This means the menu will likely be different on each visit. 

When restaurants create a menu using local and seasonal ingredients, their chefs are passionate about flavors. When chefs truly know their craft, they can create new and surprising bites that surprise diners every time. 

The dish pictured above is a perfect example of a dish like this coming to life. A mashup between a crispy Korean potato dish and traditional roasted potatoes, these potatoes are roasted in a wood oven with soy glaze, togarashi, and crispy garlic.

I have to taste these potatoes—they sound mouthwatering. You could say that about almost any dish served at Selden Standard in Detroit, Michigan. 

Even what would be a standard pasta dish at another restaurant sings with unexpected flavors at Selden Standard. The orecchiette is hand-formed, the mozzarella is hand-pulled, and the dish is dressed with anchovies and rapini. 

It looks gorgeous, and I want to eat it. This restaurant offers so many dishes that showcase humble ingredients and make them the star of the dish. 

The plating at Selden Standard in Detroit, Michigan makes each dish look like a true work of art. The oblong plate above features a whole grilled Eagle Creek trout with fennel, potato, salsa verde, and grilled lemon. 

When I say you’re in for one of the greatest meals of your life, I am not exaggerating one bit. You can get a steak and a baked potato almost anywhere, but where else could you order a grilled octopus or beef tartare topped with a smoked beet puree, crème fraîche, and trout roe?

Not only can Selden Standard tell you which state its meat, seafood, and produce come from, but in some cases, they can tell you the name of the farm! For example, the beef tartare pictured above is crafted with the eye of a round from Moraine Park Farms in Zeeland, Michigan. 

In fact, if you visit this Detroit restaurant’s website, you’ll find a list of the local farms and producers providing its food. I don’t know about you, but knowing this information makes me feel so much better about the food I’m putting in my body. 

And even though you’re going to want to fill up on all the savory dishes when you’re eating your meal, do not skip dessert. Go with something like this light-as-air strawberry shortcake (made with local berries of course). 

Or go out of your comfort zone a bit to try something new. I spied a buttermilk panna cotta on one of Selden Standard’s seasonal menus, which I hope I get to taste one day. 

Plus, if the weather is nice when you visit Selden Standard in Detroit, Michigan, you can sit on its gorgeous outdoor patio. No matter the time of day, it looks like a beautiful space to enjoy an equally beautiful meal. 

For all of these reasons and more, this Detroit restaurant is a perfect choice for one of the top restaurants in the country. From the atmosphere to the mouthwatering dishes, the Selden Standard is an excellent place to enjoy a meal of a lifetime. 

Dining experiences like the one at Selden Standard are just one of the reasons why I love living in Michigan so much. I’m a Michgander, and I’m proud of it.

What are some of your favorite things about living in Michigan? Tell me in the comments!