Detroit's East Side

The East Side of Detroit is home to some of the city's most prominent attractions, such as Belle Isle, a large island home to a day's worth of attractions of its own, and historic Eastern Market, the largest market in the United States. Much of the Detroit International Riverfront is located in the East Side.

Detroit's skyline from Belle Isle

Understand

Most of the attractions in the East Side tend to be near downtown or along riverfront. The rest of the area is mostly residential, but is also home to historic neighborhoods like Poletown and Black Bottom.

The East Side is home to some of Detroit's most unique attractions. The Eastern Market is the largest public market district in the United States. Belle Isle is an island filled with many of its own attractions, such as the Dossin Great Lakes Museum, the Anna Scripps Whitecomb Conservatory, a beach, the Detroit Yacht Club, and even more than that.

See

Cash Register.turned into artwork at the Heidelberg Project

• 1 Detroit International Riverfront, located along the Detroit River from the Ambassador Bridge to the MacArthur Bridge, ☏ +1 313 566-8200. Detroit's riverfront is a 5½-mile (8.8 km) promenade along the Detroit River running from the Ambassador Bridge to Belle Isle, encompassing a multitude of parks, restaurants, retail shops, skyscrapers, and high rise residential areas. The path is located directly on the river and is 62 feet (18¾ m) wide in most places, with separate lanes for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Pavilions, fishing piers, and benches are located at intervals along the path. The east RiverWalk connects various riverfront developments, including Hart Plaza, the Renaissance Center, GM Plaza and Promenade, Tri-Centennial State Park, Stroh River Place, Chene Park, and Gabriel Richard Park. Free.  
• 2 Heidelberg Project, 3600 Heidelberg St, ☏ +1 313 267-1622. Located in one of Detroit's poorest neighborhoods known as Black Bottom, Tyree Guyton founded the Heidelberg Project in 1986. It is an outdoor museum that consists of a two block area with houses that are decorated to look colorful and intriguing. Guyton started the project to take the neighborhood from a hard core inner-city neighborhood to a safe place where visitors are welcomed. Free.  
• 3 Pewabic Pottery, 10125 E Jefferson Ave, ☏ +1 313 822-0954. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su noon-4PM. The ceramics museum, gallery, studio, and workshop have changing contemporary exhibits. Free.  
• 4 Russell Industrial Center, 1600 Clay St, ☏ +1 313 872-4000. A seven-building industrial complex designed by Albert Kahn and constructed between 1915 and 1925. Originally an auto body supplier, it is now home to artists' and craftmakers' studios. (updated Aug 2016)

Architecture

• 5 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 13770 Gratiot Ave. The church is known as the Assumption Grotto Church, due to the popularity of the grotto, completed in 1881, which was built as a replica of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. The church complex includes the grotto, a 1929 church, a rectory, convent, and cemetery. The complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  
• 6 Lafayette Park. Mies van der Rohe Historic District, better known as Lafayette Park, is a large park and complex of apartments designed by Mies van der Rohe just east of downtown. With their simplicity, clean proportions, and cladding of tinted glass and aluminum, the apartment buildings of Lafayette Park are classic examples of Mies van der Rohe's International Style.  
• 7 Manoogian Mansion, 9240 Dwight St. Located outside Indian Village on the Detroit River, the Manoogian Mansion is the traditional home of the mayor of Detroit. The mansion has Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture with a Spanish Mission Revival Style influence including a terra-cotta tile roof.  

Historic neighborhoods

Hurlbut Memorial Gate in Indian Village

• 8 Eastern Market, bordered on the south by Gratiot Avenue, the north by Mack Avenue, the east by St. Aubin St. and the west by the Chrysler Expressway (I-75). The largest public market in the United States, the Eastern Market receives about 45,000 visitors every week. The most obvious reason to visit this place is to buy unique foodstuff. One can find almost any type of food here.  
• 9 Indian Village, bound to the north and south by Mack Avenue and East Jefferson Avenue. A number of architecturally significant buildings built in the early 20th century make up Indian Village. Architectural styles seen in these houses include Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, and Mission/Spanish Revival. The neighborhood is not related to Indians or Native Americans.  
• 10 Poletown. Bordering the city of Hamtramck, Poletown was settled by Polish immigrants in 1871. The community is centered around St. Albertus Catholic Church. The neighborhood experienced an influx of immigrants in the 1920s, but fell on hard times as freeway construction and urban renewal projects destroyed the neighborhood. Today, much of the neighborhood is gone. However, neighboring Hamtramck is home to a large Polish population and is famous on Fat Tuesday for its pączkis (pronounced poonchkis). Despite the neighbourhood being quite ruined, for those of you who like grit, this would be a cool area to hit up. It has falling apart homes, rotting shops, old warehouses, and empty lots.  

Belle Isle

Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory

Belle Isle is the largest island park in the United States with 982 acres (3.9 km²; 2.42 sq mi). The island has several sites and attractions. It is the largest island in the Detroit River and offers good views of the city's skyline. It is open all year long and is home to the Detroit Yacht Club, the Detroit Boat Club, a Coast Guard post, and a municipal golf course. The city maintains a Nature Center where visitors are able to traverse wooded trails and view wildlife natural habitats. The island includes a half-mile (800 m) swimming beach.

• 11 Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, ☏ +1 313 331-7760. This greenhouse and botanical garden covers 13 acres (53,000 m2). Built in 1904, it is the nation's oldest conservatory, designed by Albert Kahn, and rebuilt 1952-1954 with aluminum replacing its original wooden beams. It was named in honor of Anna Scripps Whitcomb in 1953, who left her 600-plant orchid collection to the city. Rare orchids were saved from Great Britain during World War II and transported to the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. Free.  
• 12 Dossin Great Lakes Museum, 100 Strand St, ☏ +1 313 852-4051. This historical maritime museum features exhibits such as one of the largest collections of model ships in the world, and the bow anchor of the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald.  
• 13 Belle Isle Aquarium, 900 Inselruhe Ave, ☏ +1 313 402-0466. F-Su 10AM-4PM. Before the 105-year-old Belle Isle Aquarium closed in 2005, it was the oldest operating aquarium in the United States. Designed by Albert Kahn, the building itself is good-looking. The basement of the aquarium served as a speakeasy during Prohibition. Efforts to reopen the aquarium were successful in 2012 and the aquarium is now run by volunteers. Free. (updated Apr 2017)

Do

• 1 Alger Theater, 16451 East Warren Avenue, ☏ +1 313-343-9087. Non-profit, community-based movie house on Detroit's far east side. Offering family friendly live performances and motion picture features. (updated Jan 2021)

Music

• 2 Chene Park, 2600 Atwater St. Located along the riverfront, the park contains the 6,000-seat Aretha Franklin amphitheater where concerts are regularly scheduled every summer. Jazz, Classic Soul and Rhythm and Blues acts are the staples of the season. The park also includes park trails, the Chene Park Fountain, and the Lake Lounge bar. It hosts the Detroit International Jazz Festival every Labor Day weekend.  

Buy

Eastern Market

• 1 Eastern Market, 2934 Russell St. M-Sa 7AM-5PM. Historic farmers market.  
• 2 Russell Bazaar, 1600 Clay St (in building #3), ☏ +1 313 972-7009. F Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Weekend marketplace at the Russell Industrial Center. Also hosts the Russell Gallery. 
• 3 Peoples Records, 1464 Gratiot Ave (between Russell and Jay), ☏ +1 313 831-0864. M-Sa 11AM-7PM, Su 11AM-4PM. Vinyl record shop close to Eastern Market. (updated Aug 2016)

Eat

Budget

• 1 National Coney Island, 19019 Mack Ave (between Moross and Hillcrest), ☏ +1 313 881-5509, fax: +1 313 881-3958. M-Th 6:30AM-10PM, F Sa 6:30AM-11PM, Su 8AM-10PM. A chain that can be found all over suburban Detroit. Inexpensive. 

Pizza

• 2 Buddy's Pizza, 17125 Conant (at McNichols), ☏ +1 313 892-9001, fax: +1 313 892-6619. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F 11AM-11PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su 1-8PM. Excellent square deep dish pizza. Voted the best pizza in Detroit several times. The originator of Detroit-style pizza, and still widely considered the best.  
• 3 Supino Pizzeria, 2457 Russell (Eastern Market; Russell & Napoleon), ☏ +1 313 567-7879. Not a traditional Detroit-style deep-dish, but some great pie nonetheless, and a cool place as well. 

Vegetarian Friendly

• 4 Detroit Vegan Soul, 8029 Agnes St (between Van Dyke and Parker), ☏ +1 313 831-1302. Tu-Sa noon-8PM. Located in West Village area. Wonderful vegan fare with a local twist. Great up-and-coming neighborhood to explore after your meal. (updated Sep 2019)

Mid-range

• 5 Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Rd. Known for some great Mussels. Belgian cuisine and beers. 
• 6 Sinbad's Restaurant and Marina, 100 St. Clair St, ☏ +1 313 822-7817. Enjoy seafood and waterfront entertainment. 
• 7 Amore da Roma, 3401 Riopelle St (at Erskine), ☏ +1 313 831-5940. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-8PM. (updated Sep 2019)

Drink

• 1 Ye Olde Tap Room, 14915 Charlevoix St, ☏ +1 313 824-1030. Over 280 beers, Detroit's oldest bar opened in 1912. 

Sleep

• 1 Roberts RiverWalk Hotel, 1000 River Place Dr (at the foot of McDougall St), ☏ +1 313 259-9500. This hotel on the Detroit River isn't expensive and is in walking distance to Belle Isle and downtown.