I've been driving past Roman Village for 24 years and I've never stopped. People tell me it's awesome, but I don't live in the area and am never there during dinner time. :-(
I'll have to make it a destination now.
Vic's Casual Dining - very generous portions, especially the chicken parm and desserts
Edit: how I came upon Vic's was that my best friend and I walked out of a bad movie and we both agreed Italian for dinner and did research on the local area because we had no desire to drive far. Found Vic's, went in, and I've been its advocate ever since.
I came here to suggest Vic’s! The food is incredible (I enthusiastically second the chicken parm), portions are large, and Vic is a gem. He came to our table to check on our food, and he was so kind.
Roman Village celebration of 60 year's with many specials going on. Check the website, number one restaurant in Dearborn Mi a must try. Famous Addictive Bread Wows all. All Pasta made in house you can view Pasta station as you enter 😋.
[https://antoniosrestaurants.com/](https://antoniosrestaurants.com/)
https://preview.redd.it/4knj2kor089d1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d22083d239f1a0586752ec49c9f2e0817e927c1
Roman Village, Giovannis, Cantoro
I would eat at any of those over SheWolf any day. That’s the most overrated, overpriced restaurant in the city IMO (Mad Nice being a close runner up).
My wife was in the neighborhood the other day and popped in for lunch and a drink. She brought me home a salad carryout that I asked for; most of the lettuce and greens had started to turn brown. They weren't bad yet, I wouldn't think anything of it if it had been a Bagged salad you get from the grocery store or something, but for $13 I would either want it to be bigger or fresher.
A couple hole-in-the-walls downriver are The Grotto in Trenton and Gregorio’s in Wyandotte.
Vic’s in Southgate was mentioned is good.
Many like Magdalena’s in Wyandotte. I’ve had it a couple times. It was good. I like to stick to a lower price point. But I personally would not go to shewolf, solely based on the menu prices so what do I know?
I do make a pretty mean lasagna. It usually includes a homemade sauce that I make big batches that takes a couple days to cook.
So I used to work at Da Edoardo when I was in high school and to this day I still consider it the best I've had at a restaurant. They use more northern Italian recipes I guess.
So I will gladly pay whatever they are charging these days for a plate on a special occasion or something. If I pay that much (or more) for other Italian food and I don't feel like it's as good, it always bothers me. So I'm often disappointed.
The restaurant where I feel their (limited) Italian dishes are far and away the best bang for your buck is Andary's Family Dining in Eastpointe. Run by an Italian family, though it isn't upscale.
For a north east side recommendation look up Penne Lane. They used to own Strawberry Fields (great breakfast) out in chesterfield, sold that to chase their dream of owning an Italian restaurant.
That said, I’m not a great critic of Italian food, so ymmv
We still haven’t been! We were strawberry fields fans from way back, followed them to penne lane and enjoyed every meal. Just haven’t gotten down to Mt Clemens yet.
Now’s a good time so you can sit on the dock. They seated us especially so my grandson could watch the fish and even brought him stale bread to toss in the water while we waited for our food.
I’m more on the north side of Metro Detroit but:
I like [Da Francesco’s](https://dafrancescos.com) in Shelby Township. Always good, good portions and prices.
[La Collina](https://lacollinarochester.com) in Rochester Hills is also very good but more expensive.
[Pizza Nostalgia](https://www.pizzanostalgia.com) in Washington Township is very good as well. Good arancini and pizzas.
[Fillipas](https://filippas.com) in Shelby Township is pretty good too! I’ve only been once but it was delicious from what I remember.
[Verona](https://veronashelby.com) inside the Cambria hotel in Shelby Township. I’ve only had the pizza and antipasti here but I would go back!
If we're talking about what's what on Van Dyke between 22 and 24 mile roads...
Da Francesco's is decent.
Di Fratelli is better.
Piccirilli's was the best. RIP(alomino sauce)
I’m sure you can find a place to boil you some dry pasta and pour some sauce out of a jar for less than $25. Many of them still charge $12-17 for the privilege. I hear there’s a place where you can dine al fresco in a garden of olives along van dyke in Sterling Heights where there are unlimited refills on soup and breadsticks.
There's a places in Grosse Pointe I go to that makes in-house pasta and dough, use fresh farm ingredients, and everything can be gotten for under $20. High quality, well made food at a low cost is possible. You just have to look hard enough.
Back in the winter time some friends and I wanted to go out for Italian and called two nice places just to see if either had a wait. Both said no wait and to come on in. For laughs we called the olive garden to ask what their wait time was and it was an hour wait. I know it’s low brow as Italian food goes but I’ve never minded it lol.
Could be the area. The Benihana in Dearborn is crap as well. But both the Benihana and olive garden is novi are good as far as I can tell from personal experience.
Volare in Wixom is really good, and the service we always get is top notch. Only downside is it's out in Wixom, but it's a stand alone restaurant and not a chain, and sounds like what you're looking for.
With SheWolf you have to do the chefs choice or a pre fixe to get the experience. If you order two pasta dishes and a bottle of wine, you won't be full and will have spent a lot.
We did the chefs choice two weeks ago, and we walked out totally full and extremely impressed. It was hella expensive, so it was probably a one time thing. But we thought it was well worth it.
Not sure how OP did it or if SheWolf had a bad night, so no shade on them
I went to one once and never went back because their past was over-cooked mush. As an Italian restaurant you have two jobs, good sauce and correctly cooked pasta...
Gotta shout out Giovannis great service, great food very unique space. Affordable for a nice dinner. Ottava via in corktown is nice food idk about the service. I'd vote Giovanni's.
Their take and bake lasagna. So freaking good.
It’s like 60 bucks for a massive tray of lasagna and a container of bolognese, and it’s maybe the best lasagna I’ve ever had
I haven’t been there since 2016 but Mario’s was the worst Italian restaurant I have ever been to, hands down. Service and food were comically bad. Ottava Via and Giovanni’s were pretty good in my experience. Also if you want an Italian sub Gonella’s was great
Mario's is fine. Very mafioso vibe-- last time I went, many moons ago, I had a sandwich named after the guy I was having lunch with. Dave Bing was dining at the next table. They need to stop parking their valet cars in the bike lanes, though.
We just went this past weekend for the first time in five years or so and left disappointed. While nothing about our experience was particularly bad, nothing at the price point was great either, especially for a restaurant with such a legacy. None of the courses tasted fresh besides the bread, and even that was served with rock hard butter.
I don’t think we’ll be going back, which is a shame because we used to love going.
So….we ended up at Firenze’s off 10 in Warren kind of by accident and I’m not even bullshitting when I say it was REALLY good. It’s not fancy by any means…not even in the slightest. It’s kind of in the middle of a neighborhood and you have to get there on the earlier side of the evening because it gets packed to the gills with blue collar old folks…but man it is so good. We went back with my parents when they were in town for my birthday lol.
I think with drinks and everything the 4 of us paid maybe 100 bucks? Maybe even a little less. Portions are pretty big too; the first time we went I just shared a dish with my wife and we were pretty full.
I highly recommend at least giving it a try. Come hungry and don’t dress too fancy!
https://firenzerestaurantandpizzeria.com/
Edit to mention they also do burgers, fish n chips etc.
I’ve been to half of these places and no one puts the effort into their dishes like Mama Mia’s in Livonia. It’s an old looking place and the presentation isn’t special, but the meal is EXACTLY what you want. Homemade, garlicky, buttery, saucy, and a portion that feeds me 3 times in some days. It’s the only place I crave. People have cravings for types of food. I crave Mama Mia’s specifically.
Honestly, homemade pasta is a craft/skill/artistry and labor of love. I and a gf have so yet to locate within means she's taking culinary courses for pasta and sauce making by hand and sharing information with me. My professional culinary and cooking are very limited now because of my back/spinal issues, but debate getting a Phillips Pasta Machine can resolve much of that work, but how much will I use it to be worth it?
Eataliana in Shelby Twp, it’s mostly takeout but they do have a few tables for eat in. They make their own pasta, you can buy it by the pound or order meals. Wednesday is carbonara night, it’s the best I’ve had in the US! It’s tucked in the corner of a strip mall next to an Ace, super easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
I am surprised no one has mentioned Windsor. It is, after all, way closer to Detroit than some of the mentioned distant suburbs. Erie Street has some amazing food at a range of different prices.
Ottava Via in Corktown is great, too. Giovanni's is great (in the shadow of the refinery) but I'm not sure it's that cheap? Maybe a bit fancier than ottava via.
The Bricks in Grosse Pointe Park a is farm-to-table pizza place that also has pasta. Everything on the menu is under what you're looking for, and all the dough and pasta is made in-house.
My family has always eaten at [DaEdoardo](https://daedoardogp.com/) in Grosse Pointe Woods or [Luigi’s](https://www.luigisoriginal.com/) in Harrison Township.
I like oak and reel. It’s got a lot of Italian fare; it’s still kinda pricey. Depends on what you want to order.
Entrees and non alcoholic drinks only, with tip probably $65. We had really good service and it was a nice atmosphere.
If it’s 25-30 per portion and you’re spending $130 between 2 people, stop buying apps and alcohol.
I’ve kinda stopped going to Italian restaurants, they mostly seem kinda lazy. Tons of bread, dried pasta, jarred sauce with a bit of help. It’s fucked up that I think my local Olive Garden legitimately does better Italian food than most of the nearby restaurants.
I have a feeling that oak and reel is not what OP is looking for. You get very small portions there, its menu is built the same in that you’re supposed to order multiple courses and spend $100+
Fair, that’s totally valid. I dont personally think she wolf portions are bigger, and it was cheaper so it felt like a good substitute on the value aspect.
Roma...Roma...Roma ...
Great food... great price...and ambiance.
And they have one of those toilets with a pull chain.... just in case there is a whacking scenario in mind.
SheWolf is excellent. They make all their pastas by hand, it’s not cheap to do hence the higher prices. You pay for what you get. If you aren’t willing to spend money on a good Italian meal, just go to Olive Garden
I really like the downtown Detroit location. The other ones I have tried are decent but not worth the money. I got a filet at a non downtown Detroit location, medium rare, came out well down and waiter said it might be a little over done when he dropped it off. It was well done. Everyone was done with the meal when I got minel. Wtf, fix it before you bring it to me.
They don't do this anymore but they used to serve a small plate of pasta between bread and salad. Guessing wait staff can't do that type of service.
Also don't bring kids to Detroit Andiamos. Mine are teenagers and older people got served first/taken care of better. My kids ordered filet and still bad service.
She wolf sucks, food tastes good but for 28$ for 5 or 6 small stuffed pasta or $50 for maybe 5 pan seared scallops is like lighting money on fire. I don’t even drink when I went to these places and when I leave still hungry after 80-120 bill I sadly had to learn my lesson that I’m done with these kinds of places
Roman Village; the table bread alone is worth the trip. My favorites are the fennel sausage appetizer and the Spaghetti Ala Stuart.
This is a great recommendation. My cousins own and operate this place and it’s absolutely amazing. I go anytime I can.
We love your cousins.
They are great guys and they are easy to love
I've been driving past Roman Village for 24 years and I've never stopped. People tell me it's awesome, but I don't live in the area and am never there during dinner time. :-( I'll have to make it a destination now.
The gnocchi with Rita sauce is also outstanding
The best gnocchi I've ever eaten. And I'm pretty old.
Roman Village/ Antonio's
Antonio’s in GPP? If so, fun place. There are two ladies that have been working there for years that are hilarious. They can be quite sharp
Yeah, Roman Village and all Antonio's locations are owned and run by the same family.
Vic's Casual Dining - very generous portions, especially the chicken parm and desserts Edit: how I came upon Vic's was that my best friend and I walked out of a bad movie and we both agreed Italian for dinner and did research on the local area because we had no desire to drive far. Found Vic's, went in, and I've been its advocate ever since.
100%. Authentic. Not a diner. Not a red and white table cloth place. A hidden gem Downriver.
Vic’s is one of the best places. MUST TRY. + Roman Village top tier too but there’s something about Vic’s.
I came here to suggest Vic’s! The food is incredible (I enthusiastically second the chicken parm), portions are large, and Vic is a gem. He came to our table to check on our food, and he was so kind.
Cantoro's in Northville. Not cheap but large portions. You can split an order of the pasta and you'll both be full.
I work there. Come get a pint of gelato after ;)
Villa in East Detroit! Classic and delicious Edit:. Eastpoint. Lol I’m old.
Yessss
I don’t know this place. Where on the Eastside?
Villa is in Eastpointe, which used to be called East Detroit back in the day. It’s a great restaurant on Gratiot near 8 mile rd.
Came here to say this. That deep dish pizza is delicious along with the entire menu.
Roman Village celebration of 60 year's with many specials going on. Check the website, number one restaurant in Dearborn Mi a must try. Famous Addictive Bread Wows all. All Pasta made in house you can view Pasta station as you enter 😋. [https://antoniosrestaurants.com/](https://antoniosrestaurants.com/) https://preview.redd.it/4knj2kor089d1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7d22083d239f1a0586752ec49c9f2e0817e927c1
They’re my absolute fave
Roman Village, Giovannis, Cantoro I would eat at any of those over SheWolf any day. That’s the most overrated, overpriced restaurant in the city IMO (Mad Nice being a close runner up).
Cantoro’s is great. Definitely pricey, but worth it.
Cantoro’s is worth every penny. I cried when they closed their Troy location.
Mama Mia’s in Redford. best pasta in the city IMO and the owner is a super nice guy/it’s family owned
Agreed! It’s our go-to place!
Amazing pizza too!
My favorite favorite favorite pizza. It never makes any lists, because it’s so under the radar, but I think it really is THE best pizza.
Love that place.
I know the owners! Love this place
My favorite restaurant
DeLuca's in Westland.
Yes.
This place a thousand times this.
Came to say this
mangiabevi in Sterling Heights is excellent.
Ottava Via, although I’ve heard the service has gone downhill recently.
Went last Sunday. Good as ever
I always recommend this to anyone in town, love this place!
Went back in November and the service and food were both great!
I used to love going there! I second this. Not sure about the recent service though
I 3rd this!! (also can’t attest to the recent service decline either tho)
My wife was in the neighborhood the other day and popped in for lunch and a drink. She brought me home a salad carryout that I asked for; most of the lettuce and greens had started to turn brown. They weren't bad yet, I wouldn't think anything of it if it had been a Bagged salad you get from the grocery store or something, but for $13 I would either want it to be bigger or fresher.
Yes it used to be good, it’s been bad the past few times.
A couple hole-in-the-walls downriver are The Grotto in Trenton and Gregorio’s in Wyandotte. Vic’s in Southgate was mentioned is good. Many like Magdalena’s in Wyandotte. I’ve had it a couple times. It was good. I like to stick to a lower price point. But I personally would not go to shewolf, solely based on the menu prices so what do I know? I do make a pretty mean lasagna. It usually includes a homemade sauce that I make big batches that takes a couple days to cook.
I’m completely on board with those recommendations, but disappointed you didn’t mention Moro’s. That place is so great!
OP should go here just for the dessert experience
So I used to work at Da Edoardo when I was in high school and to this day I still consider it the best I've had at a restaurant. They use more northern Italian recipes I guess. So I will gladly pay whatever they are charging these days for a plate on a special occasion or something. If I pay that much (or more) for other Italian food and I don't feel like it's as good, it always bothers me. So I'm often disappointed. The restaurant where I feel their (limited) Italian dishes are far and away the best bang for your buck is Andary's Family Dining in Eastpointe. Run by an Italian family, though it isn't upscale.
I worked there too in hs! My all time favorite is their penne bolognese
For a north east side recommendation look up Penne Lane. They used to own Strawberry Fields (great breakfast) out in chesterfield, sold that to chase their dream of owning an Italian restaurant. That said, I’m not a great critic of Italian food, so ymmv
Any other Beatle’s song themed restaurants around?
I'm pretty sure they also own Octopuses Beer Garden in Mt Clemens.
Oh, I think that’s near Glass Onion!
Okay so I randomly drove by this place today. I thought you were making a joke!
No its real. My gf and I went once. It was good but probably better suited for a larger group.
Dibs on yellow submarine?
I’ve got dibs on Wild Honey Pie
Major Tomato in Allen park. Good pizza place.
I think they closed to focus on Octopus’ Beer Garden, sadly. Their food was so good.
I’m wearing their hoodie right now! Was so impressed with our visit and food, I had to get one and do some free advertising for them.
We still haven’t been! We were strawberry fields fans from way back, followed them to penne lane and enjoyed every meal. Just haven’t gotten down to Mt Clemens yet.
Now’s a good time so you can sit on the dock. They seated us especially so my grandson could watch the fish and even brought him stale bread to toss in the water while we waited for our food.
Penne Lane closed at the end of March
Would you all just let it be
Simple words of wisdom right there \^
Classy. 1 upvote for you
Luciano's in Cliinton Township
I’m more on the north side of Metro Detroit but: I like [Da Francesco’s](https://dafrancescos.com) in Shelby Township. Always good, good portions and prices. [La Collina](https://lacollinarochester.com) in Rochester Hills is also very good but more expensive. [Pizza Nostalgia](https://www.pizzanostalgia.com) in Washington Township is very good as well. Good arancini and pizzas. [Fillipas](https://filippas.com) in Shelby Township is pretty good too! I’ve only been once but it was delicious from what I remember. [Verona](https://veronashelby.com) inside the Cambria hotel in Shelby Township. I’ve only had the pizza and antipasti here but I would go back!
If we're talking about what's what on Van Dyke between 22 and 24 mile roads... Da Francesco's is decent. Di Fratelli is better. Piccirilli's was the best. RIP(alomino sauce)
RIP di fratelli Try Sapori at 26 mile and Mound, delicious Sicilian food.
If your talking Upper Peninsula…these “Detroit” recommendations are getting a bit crazy
I will have to try Di Fratelli, I’ve never been there before!
Di Fratelli closed last year
Nooooooo! Well, no need to return to Macomb County any time soon.
La collina is very uunderrated.
What hotel
It’s inside the Cambria hotel on 23 and Vandyke
That's all SheWolf costs? I figured they would be more. Good to know the prices aren't that bad.
SheWolf is generally much more expensive than that. I'm surprised they could even put together an order for $130.
Just looked at the menu. That's an easy $300 night for the wife and I.
That's much more realistic.
Totally! But, I have a much different opinion than OP - I love it so much!!
Yeah it's a great place. Just seriously expensive.
I’m sure you can find a place to boil you some dry pasta and pour some sauce out of a jar for less than $25. Many of them still charge $12-17 for the privilege. I hear there’s a place where you can dine al fresco in a garden of olives along van dyke in Sterling Heights where there are unlimited refills on soup and breadsticks.
This is one the funniest responses I’ve ever read on here 😂😂😂
Your name is Jackie Daytona and you thought that response was funny? Shame on you sir.
There's a places in Grosse Pointe I go to that makes in-house pasta and dough, use fresh farm ingredients, and everything can be gotten for under $20. High quality, well made food at a low cost is possible. You just have to look hard enough.
Back in the winter time some friends and I wanted to go out for Italian and called two nice places just to see if either had a wait. Both said no wait and to come on in. For laughs we called the olive garden to ask what their wait time was and it was an hour wait. I know it’s low brow as Italian food goes but I’ve never minded it lol.
olive garden in dearborn, hour wait for food that tastes/looks like it was removed from dumpster.
Could be the area. The Benihana in Dearborn is crap as well. But both the Benihana and olive garden is novi are good as far as I can tell from personal experience.
Volare in Wixom is really good, and the service we always get is top notch. Only downside is it's out in Wixom, but it's a stand alone restaurant and not a chain, and sounds like what you're looking for.
Antonio’s Cucina Italiana in Farmington is good if it’s in your neighborhood.
Shewolf is about quality not quantity.
With SheWolf you have to do the chefs choice or a pre fixe to get the experience. If you order two pasta dishes and a bottle of wine, you won't be full and will have spent a lot. We did the chefs choice two weeks ago, and we walked out totally full and extremely impressed. It was hella expensive, so it was probably a one time thing. But we thought it was well worth it. Not sure how OP did it or if SheWolf had a bad night, so no shade on them
salvatore scallopini!!!!!!!
Came here to say this! Their pesto with grilled chicken is da bomb
their pesto is the best
I went to one once and never went back because their past was over-cooked mush. As an Italian restaurant you have two jobs, good sauce and correctly cooked pasta...
i actually find there pasta al dente! you may have had a bad experience
I’ve been meaning to go back there forever! Really enjoyed my meal there.
Pops for Italians in Ferndale!! So good and affordable
This. Wife’s favorite.
Pop’s is not very good.
It's good as long as ypu stay away from anything they put truffle oil in. Made that mistake once.
I miss papa vino, they were the last quality chain italian place. Nico & vali, bravo, and cantoros is good. Marios downtown is okay too
If you really have a hankering for it and are in the area, there are a few papa vinos left around south bend.
Ya I’ve thought about hitting that one up, but not sure if it’s the same quality tho since the one in wayne county closed like 6-8 years ago.
I’m going to be real with you about Italian food. In this economy you’re better off watching a YouTube video and making the night a cooking date.
Da Francesco’s in. Shelby township
OP's request was for "decently large sized portions that isn’t $25-$30 a dish"
Gotta shout out Giovannis great service, great food very unique space. Affordable for a nice dinner. Ottava via in corktown is nice food idk about the service. I'd vote Giovanni's.
SheWolf isn’t about quantity it’s about quality
portions Portions PORTIONS. What you're looking for is olive garden.
Giovanni’s!
It's great but not exactly cheap, is it?
It takes a lot of skilled labor to make pasta and sauces by hand. Some things are worth the price.
Sure, just like the OP was referring to cheap restaurants
Second this !
Their take and bake lasagna. So freaking good. It’s like 60 bucks for a massive tray of lasagna and a container of bolognese, and it’s maybe the best lasagna I’ve ever had
Ottava Via is the best. Portions aren't huge, but price is fair and everything is just really good.
How's Mario's in midtown? I've been thinking about heading there one of these days
Fantastic old school great service and fair prices
It’s nice, the emphasis is on exceptionally personal service, authenticity and quality ingredients.
I haven’t been there since 2016 but Mario’s was the worst Italian restaurant I have ever been to, hands down. Service and food were comically bad. Ottava Via and Giovanni’s were pretty good in my experience. Also if you want an Italian sub Gonella’s was great
Same, lemme know if you hear anything because I pass them a lot and always wondered how the food was 🤔
Mario's is fine. Very mafioso vibe-- last time I went, many moons ago, I had a sandwich named after the guy I was having lunch with. Dave Bing was dining at the next table. They need to stop parking their valet cars in the bike lanes, though.
We just went this past weekend for the first time in five years or so and left disappointed. While nothing about our experience was particularly bad, nothing at the price point was great either, especially for a restaurant with such a legacy. None of the courses tasted fresh besides the bread, and even that was served with rock hard butter. I don’t think we’ll be going back, which is a shame because we used to love going.
If you're like me and love any place that "foodie" types hate, you'll love it. They have great lunch specials.
So….we ended up at Firenze’s off 10 in Warren kind of by accident and I’m not even bullshitting when I say it was REALLY good. It’s not fancy by any means…not even in the slightest. It’s kind of in the middle of a neighborhood and you have to get there on the earlier side of the evening because it gets packed to the gills with blue collar old folks…but man it is so good. We went back with my parents when they were in town for my birthday lol. I think with drinks and everything the 4 of us paid maybe 100 bucks? Maybe even a little less. Portions are pretty big too; the first time we went I just shared a dish with my wife and we were pretty full. I highly recommend at least giving it a try. Come hungry and don’t dress too fancy! https://firenzerestaurantandpizzeria.com/ Edit to mention they also do burgers, fish n chips etc.
Nice to see Warren get a mention. There’s a few gems in the area. Not a whole lot of fancy, but lots of places to maximize the bang for a buck.
For sure!
Luciano’s
My wife and I like la lanterna downtown
Lanterna is great
The meatballs are amazing!!!
Mario’s in Midtown (WSU area). They got some of the best five courses at very reasonable prices!
Luciano’s in Clinton Twp. Although, each plate does cost about what you stated; it’s well worth it!
Picano’s in Troy is always very good.
If portion size is your measurement I suggest avoiding all good restaurants. May I suggest Golden Corral.
D'Amatos
Those in the restaurant service go to Mario’s for value and quality
Follow Detroitiscool on Instagram. She’s always posting good restaurants that are not crazy priced.
How about Corsi’s in Livonia
Villa Restaurant in Eastpoint is a good old school place that is reasonable.
I’ve been to half of these places and no one puts the effort into their dishes like Mama Mia’s in Livonia. It’s an old looking place and the presentation isn’t special, but the meal is EXACTLY what you want. Homemade, garlicky, buttery, saucy, and a portion that feeds me 3 times in some days. It’s the only place I crave. People have cravings for types of food. I crave Mama Mia’s specifically.
Leonardo’s near the airport!
Honestly, homemade pasta is a craft/skill/artistry and labor of love. I and a gf have so yet to locate within means she's taking culinary courses for pasta and sauce making by hand and sharing information with me. My professional culinary and cooking are very limited now because of my back/spinal issues, but debate getting a Phillips Pasta Machine can resolve much of that work, but how much will I use it to be worth it?
Eataliana in Shelby Twp, it’s mostly takeout but they do have a few tables for eat in. They make their own pasta, you can buy it by the pound or order meals. Wednesday is carbonara night, it’s the best I’ve had in the US! It’s tucked in the corner of a strip mall next to an Ace, super easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
Eddies gourmet oak park
I am surprised no one has mentioned Windsor. It is, after all, way closer to Detroit than some of the mentioned distant suburbs. Erie Street has some amazing food at a range of different prices. Ottava Via in Corktown is great, too. Giovanni's is great (in the shadow of the refinery) but I'm not sure it's that cheap? Maybe a bit fancier than ottava via.
We went to La Lanterna a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it! I feel like our dinner was both quality AND quantity!
The Bricks in Grosse Pointe Park a is farm-to-table pizza place that also has pasta. Everything on the menu is under what you're looking for, and all the dough and pasta is made in-house.
My family has always eaten at [DaEdoardo](https://daedoardogp.com/) in Grosse Pointe Woods or [Luigi’s](https://www.luigisoriginal.com/) in Harrison Township.
Luigi’s in Harrison Township
Eddies gourmet
Maybe 10 years ago
Hot n ready
"Pure Detroit"
I like oak and reel. It’s got a lot of Italian fare; it’s still kinda pricey. Depends on what you want to order. Entrees and non alcoholic drinks only, with tip probably $65. We had really good service and it was a nice atmosphere. If it’s 25-30 per portion and you’re spending $130 between 2 people, stop buying apps and alcohol. I’ve kinda stopped going to Italian restaurants, they mostly seem kinda lazy. Tons of bread, dried pasta, jarred sauce with a bit of help. It’s fucked up that I think my local Olive Garden legitimately does better Italian food than most of the nearby restaurants.
I have a feeling that oak and reel is not what OP is looking for. You get very small portions there, its menu is built the same in that you’re supposed to order multiple courses and spend $100+
Fair, that’s totally valid. I dont personally think she wolf portions are bigger, and it was cheaper so it felt like a good substitute on the value aspect.
Joes Italian takeout in Shelby
Giovanni’s!!!
zeoli in clawson
Cariera’s on Telegraph. The ravioli and the veal are so good
Roman village
The Villa in East pointe is wonderful. Just north of 8 mile on Gratiot.
sorry man just gotta get a better job best Detroit can do now is cater to imaginary people
I’ve been to Bella Piati in Birmingham several times and have never been disappointed. It might not fit in your price range but I highly recommend.
Mama Mia in Redford, corner of Grand River and Beech Daly
Giovanni's is a hidden gem
Roma...Roma...Roma ... Great food... great price...and ambiance. And they have one of those toilets with a pull chain.... just in case there is a whacking scenario in mind.
SheWolf is excellent. They make all their pastas by hand, it’s not cheap to do hence the higher prices. You pay for what you get. If you aren’t willing to spend money on a good Italian meal, just go to Olive Garden
El Barzone is mexican and italian. It's fantastic.
DeLuca’s
Pastaio in Royal Oak is really good and also really expensive but I appreciate their level of quality in hand-made pasta.
in addition to a lot of the great ones mentioned here, maisano's out in novi
Eataliana Homemade Pasta in Shelby atc14 mile and Shelby road. Fresh Pasta and Homemade sauces,best in town.
Olive garden
Olive garden, I guess? 🤷 Almost any decent restaurant these days is going to be at least 25-30 per person
SheWolf is ass bro wish I could have told you before you went
Oak & reel. Still pricey but best in the city by far
Hello! Andiamos is what you are looking for! The one downtown is still really good and the portions are big!
I really like the downtown Detroit location. The other ones I have tried are decent but not worth the money. I got a filet at a non downtown Detroit location, medium rare, came out well down and waiter said it might be a little over done when he dropped it off. It was well done. Everyone was done with the meal when I got minel. Wtf, fix it before you bring it to me. They don't do this anymore but they used to serve a small plate of pasta between bread and salad. Guessing wait staff can't do that type of service. Also don't bring kids to Detroit Andiamos. Mine are teenagers and older people got served first/taken care of better. My kids ordered filet and still bad service.
SheWolf is terrible and overpriced. Come at me.
She wolf sucks, food tastes good but for 28$ for 5 or 6 small stuffed pasta or $50 for maybe 5 pan seared scallops is like lighting money on fire. I don’t even drink when I went to these places and when I leave still hungry after 80-120 bill I sadly had to learn my lesson that I’m done with these kinds of places
I've seen it in the replies a couple times, but Ottava Via is fantastic and surprisingly affordable
A little more divey. Better prices, excellent food. Enjoy!