Discover Detroit’s Historic North End District

There’s always so much happening in the Motor City it can be hard to decide what area of the city to explore. If you’re thinking about a night out in Detroit let us show you around the Historic North End district, an area full of historic, cultural and culinary experiences.

Model T cars parked inside an old manufacturing plant
Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum | Photo Courtesy of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum

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Take a drive down memory lane with a stop at the Ford Piquette Plant. Built in 1904 as Ford’s first purpose-built factory, the museum has over 65 rare vehicles on display including all the Ford ‘letter’ cars, Model T’s and T Trucks, as well as other antique models all made in Milwaukee Junction. Visitors can explore exhibits explaining the history of the building, the people who worked there and the very beginning of the world’s automotive industry.

Drop into shops you won’t find anywhere else like By Popular Demand The Collective, a collection of small businesses each offering their merchandise under one roof. Find unique gifts, jewelry, apparel, and home décor in this collection of curated items.

Interior of a retail store with a jewelry display on a table.
By Popular Demand The Collective | Photo Courtesy of By Popular Demand The Collective

The North End district is steeped in music legacy and culture. As the birthplace of Techno music, and the home to the first techno museum in the United States, the district still attracts artists and musicians at Tangent Gallery, as well as through performing arts, murals and more.

Public art installations and murals accentuate the beauty of the area along Oakland Avenue, Dolores Bennet Park, East Milwaukee Avenue and Grand Boulevard.

Check the calendar to see what’s happening at Tangent. Detroit’s home to the underground music scene for the past 20+ years, Tangent Gallery hosts concerts for a wide variety of genres throughout the year.

Beer flavors written on chalkboard signs
Batch Brewing Company | Photo Courtesy of Batch Brewing Company

If you’ve had a can of Batch Brewing Company beer, or their delicious ciders, you’ve tasted the end result of the work put in at their East Grand facility in the North End. This facility was set to open as an additional tasting room, however plans changed and the events of the pandemic have delayed that opening. In the meantime, enjoy the products being produced at the North End facility, as well as their world class BBQ, at Batch Brewing Company’s Corktown location at 1400 Porter Street in Detroit. Keep an eye out for future announcements on the North End location.

Chicken and waffles, Creole Gumbo, Buttermilk Marinated Deep Fried Catfish, Southern Cheesy Grits and more will cure your craving for southern cuisine at Joe Louis Southern Kitchen.

Fried fish over a bed of rice and vegetables
Joe Louis Southern Kitchen | Photo Courtesy of Joe Louis Southern Kitchen

A fancy and fun Detroit dining experience, Freya offers a price fixed 5 course meal without the pomp and circumstance that can make guests uncomfortable. Enjoy the chef’s unique take on entrees like Angus Hangar Steak with parsnip butter, leek confit, Peruvian potato, and maitake mushrooms. Adjacent to Freya, in the same building, sister restaurant Dragonfly offers small plates inspired by the seaside bodegas in Southern Spain.