The downtown area of Detroit is a feared area by most travelers and visitors. If there is a reason to go there it is for a sporting event and then a quick escape to the suburbs. There is safety in numbers when the Detroit Tigers are playing at Comerica. One afternoon while visiting a friend we checked out the interesting city of Hamtramck.
Having a pre-dinner drink with a long time friend at Polonia in Hamtramck
Visit to Hamtramck
On a recent visit to see a high school buddy before heading up to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, we decided to brave the feared downtown area in the afternoon without the safety of the crowds. We checked out the multi-ethnic city of Hamtramck, which lies just on the fringes of downtown.
According to Wikipedia, the city is 41% foreign born making it the most diverse international city in Michigan. A large percentage of this population is Polish. 14.5% of the total population of this city is Polish although it used to be 90% back in the 1970s.
Reflecting on my personal relationship with Poland and Polish people
I have an affinity for Poland and for Polish people. My hometown, Chicago, is rumored as the second largest Polish city in the world outside of Warsaw. This explains why we are the only city where Casimir Pulaski Day is a day off for school children. I have many friends and acquaintances that come from Poland including fellow Chicago travel blogger Jetting Around.
Me in front of a memorial to Rosa Luxembourg in Zamosc, Poland in 2003
I visited Poland in 2003. I spent a week visiting Krakow and Lublin. Visiting Poland was amazing, and I stayed for several days in Lublin with a Polish friend of a friend. I always like to have connections when visiting other countries. I would much rather crash on someone’s couch than stay at a hotel.
Polonia Restaurant in Hamtramck
Polonia Restaurant
Anyways, back to Hamtramck. We came to eat at the Polonia Restaurant. From the moment we sat down I knew I would enjoy the place. Anthony Bourdain’s face greeted us on the menu. He filmed a show here in 2009. This eliminated the place from hidden gem status, but I was came to enjoy Polish food not to uncover an unknown wonder.
Soup you just can’t beet at Polonia
One of my greatest memories from my trip to Poland was a stop at a traditional Polish restaurant in Lublin, Poland. Of course it is traditional Polish food if it is in Poland, but this place even took the aura further as the inside was decorated like an old time Polish barn. I had the most delicious beet soup here.
Lard on bread, yum!
I was delighted to find beet soup on the menu at Polonia. I eagerly lapped it up and remembered my wonderful dinner in Lublin. We then consumed bread with some sort of lard concoction. It was tasty, but I think it took a year off my life due to the amount of cholesterol.
Smoked sausage with kraut
I thought I might see this after walking out of Polonia
Emerging back into Detroit
Poland is known for Polish sausage, so I gravitated to this dish, which was surrounded by sauerkraut. Absolutely delicious, and after walking out of Polonia I expected to walk out and see the Vistula, the Polish countryside, or perhaps the Wawel Castle. Instead a plastic baggy meandered down the desolate Hamtramck streets. At least for an hour I felt like I traveled to Poland while inside this Michigan restaurant.
Adventure on!
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Need to make it back to Hamtramck again soon, especially on Fat Tuesday for some authentic paczkis. Love Polish food in general, the smoked sausage with kraut yum.
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A neat little neighborhood. Not what one would expect so close to downtown Detroit.
Mmmmm! What a find! I’m not sure about the lard (of course I’ll try anything once), but the beet soup and sausage/kraut look awesome. Beautiful photo of the square!
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Thanks Erika,
I definitely enjoyed the lunch and the visit to this interesting village.
It was a few years ago I had the chance to visit Poland – Krakow and Auschwitz (or Oswiecim). Loved the country and wish I had time to explore more of it. It’s also been many more years since I’ve been to Chicago!
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Poland is a very interesting country. I would love to get back and see the mountains and visit other cities. I only spent a night in Krakow and that city definitely deserves more time.
Thanks for the shoutout, Ted! You’v been to Krk and Zamosc? Next time we hang out, we should talk. 🙂
I’ve visited Hamtramck once during Easter. Given the time of year, I had to stop at a Polish bakery and get some holiday sweet rolls. Yum.
Just like some of the Polish areas in Chicago, Hamtramck seems to be a bit frozen in time, especially when it comes to restaurant decor. Oh well, at least the food is good. 🙂
On a side note, the “second biggest Polish population outside of Warsaw” thing has been repeated all over again and somehow won’t die down. I think it used to be the case in the 80s, but London and Dublin may have surpassed Chicago in terms of Poland-born population. There certainly is a lot of Polish people in ChiTown, no doubt about that, but it’s not the million that is talked about, unless you count 2nd, 3rd, 4th US-born generations, which doesn’t make much sense. Anyway, I can’t complain when it comes to Polish delis. Whenever I crave some home flavors, they’re easy to find. 🙂
Great post and I’m glad you’re bringing attention to Detroit and the area. I’m pulling for the city. 🙂
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I figured the Chicago Polish cliché is a little dated, but I bet we are still the only city outside of Poland that celebrates a Casimir Pulaski Day. In fact, I wonder, does Poland celebrate this day?
I spent most of my week in Poland in Lublin, but I spent the night in Krakow and visited Auschwitz the next day. In Lublin, the person I was staying with drove me out to Zamosc, and we hung out for the day. Beautiful little city.
I don’t think Poland celebrates Pulaski Day… Good point.
I have two memories from Zamosc – the beautiful Renaissance main square and the TV in my hotel room having way too many “love channels.”
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This was interesting – I don’t have the best memories of Polish food, but you took me down memory lane and reminded me of the best bits of a trip to Warsaw. I want to see Cracow one day – one step closer now! Thanks, Ted!
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When I was in Poland I was hanging out with someone who lived there, so he made sure to take me to the best places. Krakow is awesome, just ask Pola.
I think the bread made my arteries close a little also. Great spot though…the smoked sausage looks awesome…
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The stuff on the bread was tasty, but not something I would want to eat too often.
i could go for some polish sausage (and i’m not being saucy & inappropriate) 😉 fun article, Ted. it is great how food can take you back to a place!!
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Yea, it was not what I expected from a trip to Detroit.
I went to Poland in 2009. Krakow was our based and we rented an apt for the week right by the awesome square. We visited Auschwitz, the salt mines, Czestochowa (awesome pilgrimage city), and Wadowice. Krakow was phenomenal and the food (all that pork!) was great. It was winter and I don’t think I saw a green vegetable in any of my plates except 1! The lard was a neat surprise the first time it was served. Good to know now a Polish place in Detroit.
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Sounds like an amazing trip Raul. I saw Auschwitz as well, but I did not make the Salt Mines. I hear they are pretty cool.
I can’t lie, that lard on toast looks delicious. It’s not something that I’ve ever really thought of before. Poland looks like such an amazing city. I’ve love to explore and do lunch there soon!
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I really love visiting ethnic neighborhoods within American cities. It’s like an escape. The food, language, smells, and sounds really make it feel like a mini-vacation. I didn’t know that Chicago has such a large Polish population. Would you believe that Central Texas has a large Polish (and Czech) population, too?
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really Czechs in Texas? interesting…
stay adventurous, Craig
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Chicago not only has a large Polish population, but also a huge population from Mexico, so it does not surprise me to find Polish people in Texas. You never know where people may end up.
BEET SOUP! Yum, it’s one of my faves. Would you believe that, of all the times I’ve been to Detroit, I’ve never made it to Hamtramck?? And for the record, I’m not afraid of downtown Detroit (says the tough Chicago girl).
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Now you have a reason to check it out.
Looks like an authentic slice of Poland right in Detroit. Not sure I could have done the lard on bread though, haha.
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cute! and love the pola shout-out, too 🙂
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Excellent article Ted. Polonia and Polish Village Cafe in Hamtramck are two of my favorite places.
For the record, the lard has little bits of bacon all through it and everybody knows that bacon makes anything awsome.
Thanks Jay for bringing me down there for a delicious lunch.
This food looks unreal! Not sure I’ve had Polish food before, but after seeing and reading about it, I’m going to look up restaurants in the area. Know of any in NYC?
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I don’t, but there has to be a Polish neighborhood somewhere in the city that never sleeps.
I knew of Greek Town in Detroit as I spent a few weeks of my life in Rock City, wish I knew of this little gem.. thanks for enlightening me….
stay adventurous, Craig
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