Flint
Flint is an industrial city in the eastern part of Michigan that has been experiencing a rise in the economy recently. Flint used to depend on the car industry, but that industry has gone downhill. Now, the city has a thriving small business community and a busy food scene.
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# | Restaurant Name | Cuisine Type | Highlight |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Cork on Saginaw | American, Wine Bar | Upscale dining with a vast wine selection and seasonal menu. |
2 | 501 Bar and Grill | American, Contemporary | Offers a modern twist on classic dishes with a chic atmosphere. |
3 | Flint Crepe Company | Cafe, European | Specializes in crepes and eco-friendly practices. |
4 | Luigi’s Restaurant | Italian, Pizza | Family-owned, serving traditional Italian dishes and famous for pizza. |
5 | Table & Tap | Barbecue, Pub | Features craft beer and BBQ in a casual setting. |
6 | Blackstone’s Pub & Grill | American, Pub | Offers a wide beer selection and pub fare in a historic building. |
7 | Hoffman’s Deco Deli & Cafe | Deli, Cafe | Known for gourmet sandwiches and a vibrant atmosphere. |
8 | The Torch Bar & Grill | Burgers, Bar | Famous for its Torch Burger and a favorite local hangout. |
9 | Steady Eddy’s Cafe | Cafe, Breakfast/Brunch | Offers a cozy spot for breakfast and brunch with a creative menu. |
10 | Soggy Bottom Bar | American, Bar | Known for its live music, good food, and relaxed vibe. |
11 | Krystal Jo’s Diner | American, Diner | Family-friendly diner known for its hearty breakfasts and lunches. |
12 | Pesto’s | Italian, American | Offers a mix of Italian and American cuisine with a selection of pasta and pizzas. |
There is a wide range of food in the city, reflecting the people who live there. There is Lebanese, Italian, barbecue, and modern American food. Flint has a wide range of restaurants, from high-end to trendy to tasty, so there is something for everyone.
These are 13 of the best restaurants in Flint. They range from family-run businesses that serve home-cooked meals to restaurants with James Beard-nominated cooks who use Midwestern ingredients in new ways.
1. Flint City Bucks
Name and Location: Flint City Bucks men’s soccer club plays home games at Atwood Stadium located at 701 University Ave, Flint, MI 48504.
History and Significance: Founded in 1995, the Bucks have won multiple league championships while playing in USL League 2. The team brings high-level minor league soccer to Flint each summer. Games feature special events and promotions.
What to Expect: Visitors watch professional men’s soccer while enjoying entertainment like mascots, halftime shows, competitions and concession stands with standard sports food fare. Bucks merchandise sold onsite.
Visitor Information: Season runs May-July. Tickets available as single game or season packages at box office on game days.
As downtown Flint continues revitalizing, one new hotspot drawing major buzz is Flint City Bucks, a sports-centric gastropub celebrating the city’s rich athletic legacy. Installed in the iconic Capitol Theatre building, Flint City Bucks pairs a seemingly endless lineup of craft drafts with drool-worthy bar fare perfect for pre-gaming or winding down from cultural events next door.
Executive Chef John Pruitt keeps the menu loaded with Flint-proud creations like the vehicle city veggie burger loaded with black beans and sweet potatoes, their undisputed fan-favorite smash burger and beer can chicken wings dripping in buffalo sauce. Eighty rotating taps offer local favorites like Tenacity Brewing alongside domestic and import surprises to please every beer fan’s palette.
An entire wall displaying autographed jerseys and gear spanning Flint’s athletic history from boxing gloves signed by boxing great Chris Byrd to aunning Rebels memorabilia reminds that Flint always brings the heat. With fun, lively energy and scratch-made pub grub paying homage to Vehicle City greatness across sports, Flint City Bucks scores big for visitors and hometown fans alike.
2.Cork on Saginaw
Address and Name: Cork on Saginaw is at 612 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: Cork on Saginaw has been a downtown favorite since 1985, serving fresh seafood, steaks, and comfort food along with a long list of affordable wines.
What to Expect: In a casual eating room, people choose from dishes like walleye, ribs, pasta, and burgers that are based on the seasons. There are also chairs on the porch for when the weather is nice.
For visitors’ information, the restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and for lunch on Sundays. We accept reservations. On the weekends, valet parking is provided.
Cork on Saginaw is a must-see restaurant in downtown Flint’s Buckham Alley. It serves farm-to-table American food. This cozy restaurant with exposed brick walls has become well-known thanks to its fresh food from local markets and Michigan food artists, which is run by Chef Florin Muntean and his wife Anca.
Their seasonal menus are full of brightly colored dishes, like their famous fried green tomato BLT on brioche and their charred octopus salad with crispy chickpeas and peach dressing, which is based on a Lebanese dish. They serve some of the best steaks in Genesee County, as well as duck confit, rack of lamb, and branzino baked in the oven. Besides à la carte meals, Cork’s kitchen also serves creative dishes through multi-course tasting sets that can be eaten all at once.
Cork offers a unique fine dining experience with top-notch service, whether you sit down at the bar for a drink or enjoy a romantic meal on the patio under the stars. The restaurant has spots in Ann Arbor and Detroit as well.
3.Flint Crepe Company
Name and Location: Flint Crepe Company is located at 635 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: Opened in 2016, Flint Crepe offers delicious sweet and savory crepes prepared fresh using high-quality ingredients with coffee drinks in a cozy, welcoming setting.
What to Expect: The menu features both classic and creative crepe options for breakfast, lunch or dessert like Nutella strawberry, chicken pesto ranch or s’mores crepes paired with specialty coffee drinks.
Visitor Information: Open daily. Counter service. Indoor and outdoor patio seating available. Cash only.
For a sweet and savory taste of France, head to Flint Crepe Company, located in the trendy Buckham Alley downtown district. Husband and wife owners Lloyd and Cecilia Turnwall opened Flint’s first creperie in 2017 after being inspired by their travels across Europe.
Made fresh to order on an open kitchen griddle, crepes can be filled either savory with ingredients like grilled chicken, ricotta and spinach, or sweet selections of mixed berries, bananas foster, and Nutella. Other menu favorites include panini sandwiches, hearty soups and salads loaded with fresh veggies. Grab a craft Michigan brew or a glass of French wine to perfectly complement your meal.
With brick walls decorated by local artists and intimate bistro tables, Flint Crepe Company invites lingering over sweet and savory crepes made just the way you like them. Their creperie also makes a perfect stop for a light lunch or pre-show dinner if you’re catching a musical performance at nearby venues like the Capitol Theatre or FIM.
4.Table & Tap
Name and Location: Table & Tap is located at 550 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502 in the Downtown Flint Farmers’ Market.
History and Significance: Opened in 2017, Table & Tap aims to support local agriculture and business by using the Flint Farmers’ Market to source sustainable ingredients cooked into approachable global fusion dishes.
What to Expect: The menu features shared plates like bruschetta, flatbreads, tacos, curries served alongside unique house cocktails, Michigan wine and beers in a lively setting.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Saturday lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. Garage parking available.
For gastropub-style fare paired with 30 beers on tap in Flint’s downtown, Table & Tap hits the spot for elevated bar food using locally sourced ingredients.
Under the innovative direction of executive chef Sarah Poupard, a Detroit native, Table & Tap has made headlines for fun twists on comfort food classics alongside contemporary cuisine executed with talent and skill. Brunch favorites like chicken and waffles or shrimp and grits satisfy weekend crowds, while dinner receives applause for dishes like their dry-aged New York striploin and confit duck leg cassoulet.
Their menu constantly evolves according to seasonality and availability from neighboring farms, dairies, orchards and Great Lakes fisheries, ensuring the freshest flavors make it onto each plate. Besides heaping plates of food, Table & Tap also entices with signature craft cocktails like the cucumber cooler and cherry old-fashioned using house-made syrups, juices, shrubs and preserves behind the bar.
5.Xolo Tacos
Name and Location: Xolo Tacos is located at 644 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: Opened in 2016, Xolo Tacos brings fast-casual authentic Mexican street tacos to downtown Flint using family recipes and fresh, quality ingredients in a quick, affordable setting.
What to Expect: The menu focuses on tacos with a variety of meat, veggie and vegan fillings, along with nachos, quesadillas and burritos. Toppings like cilantro, onions and salsas can be added.
Visitor Information: Open daily for lunch and dinner. Counter service. Indoor and outdoor patio seating offered.
For deliciously authentic Mexican street fare in Flint, locals and visitors alike flock to Xolo Tacos. Helmed by Chef Miguel, this unassuming taqueria plates up tacos exploding with the vibrant flavors of Puebla, Mexico just like you’d find stateside or across the border.
Housed in a renovated 1938 Art Deco Greyhound bus terminal, Xolo Tacos fills their house-pressed corn tortillas with everything from al pastor and carne asada to carnitas tacos paired with all the fixings. Their hips-don’t-lie garlic shrimp and huitlacoche (corn smut) funghi tacos are also menu stars.
Wash it all down with a classic margarita, Mexican Coke or cerveza as you soak in Xolo’s cool, laid back vibes. Despite prime downtown digs, prices stay wallet-friendly so you can feast on tacos without breaking the bank. Whether dining solo while perched along their counter looking into the open kitchen or sharing a long table with friends over pitchers of margaritas, Xolo Tacos brings a taste of authentic Mexico to the Flint food scene.
6.Luigi’s Restaurant
Name and Location: Luigi’s Restaurant is an Italian restaurant located at 726 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: Family-owned and operated since 1985, Luigi’s serves classic Italian-American red sauce cuisine in a casual dining room paying homage to Italy through food and decor.
What to Expect: Diners select traditional Italian dishes like lasagna, chicken parmigiana, pasta bolognese that are house-made fresh paired with an Italian-focused wine list. Gluten-free options available.
Visitor Information: Open Tuesday-Thursday for dinner, Friday-Saturday for lunch and dinner. Reservations recommended. Valet parking offered.
As Flint’s oldest restaurant celebrating over 95 years in business, Luigi’s holds the crown for serving the city’s best Italian fare since way back. Originally opened in 1927 by Luigi Ridolfi, an Italian immigrant, this Northern Italian eatery still occupies its same historic location on Harrison Street near Atwood Stadium.
Now under its fourth generation of family ownership, Luigi’s continues delighting diners with scratch-made pastas, veal osso buco that falls off the bone, breaded Sicilian steaks and surprise visits by owner Bob Ridolfi himself to ensure everyone feels like part of their giant Italian family.
Don’t miss their extensive wine list boasting over 300 imported Italian labels or Luigi’s legendary garlic cheese bread loaded with mozzarella baked in their century-old brick oven. With exposed original brick walls decorated with family memorabilia and framed 1950s era photos of stars like Frank Sinatra and Perry Como who frequented the joint, Luigi’s Old World charm instantly transports you to another era full of amazing food, hospitality and fun.
7.Crust
Name and Location: Crust serves artisan pizza and Italian food at 1020 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: Opened in 2013, Crust uses imported Italian ingredients and a stone deck pizza oven to create high-quality, authentic Neapolitan and American style pizza along with pastas, salads and subs in a sleek café.
What to Expect: In addition to specialty and custom pizzas, diners can select pasta dishes, focaccia sandwiches, desserts and a range of craft beers all made fresh in house daily using quality ingredients.
Visitor Information: Open daily for lunch and dinner. Online ordering available. Garage parking across the street.
Helmed by celebrated chef Tommy Miller whose worked in the kitchens at Thomas Keller’s Michelin-starred restaurants Per Se and The French Laundry, Crust serves some of Genesee County’s finest dining fare. Opened in Fenton at night and baking artisan breads for markets and restaurants during the day, Miller flexes his culinary prowess through rustic entrees paired with warm house-made breads.
Utilizing herbs, produce and proteins from regional farmers and food artisans, Miller plates sophisticated dishes like sous vide duck duo, sumac-seared ahi tuna and rabbit ballotine wrapped in Swiss chard. Save room for sweets like their warm beignets doused in honey or seasonal crisps baked under a flaky, buttery crust.
With an inviting farmhouse vibe thanks to repurposed wood tables, ivory linen curtains and a sky blue Victoria sofa, Crust delivers exceptional design alongside each delectable bite for a memorable night out.
8.Salsa Grille
Name and Location: Salsa Grille is located at 135 W Flint Park Blvd, Flint, MI 48505.
History and Significance: Salsa Grille opened its doors in 1998, bringing vibrant Tex-Mex flavors fused with signature salsas and glazes to create favorites like fajitas, enchiladas alongside margaritas in a stylish Mexican diner.
What to Expect: Diners can select creative appetizers, tacos, burritos and house specialties ranging from spicy to mild either to enjoy in the colorful restaurant or order to-go. Vegetarian options available.
Visitor Information: Open daily for lunch and dinner. Online ordering available. Chips and salsa automatically included.
For fresh and boldly-flavored Latin fusion cuisine in Flint, Salsa Grille hits all the right notes. Blending Caribbean and South American seasoning with local fruits, vegetables and responsibly-raised proteins from Michigan providers, owners Tony and Autumn Vasquez prepare creative share plates perfect for enjoying Flint’s warming weather on their outdoor patio.
Beyond stunning empanadas and tamales stuffed with savory or sweet fillings, dynamite dishes include weeping tiger skirt steak marinated in tamarindo, adobo rubbed chicken wings baked to crispy perfection and mango passionfruit ceviche topped with fried plantain chips. For brunch, their popular Puerto Rican eggs benedict with fried sweet plantains and chipotle hollandaise also garners oohs and aaahs.
Casual counter service by day transitions into a lively dinner destination once Salsa Grille’s bold cocktails start pouring each evening. With flavor-packed food, hospitable staff and a fun atmosphere, make sure to work Salsa Grille into your Flint itinerary.
9.La Casa de la Cobija
Name and Location: La Casa de la Cobija is located at 2009 S Ballenger Hwy, Flint, MI 48532.
History and Significance: Opened in 2002, La Casa de la Cobija is a family-run Mexican restaurant located in Flint Township serving authentic, Tex-Mex inspired cuisine in a friendly environment.
What to Expect: Diners select dishes like tacos, chimichangas, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos and fajitas either a la carte or in combinations – with a salsa bar to add extras. House-made chips included.
Visitor Information: Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. Full bar featuring specialty margaritas.
For authentic Mexican home cooking in a friendly, family-owned setting, Flint’s La Casa de la Cobija (translation “house of blankets”) dishes out specialties hailing from Puebla, Mexico paired with first-rate service.
Run by the husband and wife team of Elias and Leslie Soto who both hail from Pueblan families carrying on long culinary traditions, everything served at their cozy eatery gets made from scratch each morning using time-honored recipes.
Beyond house classics like tenderly braised goat birria, complex mole poblano and warm corn tortillas handmade just like abuelita used to make, seafood lovers swoon over shrimp al mojo de ajo roasted with lime juice, cilantro and olive oil or char-grilled octopus tentacles topped with roasted salsa.
Each weekend, La Casa also plates up classic Mexican brunch entrees like huevos rancheros, hearty chilaquiles and breakfast quesadillas loaded with eggs, cheese and guajillo sauce. For the best authentic Mexican comfort food Flint offers, served with equally authentic hospitality, La Casa promises to satisfy cravings and souls.
10.501 Bar and Grill
Name and Location: 501 Bar and Grill is located at 5016 Gateway Center Dr, Flint, MI 48507.
History and Significance: Established in 2004, 501 Bar and Grill serves as a modern American style sports bar and grill concept created just for the Metro Flint area featuring comfortable seating to watch the game and enjoy food & drinks.
What to Expect: Patrons select classic dishes like burgers, wings, nachos, salads and pizza to enjoy on dozens of HD TVs broadcasting live sports. Daily drink specials, trivia nights and karaoke too.
Visitor Information: Open daily for lunch and dinner. Made-to-order menu and carryout available. Kid’s menu and free parking on-site.
Housed in a gorgeous brick 19th century former hotel that once hosted the likes of Mark Twain, downtown Flint’s 501 Bar and Grill blends historical beauty with contemporary gastropub fare. Under the leadership of Chef Ian Strang who honed his skills at Nike World Headquarters, Disney World and Chicago’s award-winning Boka Restaurant Group, 501 impresses diners with creative takes on comfort food incorporating local, seasonal ingredients.
Weekend brunch stars like the 501 Benny loaded with savory brisket and jalapeno corn cakes or Strang’s bourbon carrot cake French toast keep hungry customers satisfied. Their stately mahogany wraparound bar pours killer craft cocktails alongside 36 beers on tap best enjoyed on 501’s sprawling patio overlooking the Flint River.
For dinner, comfort classics like pot roast poutine get kicked up a creative notch alongside more elegant plates of seared diver scallops with forbidden rice risotto and blood orange gastrique. Whether enjoying happy hour snacks with a locally brewed pint or toasting special occasions over filet mignon and crabcakes, 501 Bar and Grill combines consummate hospitality with scrumptious eats inside an iconic downtown landmark.
11.The 405 Bistro
Name of the Business: The 405 Bistro is at 405 S. Saginaw St., Flint, MI 48502.
History and Significance: The 405 Bistro opened in 2018 and offers high-end casual dining in downtown Flint. The menu focuses on easy-to-make American food made with ingredients found locally.
When you go, you can expect to find homemade meals like steak frites, salmon, sandwiches, salads, and desserts, along with craft cocktails and a long list of Michigan beers.
To the public: Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Takes reservations. You can park on the street.
The 405 Bistro has been charming customers since 2007 with its cozy, romantic atmosphere and perfectly served modern American food. It is tucked away on a historic brick side street in downtown Flint. Chef Nick Badder, who is from Detroit, makes seasonal meals with fresh, local ingredients, like pasture-raised pork osso bucco, wild mushroom risotto, and Lake Huron whitefish.
There are more than 60 wines on the list, most of them from small wineries in Michigan, California, and Oregon. Inside, the perfect place for a date night is made up of exposed brick walls and cozy booths lit by Edison lights. If the weather is nice, you can also eat outside in their cute garden, which is decorated with lights and flowers.
While weekends often book up a month in advance, weeknight reservations are easier to come by at this Flint fine dining gem. Whether you opt for wilted spinach salad, the signature lamb burger with goat cheese and cucumber mint sauce, or the always-decadent crème brûlée, you’re bound to leave happy at this charming neighborhood bistro.
Conclusion
From family-owned Italian eateries dishing up century-old recipes to James Beard chefs putting innovative twists on Midwestern cuisine, Flint’s dining scene has something to satisfy every palate. Sophisticated fare served in cozy downtown bistros and gastropubs perfectly compliment the city’s cultural revival, while authentic ethnic eateries reflect the diversity of Flint’s resilient community.
Whether grabbing tacos, crepes or Mediterranean share plates, vehicle city flavor also gets celebrated through dishes riffing on local athletic legacies. From weekend brunch comfort to white tablecloth dining, the Flint food and drink scene matches world-class talent with Midwestern hospitality, legendary traditions and local pride, ensuring memorable meals no matter where you choose to eat out across the city.