Savor the Flavor: Here Are The 9 Best Plymouth, MI Restaurants [2024]

01 // Nico & Vali Italian Eatery

If you weren't aware, I am of Italian descent so I naturally flock to Italian cuisine whenever I dine out. When I wrote my article on the best restaurants in the neighboring metro Detroit town of Canton, the first restaurant I listed in that article was... Italian.

To commence the list on the best Plymouth, MI restaurants, we have a posh and intimate Italian restaurant that may be easy to overlook! Located near the intersection of Wing Street and Main Street is Nico & Vali Italian Eatery.

The most recent time I patroned Nico & Vali, I ordered stracciatella (pronounced like 'stretch-uh-tell-uh') and the goat cheese ravioli.

In many restaurants, I rarely give accolades to soups and/or salad served before the entrée, however, I could have seriously eaten a whole cauldron of Nico & Vali's stracciatella! The soup is a lush creamy orchestra of flavor.

The goat cheese ravioli teleported my taste buds to a Mediterranean farm.

Even during the cooler months of the year, Nico & Vali has a covered and heated patio area. The restaurant also hosts live musical performances, usually played by singer-songwriters.

The owner, Paul, is very friendly. Really, the whole family who owns and works at the restaurant are all very kind people.

Address: 744 Wing St, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: M - closed, T & W 4pm-9pm, Th 11am-9pm, F & S 11am-10pm, Su 4pm-9pm

02 // Pakwaan

Aside from Italian food, I am also a huge fan of Indian food! I honestly feel I could some form of pasta and Indian food nearly every day.

Pakwaan-- downtown Plymouth's first and only Indian restaurant was started by people who formerly worked at one of the top rated Indian restaurants in Ann Arbor.

My favorite thing to eat at Pakwaan is like an introductory dish to Indian cuisine-- the chicken tikka masala with a "medium plus" spice level. The dish automatically comes with a side of white rice. Additionally, I always order a side of garlic naan.

The serving sizes are small yet filling. I have rarely ever taken leftovers home from this place.

If you want to eat Indian food how it's consumed in India, you don't use silverware. Instead, everything is scooped up with the naan. Naan is a fluffy bread. I suggest the garlic naan-- the garlic dances elegantly with the spices typically present in Indian cuisine.

Prior to the lockdowns, Pakwaan before 3pm would serve the food buffet style. However, as of June 2023, the restaurant has yet to resume the buffet. All of the food is ordered individually.

Last, for those who may not be familiar with the culture, it is normal for Indian restaurants to close for a couple hours during the day. Everyday Pakwaan is open, they are closed from the hours of 3pm-5pm.

Address: 447 Forest Ave, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: Tues-Sun 11am-3pm, 5pm-10pm

03 // Zack's of Plymouth

It's funny that for many of these restaurants, I'm writing down the restaurant's full business name. I've never heard once heard anyone call this next place 'Zacks of Plymouth'. Colloquially, it's just... Zack's!

Of all the restaurants on this list, I've been to Zack's by far the most. I have countless memories from high school and college eating here.

Zack's is a special attraction in downtown Plymouth. In fact, it was one of the items I suggested for people to go to when they visit the area! The reason being: it's open 24/7.

No other restaurant on this list has those hours. If you're a nightowl like me, then Zack's is a place you must visit!

The food on the menu is mostly what you'd expect from a standard American diner. However, the restaurant does serve some Greek dishes, like a chicken gyro platter and spinach pie. You can even find lasagna and ravioli on the menu, as well as seafood options, like rainbow trout and catfish.

When I'm in the mood for breakfast food, I order their chocolate chip pancakes. Otherwise, I enjoy their "big john", which is a two beef patty cheeseburger with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and bacon. Another menu item I recommend are their "awesome fries"-- fries with melted cheese, bacon bits, and ranch.

Address: 9468 Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: 24/7 (with some exceptions on certain holidays)

04 // Compari's

Compari's is a restaurant with a premier location. It is located smack in the middle of downtown Plymouth, across the street from Kellogg Park. It's a place you can't miss.

Even though I already have an Italian restaurant on this list, I feel leaving Compari's off a list of best downtown Plymouth restaurants would be amiss. Again-- not only because of where it's located, but also the quality of its food.

My favorite dish to order is one of the pricier items on the menu: the seafood ravioli.

One advantage a customer could argue that Compari's has over Nico & Vali is there are far more items on the menu. However, I must say a sizable portion of the food Compari's serves is more "Americanized" and that Nico & Vali's menu feels more authentic.

Compari's offers outdoor seating so you'll have a wide view of Main Street and Kellogg Park as you dine and converse with family and friends. Pedestrians will constantly walk past you which, for some, can be invigorating and encapsulates a holistic 'downtown' vibe that I personally adore so much.

Address: 350 S Main St, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: 24/7 M-W 11am-9pm, Th 11am-10pm, F-S 11am-11pm, Su 2pm-9pm

05 // Pizza E Vino

In its name, this restaurant is nothing but transparent in telling you what it specializes in: pizza and wine.

Just like I admired Nico & Vali for their authencity, Pizza e Vino deserves praise as well when it comes to legitimacy. Drawing inspiration from the pizza you'd find on a street in Naples, the restaurant imports "highly refined organic Caputo wheat flour" from southern Italy, as well as Mediterranean sea salt and water. Source.

Additionally, every one of their pizzas is prepared in a hand-built oven composed of clay bricks from Mount Vesuvius and "Biscotto di Sorrento" stone. How lucky are we to have a real Naples experience without having to get out our passports in downtown Plymouth!

My favorite pizza I've ordered thus far is the "Tartufo e Prosciutto"-- made up masterfully of prosciutto di parma, white truffle oil, portobello mushrooms, fresh Basil, and fior di latte mozzarella. For dessert, their chocolate truffle gelato is divine.

For beverages, obviously there is a vast selection of Italian wine. Beer drinkers can go for Peroni. Those who don't want alcohol can order San Pellegrino-- an Italian brand of sparkling water.

Address: 849 Penniman, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: Su 4pm-9pm, M closed, T-Th 5pm-10pm, F & S 4pm-10pm

06 // Sean O'Callaghan's Public House

I came here for St. Patrick's Day briefly this year and, wow, it was PACKED and yet-- so. much. fun!

Just like how Pakwaan is the only Indian restaurant in downtown Plymouth, Sean O'Callaghan's is the only Irish public house in the area.

I adore their shepherd's pie with the option to add cheese. It has the enticing aroma, tender texture, and heartwarming taste as if an old Irish grandma lovingly prepared it for you.

With a variety of other traditional Irish dishes and a plethora of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch to select from, Sean O'Callaghan's is an establishment you'll find yourself visiting more than once! Some nights, just for a drink, and others, for a filling and satisfying meal.

Also, similar to how Nico & Vali has live music on certain days, so does Sean O'Callaghan's! The performances are not just limited to solo artists-- full bands perform here as well. If I ever formed another band, I'd want to do a gig here!

Address: 821 Penniman, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: Su - W 11am-11pm (kitchen until 9pm), Th 11am-12pm (kitchen until 10pm), F-S 11am-1am (kitchen until 10pm)

07 // Hermann's Olde Town Grille

Barhopping is a fun and popular nighttime activity in downtown Plymouth, as most of the bars are easily walking distance from one another. In fact, this sounds like another downtown Plymouth article idea for the future!

Just like Sean O'Callaghan's, Hermann's is a bar with exceptional food.

The food served at Hermann's is what you'd expect from a bar: burgers, pizza, sandwiches, and wraps. Anything I've ordered from this bar has been fantastic.

Address: 195 W. Liberty St, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: M-W 11am-1am, Th-S 11am-2am, Su Closed

08 // AQUA Fine Dining

The last two restaurants on this list have something in common: time.

What do I mean by 'time'? One restaurants looks as if it's from the future and the other looks as if it's from the past.

AQUA sports a swanky, futuristic aesthetic. It was a fun surprise to me, as I was not expecting that a seafood restaurant would select this type of decor. My favorite area of the restaurant has to be the bar area, where the liquor shelves are backlit by a really cool purple light.

Last time I patroned this restaurant, I ordered the crab & cremini mushroom linguine. As with many 'fine dining' establishments, the food is as much as an artwork as it is a dish to consume.

Of all the restaurants in this place, AQUA is the most expensive.

Address: 413 N. Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: 4pm-10pm

09 // The Ebenezer

As I mentioned in the previous entry about AQUA, whereas AQUA has a futuristic vibe, The Ebenezer resembles a speakeasy from the 1920's.

This bar is such a unique spot in downtown Plymouth that it was even listed in my article on things to do in the area.

In the back of the bar, there is a room where customers can pay The Ebenezer to keep expensive and rare bottles of liquor locked up for them.

My favorite food item on the menu is actually a simple dessert: their chocolate lava cake. Ever order the chocolate lava cakes from Domino's? Aren't those the best!? At The Ebenezer, their chocolate lava cake is very similar to that, except it's larger and is topped with blueberries.

As for drinks, I'm fond of their espresso martini, which tastes like if you ordered an espresso from Starbucks and added liquor, as well as their 'Hemingway'.

Address: 305 Fleet St, Plymouth, MI 48170
Hours: T-Th 4pm-12am, F-S 4pm-2am, Su-M closed

Conclusion

Overall, the dining scene in downtown Plymouth is top notch. Just because a restaurant did not make my list does not mean I think it's bad. In fact, I can't think of a single restaurant in the area I didn't like.

I chose these nine restaurants because they made the biggest impressions on me and, thus, inspired me to visit them multiple times.

Thank you for consulting my list on the 9 best Plymouth, MI restaurants!


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