In 1920, Clawson was incorporated as a village. In 1940, the Oakland County suburb north of Detroit officially became a city, but more than a century later, the town has maintained its small-town village charm. Just 2.2 square miles, Clawson is home to a tightknit community. When it comes to its culinary scene, diners become regulars and regulars become like family.
In recent years, Clawson’s dining offerings have become more robust, with restaurateurs looking to the small city as an alternative to more saturated markets in Detroit and nearby Royal Oak and Birmingham. These establishments have quickly earned national acclaim. In 2024, chef Hajime Sato, former owner of Clawson Japanese restaurant Sozai, took home a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes, and after being named No. 2 on the Free Press list of Top 10 New Restaurants and Dining experiences, Korean gastropub Noori Pocha was recognized by the New York Times as one of America’s Best Restaurants of 2024. Sozai closed its doors this spring, but leaves behind an impactful legacy on the Clawson community and metro Detroit’s culinary scene at large.
The city’s new restaurants join a long line of establishments that came before them and have decades of staying power. In this month’s installment of Neighborhood Flavors, we round up eight eateries contributing to Clawson’s culinary landscape, from the oldies to the newbies.
Biscuits and Gravy
Biscuits and Gravy offers a world beyond what its name suggests. Sure, there are doughy, scratch-made biscuits buried in sausage-laden gravy, but there’s also a host of other breakfast and brunch staples. The one commonality across the menu is comfort. Think cast iron skillets of cheese grits topped with a Cajun shrimp and Andouille sausage gumbo; red velvet pancakes scribbled with cream cheese frosting and coconut cream-stuffed French toast. Bring your appetite to this small spot with a mighty menu.
331 N. Main St., Clawson. 248-291-5071; biscuitsandgravyclawson.com
Noble Village
What started in the 1980s as Noble Fish, a Japanese grocery store and later, one of the most sought-after sushi restaurants in the Detroit area, has evolved to become a one-stop-shop for Japanese cuisine. Today, the market and restaurant, with the addition of White Wolf Patisserie, have been consolidated under one roof to create Noble Village, where visitors can purchase Japanese produce and pantry items, tuna temaki and chubby steamed dumplings and a host of baked goods from milk breads to tart slices of yuzu cheesecake.
45 E. 14 Mile Rd., Clawson. 248-585-2314; noblefish.com
Noori Pocha
By day, Noori Chicken slings some of the crispiest, sweet-savory Korean fried chicken in town. After 5 p.m., Noori Pocha, the adjacent gastropub, comes to life. Under neon lights, that same Korean fried chicken is served on platters alongside bulgogi, shrimp pancakes and kimchi fried rice. The space, which is flowing with soju and Korean beers, is modeled after the busy streets of Seoul, South Korea, with a screen projecting the cityscape and a dividing wall designed to look like a newsstand.
1 S Main St., Clawson. 248-850-7131; nooripocha.com
Stacks and Cordials
A little over a decade ago, Stacks and Cordials opened its first location on Maple Road in Clawson. Now, diners can enjoy the takeout joint’s signature sandwiches in Royal Oak, Taylor, Belleville, or the original location where it all started. Here, sandwiches are done differently. Try a stack, where sandwich contents like corned beef, lettuce, tomato and onions are baked with the bread dough, creating something like a sandwich turnover. Or, go for a cordial, which layers meats, cheese, lettuce and tomato between cheesy bread. Outside of the sandwich menu, you can also opt for crispy fried chicken, pizza or salads.
1365 W. Maple Rd., Clawson. 248-439-0330; stacksncordials.com
Tavern on the Main
Every town needs a casual, family-friendly place where you can grab a great burger and an affordable drink. Tavern on the Main is exactly that for Clawson residents. The place is no-frills down to the menu, which includes all of the classics with glimmers of global flavors — fried calamari with a Thai chili sauce, tacos and a Greek burger topped with feta, cucumber and olives. There are also items that are unapologetically Michigan, like the beloved Maurice salad, a Michigan salad with fresh berries, blue cheese and walnuts and a Dinty Moore burger topped with corned beef and coleslaw.
235 S Main St., Clawson. 248-588-1696; tomclawson.com
Three Cats
If you’ve ever worked up an appetite while shopping, you wouldn’t be alone. Conveniently, the boutique Leon and Lulu delivers an upscale restaurant with reservations available for brunch, lunch and dinner on-site. Three Cats offers buttery brioche French toast coated in Corn Flakes and deep-fried, a grilled cheese sandwich made with sharp white cheddar, brie, shallots and white wine served on toasted sourdough; and risotto made with poached Asian pears. To drink, there are a number of craft cocktails, including the Badlands, an herbaceous blend of tequila, aloe liqueur, sunchoke and honey liqueur, basil-infused simple syrup, lime juice and celery bitters.
116 W 14 Mile Rd., Clawson. 248-288-4858; threecatscafe.com
Weiss Distilling Co.
For one of the area’s smallest towns, Clawson is home to a small bar with big ambitions. There’s a lot to praise about Weiss Distilling Co. — and most of it happens behind the scenes. A state-of-the-art ice machine freezes water into 25-pound blocks, which the Weiss team hand-cuts for each craft cocktail. Behind the bar, there’s a microdistillery, where each spirit is made, then poured and labeled by hand. You can purchase those bottles at the entry shop before stepping through an elevator and into the Weiss speakeasy, which will look different according to the season of your visit. If you stop in during October, expect the feel of a haunted house with skulls hanging from the ceiling and a digitized spellbook above the bar. There are also spooky drinks like the Wake the Dead, Weiss’ take on an espresso martini, made with vodka, espresso and warm spices. If you go closer to the holidays, look out for Weiss on Ice, which has been described by the distillery as a winter wonderland.
4 E 14 Mile Rd., Clawson. 929-484-3932; thewdc.com
Woodpile BBQ Shack
December 2025 will mark a decade since owners Scott Moloney and Zac Idzikowski reimagined a former A&W into a barbecue joint, using pure wood to smoke all of its meats. Diners can order tender beef brisket, pulled pork or chicken, addictive burnt ends and a rack of St. Louis-style ribs, among other barbecue staples. Complement that with sweet cornbread, greens or the shack’s popular barbecue mac and cheese with pulled pork.
303 S Main St., Clawson. 248-565-8149; woodpilebbqshack.com
Contact Detroit Free Press Dining and Restaurant Critic Lyndsay C. Green at: LCGreen@freepress.com. Follow @LadyLuff on Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for extras and insider scoops on Detroit-area dining.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 8 places to eat and drink in Clawson, Michigan: Neighborhood Flavor
Reporting by Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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