We are nearing the end of the Detroit Free Press/Chevy Detroit Top 10 Takeover dining series.
Earlier this year, the Detroit Free Press and Chevy Detroit unveiled the 2026 Restaurant of the Year, Restaurant of the Year Classic and the 10 Best New Restaurants and Dining Experiences in metro Detroit.
Since then, Top 10 Takeover events have taken diners to 10 of the honored restaurants. The Detroit Free Press/Chevy Detroit Top 10 Takeover dinner series is in its 12th year and offers guests a chance to experience a curated selection of dishes at the restaurants recognized each year.
Each dining event is an exclusive and personal interaction at the establishment. Typically, the experiences take place as a private event and, at times, when the restaurant is closed.
The next stop in the Top 10 Takeover series bring diners to Ariana Afghan Restaurant’s Dearborn location. A first-of-its-kind establishment in Dearborn, Ariana Afghan Restaurant landed at No. 9 on the 2026 Detroit Free Press/Chevy Detroit Top 10 New Restaurants & Dining Experiences list. The restaurant was lauded not only for its Afghan dishes but also for dishes influenced by nearby lands. These include street foods like pakora and sambosa, which have Persian roots but are most associated with Indian cuisine.
“Ariana was brought to Michigan for the Afghan community, but its history is a conjunction of time, place and flavor,” wrote Lyndsay c. Green, the Free Press’ dining critic.
For this Top 10 Takeover dinner, the menu will be a buffet-style and feature regular and vegetarian options.
When is the Top 10 Takeover dinner at Ariana Afghan Restaurant?
When: Thursday, Aug. 20
Where: 14456 Michigan Ave., Dearborn
Seating times: 5 and 7 p.m.
How to get tickets
Starting Thursday, July 30, Detroit Free Press subscribers get early access to ticket sales for the event. Subscribers should check their email at noon on Thursday for a link to ticket sales.
Tickets for the general public go on sale at noon Friday, July 31, at freep.com/top10. General ticket sales take place every other Friday. Detroit Free Press subscribers receive early access to purchase tickets.For each dinner event in the series, Chevy Detroit offers two tickets to one winner. Enter the contest at chevydetroit.com/top10.
Tickets for this event are $42.99 per person, which includes tax, gratuity, and a $3 donation to Keep Growing Detroit.
Menu for Top 10 Takeover dinner at Ariana Afghan Restaurant
Appetizer
Pakora: Fried fritters made with seasoned chickpea batter and fresh vegetables
Sambosa: Crips triangular pastries filled with spiced potatoes and vegetables, served with chutney
Meat entrees
Qabuli Palaw: Fluffy Afghan rice served over tender lamb shank and topped with Afghan raisins and julienned carrots
Chicken kabob: Chicken marinated in authentic Afghan spices and grilled
Shami kabob: Ground beef mixed with Ariana Afghan homemade spices and grilled, served with rice, bread, and salad
Mantu: Steamed dumplings filled with seasoned ground beef and cabbage, topped with split peas, yogurt sauce, tomato sauce, and garnished with mint
Veggie entrees
Borani: Sliced eggplant with tomatoes and yogurt sauce, served with bread
Sabzi Chalaw: Spinach cooked with herbs and spices, served with seasoned rice or Afghan bread
Lubia Palaw: Slow-cooked red beans in a savory tomato and herb sauce, served with rice or bread and salad
Chalaw: Afghan white rice dish made with extra-long grain sella rice
Desserts
Firni: Creamy Afghan milk pudding flavored with cardamom and topped with pistachios
Rice pudding: Creamy and tender rice flavored with cardamom and rose water and garnished with chopped nuts
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tickets on sale for the Top 10 Takeover dinner at Ariana Afghan
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
