Detroit restaurant named on "best" list in New York Times
(CBS DETROIT) - A Detroit restaurant is the lone Michigan location featured on a New York times "Best" list.
Freya, located in the Milwaukee Junction neighborhood of Detroit is featured on the "50 places in America we're most excited about right now" restaurant list.
"I look forward to when there's more representation from Detroit, says Sandy Levine, co-owner of Freya. He says the city's restaurant scene has been gaining a lot steam over recent years.
Freya opened in 2021. Levine and his business partner bought the building in 2019 and says the North End is rich in history and they wanted to be a part of that.
"We're a huge fan of the North End with, you know, the history and there are several artists and just really inspiring people both currently and you know, throughout the last several decades," says Levine.
Freya chef de cuisine, Phoebe Zimmerman says while the recognition is nice, she looks to impress her team in the kitchen, saying it's what brings the best out them.
"There is like an essence of safety, belonging and dignity when it comes to having like a team or a family in a restaurant," says Zimmerman. She says she started cooking in her late teens. At the time, she was a vegan, so she had to cook a lot for herself to accommodate.
Zimmerman says that slowly began to snowball into a love for cooking which was fitting because she always loved food. She says she bounced around a handful of restaurants before coming to Freya and saw food as a way to express herself, She says playing sports growing up is what helped become a team player in the kitchen
"Something that you think is really good. I think everybody kind of takes it, looks at it, has a say. It really makes something that was good or great, exceptional. We work really hard for each and we are being recognized for that right now," says Zimmerman.
"Truthfully, I feel like there are a lot of world class restaurants in this city and it's certainly an honor to be the one that they named for this piece. But, you know, I feel like there are a lot of other great places," Levine concluded.
