The Whitney

Detroit’s late-19th-century heyday is on display in this pink granite, 52-room mansion, originally built in 1894 for lumber baron David Whitney. The building has been home to a fine dining restaurant for years, but in 2007 it got a new owner and a menu that stays fresh because selections change daily. The focus is on American cooking with a light touch, featuring premium chops of meat and organically grown veggies. Regardless of where diners eat—tables are set on three different floors—the surroundings are almost laughably ornate, with wide, hand-carved oak staircases, abundant tapestries, and Tiffany stained-glass windows.