GreenSpace Café

Only in Ferndale would the trendiest vegan restaurant in the metro be opened by a cardiologist. GreenSpace Café is Dr. Joel Kahn’s plant-based passion project — he built it in 2015 with his son Daniel in a gutted downtown space on Nine Mile, complete with a kitchen designed for oil-free gourmet cooking and, pointedly, no fryers. The result is fully plant-based food that’s out to prove how good “good for you” can taste, plus a full bar and raw juice for anyone who still needs convincing.

It’s a proper sit-down room — well over a hundred seats, a patio when the weather turns, exposed brick they uncovered during the build. Whether you’re vegan, vegan-curious, or just the designated healthy-eating friend, it’s earned a spot on our list.