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Photo courtesy of Basement Burger Bar
Metro Detroit is no stranger to bold flavors, over-the-top portions, and restaurants that love to test just how hungry their guests really are. For those who enjoy turning a meal into a full-on spectacle, eating contests and food challenges offer equal parts bragging rights and entertainment. From towering burgers and massive pizzas to ice cream feats that push dessert lovers to their limits, these spots invite diners to step up and see if they can handle the challenge.
BASEMENT BURGER BAR BEAST IN THE BASEMENT CHALLENGE
33316 Grand River Avenue, Farmington
42452 Ford Road, Canton
1326 Brush Street, Detroit
Basement Burger Bar raises the stakes with a burger challenge designed for serious eaters only. The Beast in the Basement challenge includes a three-pound cheeseburger stacked with 12 patties, 12 slices of cheese, and 12 strips of bacon, paired with two pounds of beer-battered fries smothered in melted cheese and a 30-ounce milkshake. All of it must be finished within 25 minutes with no help and no breaks. Outside of the challenge, Basement Burger Bar is known for its build-your-own approach, offering customizable burgers, shakes, and salads alongside sliders, signature burgers, fried pickles, loaded fries, and mac and cheese bites. As marketing manager, Bridget puts it, “Burgers made to order, the way you want it, the way you like it.”
MILKHOUSE CAFE PIG PEN ICE CREAM CHALLENGE
4189 Keewahdin Road, Fort Gratiot Township
Milkhouse Cafe turns dessert into a serious endurance test with its Pig Pen Ice Cream Challenge. This massive creation includes eight scoops of ice cream topped with eight toppings, two bananas, chocolate brownies, whipped cream, crushed nuts or candy, and eight cherries. Anyone who manages to finish the entire platter earns a t-shirt and a bit of social media recognition. Outside of the challenge, Milkhouse Cafe is known for specialty sundaes, coolers and floats, custard parfaits, and weekly treats like ice cream tacos served in homemade waffle shells on Tuesdays.
MOMMA’S DESSERT BAR BIG MOMMA CHALLENGE
56752 Van Dyke Avenue, Shelby Township
Momma’s Dessert Bar takes things even further with the Big Momma Challenge, a towering ice cream feat that dares solo diners to finish 15 scoops of ice cream topped with caramel, hot fudge, chocolate syrup, cherries, and three additional toppings in just 15 minutes. Those who succeed earn the dessert for free, along with serious bragging rights. The dessert bar is also a go-to for indulgent treats like stacked banana splits, ice cream sandwiches, hot fudge cream puffs, and desserts built with house-made brownies, shortbread, candied pecans, and biscotti.
VIZZY’S PIZZA VIZZ-A-NATER CHALLENGE
35925 Ford Road, Westland
Vizzy’s Pizza is home to one of the most infamous pizza challenges in the area, the Vizz-A-Nater. This approximately seven-pound, multi-layered pizza starts with mozzarella and sauce but can be customized with unlimited toppings, including classic meats, vegetables, and premium add-ons like meatballs or steak. Contestants must be at least 18, schedule in advance, and finish the entire pizza in under 45 minutes by themselves to win their money back, an exclusive t-shirt, a place on the wall of fame, and social media shoutouts. Vizzy’s regular menu also features a wide range of specialty pizzas, subs, calzones, wings, pasta, and sides.
QUE PASA TAQUERIA TACO CHALLENGE
33874 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights
221 East 12 Mile Road, Royal Oak
Que Pasa Taqueria puts taco lovers to the test with a fast-paced Taco Challenge that dares diners to eat 14 double-wrapped, stuffed street tacos in just 10 minutes. Winners get a social media shoutout, their name on Que Pasa Taqueria’s championship belt, and a shirt to wear with pride. The challenge highlights the bold flavors the taqueria is known for, from birria-dipped red tacos to carne asada fries and super nachos. The menu also includes breakfast burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and creative mashups like a birria pizzadilla that blends tacos and Mexican pizza into one indulgent dish.
BIG KEN’S BAR-B-Q BIG KEN’S FOOD CHALLENGE
21000 Gratiot Avenue, Eastpointe
Big Ken’s Bar-B-Q offers one of the most intense challenges on the list by asking participants to eat one of everything on their menu in 30 minutes. The $100 entry must be scheduled in advance, and contestants must finish without sharing or leaving the table. Winners earn their entry fee back, an additional $100 cash, a Big Ken’s t-shirt, and a spot on the wall of fame. The menu spans smoked wings, pulled pork, rib tips, slabs of ribs, burgers, classic sides, and desserts like peach cobbler and cheesecake, making this challenge as much about variety as it is volume.
Whether you are chasing free food, a t-shirt, or lifelong bragging rights, Metro Detroit’s eating contests and food challenges offer unforgettable experiences for adventurous appetites. These over-the-top meals turn dining into a competition, proving that sometimes the most memorable bites come with a timer and a crowd cheering you on.
This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on August 30, 2022, and was authored by Katie Goncalves.
