Detroit's Signature Zip Sauce Keeps Diners Coming Back to Farmington Hills Restaurant

As Italian American Heritage Month continues, a Farmington Hills restaurant is keeping alive a culinary tradition that stretches back almost nine decades. Steven Lelli's on the Green continues the legacy of the original Lelli's, which opened in Detroit in 1939 and is credited with creating the city's well-known zip sauce.

Owner Ari Zarkin said the restaurant still draws guests from across the region who come looking for the signature sauce and a classic Italian dining experience. He was clear about where the sauce came from. "The original Lelli's started back in 1939," Zarkin said. "Lelli's actually invented zip sauce."

The restaurant sits along a golf course and offers private event space, but its link to Detroit's food history remains a major attraction. The dining room also pays tribute to Frank Sinatra, who once dined at the original Lelli's. A photograph of the legendary singer's visit is still on display.

Guests appear to value more than the history. Server Sandy Tenenbaum said customers enjoy both the food and the hospitality. "Service is excellent," Tenenbaum said. "You can't beat it."

In the kitchen, Executive Chef John Somerville highlighted several menu favorites, including chicken marsala, pasta dishes and the restaurant's rack of lamb Genghis Khan.

Somerville said zip sauce is still a staple of Detroit Italian cooking and is commonly served alongside the restaurant's filet mignon offerings. "Zip sauce is a foundational favorite in Detroit Italian cuisine created in 1939," he said.

Zarkin described the sauce as a distinctly local creation and a point of pride for the city. "It's a Detroit thing," he said. "It originated here with Lelli's in Detroit. It's Detroit's contribution to the culinary world."

Steven Lelli's on the Green is located at 27925 Golf Pointe Blvd. in Farmington Hills.