It's been a tough year for the restaurant industry — when there's a global pandemic just when the weather's warming up, it tends to put a damper on a restaurant's finances. To open a new restaurant, it takes years of building and planning and while some may have delayed, these restaurants have braved the current landscape and gone ahead with their projects anyway. Some may have had the unfortunate luck of opening just before the pandemic. Some have opened with social distancing guidelines. And others plan on opening in the coming weeks and months. No matter the circumstances, they all could use our business and we'd recommend trying each and every one of these new restaurants around town.
65 new restaurants that opened in the Detroit area so far this year
By Metro Times editorial staff on Thu, Aug 20, 2020 at 4:04 pm
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Bunny Bunny
1454 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313-974-6122; bunnybunnydetroit.comCute Chinese food gets a cute name with chefs Justin Tootla and Jennifer Jackson at the helm. Bunny Bunny opened in Eastern Market in October, sharing space with beer bar Cøllect. The menu, which includes items like Chengdu hot noodles, beef and leek dumplings, Gung Bao tofu, and cumin lamb, spans inspired flavors from Sichuan Province, Hunan, and other Chinese regions.
Photo via @BunnyBunnyDetroit/Instagram
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East Eats
1018 Navahoe St., Detroit; easteats.usIt’s no secret that tiny things are just cuter than non-tiny things. Kittens? Cute. Hamsters eating tiny tacos? Very cute. A brand spanking new restaurant composed of tiny geodesic domes for intimate and COVID-friendly dining? The cutest! East Eats opened in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers area with a “vegan forward” menu featuring tacos and bao, as well as soups and desserts. The space is made up of 10 domes that fit eight guests each, and each reservation allows stays of two hours. Though East Eats doesn't offer alcohol, you’re welcome to bring your own for a corking fee and the staff will provide cups, mixers, and juices upon request.
Photo via East Eats/Facebook
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Olin Bar & Kitchen
25 E. Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-774-1190; olindetroit.comIn September, restaurateur Holly McClain debuted her latest offering via downtown Detroit’s American brasserie, Olin Bar & Kitchen, which offers Mediterranean-influenced small plates and thoughtfully curated entrees. They also have a brunch menu that features items like Challah French toast topped with chantilly cream and apples, maple glazed pork belly, savory goat cheesecake bites, and a short rib burger.
Photo via Olin Bar & Kitchen/Facebook
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Twist
Parker's Alley, behind the Shinola HotelAs of November, Twist is serving soft pretzels out of a walk-up window in Parker's Alley behind Detroit's Shinola Hotel. The spot is the latest from restaurateur Holly McClain of nearby Olin Bar & Kitchen. The menu features warm, soft pretzels with varieties like sea salt and cinnamon and sugar, and come with dipping sauces like grain mustard, beer cheese, sesame peanut, and veggie cream cheese. The spot is also selling cocktails-to-go, another pandemic innovation, that come in a pouch à la Capri Sun.
Photo courtesy of Twist
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Green Beat
1219 Brush St., Detroit; 313-964-0007; greenbeatdetroit.comDetroit’s newest cafe, Green Beat, focuses on plant-based and gluten free-friendly dishes made from responsibly sourced meat and seafood. Some menu highlights include cheesy baked cauliflower, taco salad, Y.L.T., made with yams and sunflower seed mayo, corned beet reuben, a Mediterranean burger, and Detroit-style coney dogs made from carrots. They also offer meal kits to go.
Photo via Green Beat/Facebook
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Sidecar Slider Bar, Shift, Slice Pizza Kitchen
117 Willits St., Birmingham; sidecarsliderbar.com/birmingham, shift-birmingham.business.site, and slicepizzakitchen.comIndecisive minds will love this restaurant concept in Birmingham which puts three restaurants under one roof. Sidecar Slider Bar specializes in gourmet sliders and shareables; Shift serves as the space’s romantic cocktail lounge offering with small plates and an extensive wine-by-the glass list; Slice Pizza Kitchen, which serves gourmet pizza and subs.
Photo via Sidecar Birmingham/Facebook
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Sabbath Coffee Roasters
24 E. 14 Mile Rd., Clawson; 309-722-2284; sabbathcoffeeroasters.comSome people like their coffee black. Clawson's Sabbath Coffee Roasters is taking the idea really far: the new spot opened on Halloween. The store is the brainchild of husband and wife duo Trevor and Miranda Graham, who met over coffee in 2012. The two are such coffee freaks that they began planning family vacations around must-see coffee shops, according to a press release. The new store occupies an 800-square-foot storefront designed by Grand Rapids-based Megan Weidman. In addition to coffee, the spot serves up cider and slushies. It also features pastries from Cannelle by Matt Knio and dairy from Guernsey Farms.
Photo courtesy of Sabbath Coffee Roasters
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Bao Boys
1928 Packard St., Ann Arbor;734-802-1811; facebook.com/baoboysaaFrom Los Angeles to Ann Arbor, Steven Choi and Brian Kim opened a bao bun-focused food truck in July. The truck offers a curated selection of bao buns, fried rice, and something called a Don Belly, which features Chashu pork belly, Japanese-style poached egg, dashi broth, and white rice.
Photo via Bao Boys/Facebook
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Cucina Lab Torino
3960 Crooks Rd. Ste. 200, Troy; 248-525-9098; cucina-lab.comNo set menu? No problem. Cucina Lab Torino in Troy opened this year with Italian chef and caterer Elisabetta Balzola, who moved from Italy with her family to bring eclectic Italian fare to metro Detroit. The restaurant prides itself on using local, fresh, and organic produce and meats, as well as importing Italian ingredients.
Photo via Cucina Lab Torino/Facebook
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Campestre Chicken
3419 Fort St., Lincoln Park; 313-914-7522; campestrelp.comMelvin Gamez Sr. and Jr. brought El Salvadorean, Peruvian, and Mexican-inspired charcoal-roasted rotisserie chicken to downriver. In addition to chicken, Campestre offers pupusas, subs, and burritos.
Photo via Campestre Chicken/Facebook
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Chapala
211 N. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-996-1456; getchapala.comCasual Mexican eatery Chapala, which opened in Ann Arbor during the summer with lunch and dinner specials, offers familiar dishes with Latin-inspired flavors and festive drinks.
Photo via Chapala/Facebook
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Midnight Temple
2466 Riopelle St., Detroit; 734-558-5649; midnighttemple.comAn Indian gastropub launched patio seating on weekends and take-out/delivery during the week out of Eastern Market. Midnight Temple offers a family-style menu with traditional Indian, Philippinian, and American fare made with contemporary fusion techniques. Eventually, it will open its doors above Detroit City Distillery.
Photo via Midnight Temple/Facebook
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Coriander Kitchen & Farm
14601 Riverside Blvd., Detroit; 313-473-9132; corianderkitchenandfarm.comIt’s been a longtime coming for chef Alison Heeres and farmer Gwen Meyer of Coriander Kitchen & Farm, who have been operating a farm-to-table pop-up and catering businesses. In June, the pair ran a food trailer in a previously vacant marina, though they have since closed until the fall to focus on completing their interior. The menu includes items like breakfast sandwiches, buttermilk pancakes, cheeseburgers made with grass-fed Michigan beef, and grilled items Halloumi, sriracha wings, jerk tofu, and seasonal veggie skewers.
Photo via Coriander Detroit/Facebook
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Mad Crab
13351 W. 10 Mile Rd., Oak Park; 248-965-2120; madcraboakparkmi.comSeafood boil places are cropping up all over metro Detroit like, well, mad crabs, which is exactly what Mad Crab is all about. Opened in September, Oak Park’s Mad Crab invites seafood lovers to combine their choice of seafood (lobster, snow crab, mussels, shrimp, crawfish, and more) with Cajun spices, garlic butter, and lemon pepper.
Photo via Mad Crab/Facebook
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Spun Sugar Detroit
10630 Rushton Rd. #6, South Lyon; 248-506-7265; spunsugardetroit.comWilly Wonka who? At Spun Sugar Detroit — which is not in Detroit — you can live out your childhood dreams and your adult nightmare of having to go to the dentist. Specializing in cotton candy made from organic sugar and plant based dyes, Spun Sugar Detroit offers an array of unique flavors like coconut curry, amaretto cappuccino, cherry cola, Rock 'n' Rye, S'mores, and honey lavender.
Photo via Spun Sugar Detroit/Facebook
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BahDah Sushi
32832 N. Woodward Ave., Royal Oak; 248-556-5444bahdahsushi.comCasual Japanese and Korean restaurant BahDah Sushi opened in March just before things went to shit. But they’ve managed to stay open at their Royal Oak location, formerly occupied by another sushi spot, with a robust menu offering noodle and rice dishes, as well as sushi. Lots of sushi.
Photo via BahDah Sushi/Facebook
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Bea’s
1533 Winder, Detroit; 313-919-0590; beasdetroit.comPart co-working space, part event rental, and part cafe, Bea’s joined Eastern Market’s tapestry of businesses in May. In terms of the cafe offerings, Bea’s has a selection of iced and hot coffee drinks, as well as scones, muffins, and other baked goods. They also offer some special items like The Winder Street, which is a shaken espresso drink, or a caprese scone.
Photo via Bea’s Detroit/Facebook
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Michigan & Trumbull
1441 W. Elizabeth St., Detroit; 313-637-4992; michigantrumbullpizza.comDetroit-style pizza and its square, deep-dish charm continues to rise in popularity across the country. As part of that movement, a new Detroit-style pizzeria opened in Corktown on Wednesday. Michigan & Trumbull is run by married duo Kristen Calverley and Nate Peck, who both hail from metro Detroit. The married duo first started serving Detroit-style pizza together in Pittsburgh, after they encountered a dearth of the pizza style in the area. The menu offers a selection of Detroit-themed pizzas, including the Woodward, the Vernor Vegan, and the Packard Pepperoni.
Photo courtesy of Coffee Down Under / Facebook
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Bobcat Bonnie’s
17330 Hall Rd., Space 195, Clinton Twp; 586-221-4313; bobcatbonnies.comBobcat Bonnie’s first location was opened on Michigan Avenue in Corktown in 2015, after owner Matt Buskard saw that the space O’Blivions occupied was for sale. It then opened three more locations in Wyandotte, Ferndale, and Ypsilanti. The newest addition is its location at the Mall at Partridge Creek.
Photo via Bobcat Bonnie’s Partridge Creek / Facebook
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Cajun Boiling Crab
9803 W. McNichols Rd., Detroit, 313-693-9692; Facebook.com/Cajun-Boiling-Crab
In August, a seafood boil take-out only restaurant opened in Detroit’s Rosedale Park. Cajun Boiling Crab offers a build-your-own-bag menu, which allows customers to select seafood ranging from lobster tail, snow crab legs, shrimp, crawfish, mussels, and king crab legs. Then comes the choice between honey butter garlic, lemon butter garlic, or Cajun sauces, followed by the spice level. Each bag comes with corn and potatoes, and sides of Cajun fries, boiled eggs, beef sausage can be added, too. They also have a selection of po' boys, fried fish baskets, and family-style combos.
Photo by Edward Davis II
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