Detroit Beer Exchange

1260 Washington Blvd., Detroit; 313-638-2361; thebeerexchange.com
Buy, sell, buy, sell — and drink! Beer Exchange is expanding their horizons to Detroit. This bar first opened in 2010 in Kalamazoo and they are now coming to Downtown Detroit. Known for their casual environment, pizza and beer combos, and, well, the fact that they operate like the stock market, with fluctuating beer prices and spontaneous market crashes. Similar to their Kalamazoo offerings, Detroit Beer Exchange is expected to feature somewhere around 28 beers, 10 ciders, as well as meads and nonalcoholic beverages.

Photo via Detroit Beer Exchange/Facebook

Ladder 4 Detroit

3396 Vinewood, Detroit; facebook.com/LadderDetroitSons
This wine bar project has been underway since 2020 but has picked back up this upcoming year. This project is underway and is being developed by the Sons of Banat in Southwest Detroit. There is no set date as to when the wine bar will open.

Photo via Ladder 4 Detroit/Facebook

Goblin Sushi Bar

2547 Bagley St., Detroit; goblinorder.com
There's some good news for Detroit sushi lovers and bad news for margarita drinkers: A Macomb County sushi spot is moving into the recently shuttered Peso Bar space in Detroit's Mexicantown. Goblin's 35925 S. Gratiot Ave. Clinton Twp. spot pivoted to take-out and delivery-only mid-pandemic and currently offers a selection of traditional rolls, as well as specialty rolls, sushi bowls, platters, nigiri, and sweets, like matcha cheesecake.

Photo via Goblin Sushi Bar/Facebook

Barda Detroit

4842 Grand River Ave., Detroit;248-949-0008 bardadetroit.com
Opening in the former Magnet space in Core City, Barda Detroit will offer Argentinian fare. Chef Javier Bardauil, who hails from Buenos Aires, will be making his Detroit debut 4842 Grand River Ave. when the restaurant opens in April. Barda Detroit will offer a simple bar program (think wines from Argentina and Italian Fernet) and a range of vegetable, meat, and seafood dishes at a variety of price points to avoid feeling too “exclusive” for the neighboring area.

Photo via GoogleMaps

Petty Cash

20050 Livernois Ave., Detroit pettycashdetroit.com
Details about this new small plates and cocktail lounge along Detroit's Avenue of Fashion have yet to be revealed but Petty Cash appears to be taking over the old O’quins Shrimp House spot.

Photo via GoogleMaps

Cafe Alto

30955 Woodward Ave., Detroitinstagram.com/altodetroit
Cafe Alto is a new café shop that plotted for Detroit's Brush Park in the former New Order Coffee space. In addition to roasting their own beans, Cafe Alto will be serving treats from White Wolf Patisserie and Cannelle.

Photo via Joe Louis Southern Kitchen/Facebook

Joe Louis Southern Kitchen

3100 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; 313-788-8338; joelouissouthernkitchen.com
Giving New Center the ol' one-two punch is an ode to the legendary boxer, Joe Louis. The all-day brunch forward project comes from Johnny Cannon (owner of Sweet Magnolia's, former owner of New Center Eatery) in cooperation with Joe Louis II. The restaurant will seat 76 people and will feature southern breakfast staples like, buttermilk biscuits, croquettes and rice, shrimp and grits, country fried steak, pancakes, and chicken and waffles. The restaurant, which will also pay homage to Louis through its decor, is expected to celebrate its grand opening in May to coincide with the boxer's birthday.

Photo via Joe Louis Southern Kitchen/Facebook

Detroit's Louisiana Creole Gumbo

29216 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills; detroitgumbo.com
An Eastern Market institution for decades, Detroit's Louisiana Creole Gumbo restaurant is set to open its first non-Detroit location this spring at 29216 Orchard Lake Rd., in Farmington Hills.

Photo via Detroit's Louisiana Creole Gumbo/Facebook

Sloppy Crab

519 E. Jefferson, Detroit;sloppycrabdetroit.com
The owners of Sloppy Chops are backing another sloppy restaurant with Sloppy Crab. Taking over the former Brigg's Detroit spot in downtown, Sloppy Crab will offer a variety of seafood dishes, including lobster, fried fish, and seafood boils.

Photo via Sloppy Crab/Facebook

Supergeil

2442 Michigan Ave., Detroit
Capitalizing on the döner kebab craze is David Landrum, owner of Two James Distillery. Supergeil, will offer Mediterranean fare in Corktown out of a 10,000 sq ft space across the street from Two James' tasting room.

Photo via Google Maps

Coriander Kitchen and Farm

14601 Riverside Blvd., Detroit; 313-473-9132; corianderkitchenandfarm.com
Update: Coriander Kitchen and Farm is open
Chef Alison Heeres and farmer Gwen Meyer of Coriander Kitchen & Farm have been itching to open their waterfront farm-to-table restaurant since securing the previously vacant marina in the Jefferson-Chalmers area. As they dealt with construction delays and rising water levels, the pair launched a food truck onsite and offered a limited run of patio service, both of which have ceased so that they can focus energy on completing the construction, which they’ve done. The team is now plotting a spring opening.

Photo via Coriander Kitchen and Farm/Facebook

Dixboro House

theborotogo.com
Dixboro House, a multi-million dollar restaurant complex in Ann Arbor, is more than half-way to being fully realized. Sava Farah of Sava’s and small plates hotspot Aventura (which has been on hiatus since last February) launched woodfire pizza spot The Boro in December with plans to open the long-awaited Dixboro House, a high-end sit-down offering led by Top Chef contestant Louis Maldonado, later this year in a new construction barn.

Photo via The Dixboro House/Facebook

Sauce

4120 2nd Ave., Detroit; saucedetroit.com
This Heirloom Hospitality (Townhouse, Prime + Proper) Italian-inspired spot was supposed to open in the spring of 2021, but was put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic. Sauce will open in the former Will Leather Goods along Cass Corridor with former Otus Supply chef Myles McVay at the helm. Featuring Neapolitan pizzas and other dishes inspired by Italy and Southern California, Sauce will also include a coffee bar that will serve lattes and gelato. It’s expected to seat 300 people, including patio seating. Though they’re slinging pies out of Townhouse curbside, Sauce is expected to formally open in the spring.

Photo by Steve Neavling

Baobab Fare

6568 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-266-5199; baobabfare.com/.com
Update: Baobab Fare is open
It’s been a long time coming for casual East African concept and 2017 Hatch Detroit winners Baobab Fare. Owned by Burundi refugees Mamba Hamissi and Nadia Nijimnber, Baobab Fare pivoted to offering whole bean coffee while they complete the build-out of their 65-seat restaurant, juice bar, and market hybrid offering vegetarian-friendly and Halal breakfast, lunch, and dinner dishes.

Photo via Baobab Fare/Facebook

Slyde

7960 Kercheval Ave., Detroit; slydedetroit.com
Five years and several setbacks later, gourmet sliders may soon be coming to Detroit's West Village. Slyde, which bills itself as "an approachable neighborhood bar and restaurant serving sliders and shareables,” has found a home base in a historic bank building, a space that once housed Detroit Body Garage and The Good Rug. Last fall — which is the last time the slider bar’s social media had been updated — Slyde hosted takeout-only walk-up orders for select pop-up events, offering a variety of sliders and shareables, like mac and cheese and waffle fries.

Photo via Slyde/Facebook

Coffee Down Under

607 Shelby St., Detroit;313-444-6626; coffeedownunder.com
Update: Coffee Down Under is open
Last February, it was announced that a new Australian-style coffee bar was headed to Detroit's Financial District in a 400 square ft. space under Brome Modern Eatery. The sustainable coffee bar will feature espresso roasts from Proud Mary Cafe, a Melbourne-based establishment. It will also serve Australian refreshments, including the long black — it’s stronger than an Americano and is created by pouring a double-shot of espresso or ristretto over hot water. As they prepare to open, Coffee Down Under has been doing pop-up collaborations with Huddle Soft Serve as well as offering bags of their whole bean coffee online. According to their website, they anticipate a January or February 2021 open date.

Photo via Coffee Down Under/Facebook

Gabriel Hall

8002 Kercheval Ave., Detroit;313-932-1220; gabrielhalldet.com
As of January 2020, construction was underway for the long-awaited Dameon Gabriel- and chef Ederique Goudia-led Cajun restaurant, bar, and performance space in West Village. The idea has been kicked around since 2014, when Gabriel Hall competed for the Hatch Detroit prize, losing out to Sister Pie bakery. While they await a formal opening, expected later this year, Goudia continues to host pop-up dining events, spotlighting New Orleans-style fare.

Photo via Gabriel Hall/Facebook

Motor City Brewing Works

19350 Livernois Ave., Detroit; motorcitybeer.com
Motor City Brewing Works has been working on its second location since 2018. The partnership between the longstanding Midtown brew pub and the owner of the shuttered Angelina Italian Bistro had plotted to open on Livernois along Detroit’s Avenue of Fashion October of 2020, but the project was likely derailed due to COVID-19.

Photo via Motor City Brewing Works/Facebook

The Red Hook

2761 E Jefferson. Detroit; theredhookcoffee.com
After finding success with spots in downtown Ferndale and Detroit's West Village location, the Red Hook coffee shop is eyeing an expansion into downtown Detroit. The new spot used to house a research clinic for Wayne State University's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, but has sat empty in recent years, growing covered in vines. Red Hook is eyeing a spring openening.

Photo via The Red Hook/Facebook

Supino Pizzeria

6519 Woodward Ave., Detroit; supinopizzeria.com
Update: Supino is open
The owner of one of Detroit's favorite — and busiest — pizzerias will soon send New York-style pies out of a new restaurant in New Center. Supino Pizzeria owner Dave Mancini secured a building on the same block in 2018, but it’s been a while to get things going, as it's now slated to open in February 2021.

Photo by Lee DeVito