Last year was huge for Detroit dining, with more than a 15 major restaurant openings— from Campau Tower in Hamtramck to Rose's Fine Food on the East Side to Selden Standard—and 2015 is starting off hot as well.

January will welcome major openings like Kate Williams' Republic in the GAR Castle as well as the much anticipated (and frequently delayed) Batch Brewing Company in Corktown. Further north, we're also predicting that Kuzzo's Chicken & Waffles will debut soon on the Avenue of Fashion. Likewise, fast casual Falafill is expected to open this month in Midtown.

Headed into February and March Detroit will say hello to a few newcomers including a coffee and cocktail bar, Cafe 78, in the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and Jai-Lee Dearing's first Rockefeller's Oyster Bar in Detroit proper. La Rondinella in Eastern Market is also supposed to open sometime in late-January or early-February. If luck is on their side, the people behind Katoi may even have a restaurant by early Spring.

Too many restaurant's to keep track of? Eater agrees, so we've designed this handy guide that rounds up some of the major coming attractions of early 2015.

Downtown

Republic and Parks & Rec

Location: 1942 Grand River Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Chef/Owner: Kate Williams

Projected Opening: January 2015 for Republic, February/March 2015 Parks & Rec

Chef Kate Williams' ambitious plan to bring two new restaurants to Detroit's Grand Army of the Republic Building is a bit behind schedule but she's moving ahead with full steam. Williams recently told Eater Detroit that Republic will open first in January followed by Parks and Rec a month or so later. Republic will be more upscale with a "meat-centric" and "rustic" menu, while Parks and Rec will be more like a diner.

Chris and Michelle Gerard

Rockefellers Oyster Bar

Location: 1315 Broadway St, Detroit, MI, 48226

Owner: Jai-Lee Dearing

Projected Opening: February 2015

Jai-Lee Dearing opened his first Rockefellers Oyster Bar in Grosse Pointe Park over the summer, but this restaurateur is no stranger to the downtown Detroit restaurant business having worked at Bert's in Eastern Market. After opening Rockefellers on Broadway, he has plans to take the brand into Midtown.

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Cornerstone Barrel House Restaurant

Location: 1456 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48226

Owner: Mike Bowen

Projected opening: January 2015

At one point it was a summer opening. Then a fall opening. Now we enter the nonspecific winter opening. When will the Cornerstone Barrel House Restaurant open? We're not sure, but we hope soon. Maybe check out the company's nightclub or whiskey bar in the meantime.

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Corktown

Batch Brewing Company

Location: 1400 Porter St, Detroit, MI 48226

Owner: Stephen Roginson

Projected Opening: Mid-January 2015

Detroit's first nano brewery is way behind schedule; however, with those setbacks behind them, the company is very close to opening day. Beers are in the fermenters and owner Stephen Roginson says he's simply waiting on city inspections.

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Katoi

Location: TBA

Chef: Brad Greenhill

Projected Opening: Spring 2015

After operating out of the Two James Distillery for less than a year, Katoi food truck chef Brad Greenhill is ready to make the jump to from mobile to brick and mortar with a restaurant just down the street from the eatery's current semi-permanent location. Greenhill plans to offer similar flavors to those found in his traditional Thai street food, but with a bigger kitchen he'll have more room to play with the menu. The restaurant will also offer craft cocktails.

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Sherwood Forest

Kuzzo's Chicken and Waffles

Location: 19345 Livernois Ave, Detroit, MI 48221

Owner: Ron Bartell

Projected Opening: January/February 2015

The Avenue of Fashion on Livernois is in the midst of a halting revitalization, with several new restaurants on the way. Kuzzo's Chicken & Waffles, owned by professional football player Ron Bartell, looks like it could open any day. The restaurant began seeking out staff this week.

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Midtown

Café 78

Location: 4454 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Owners: Dave Kwiatkowski and Marc Djozlija

Projected Opening: February 2015

Located in the space formerly occupied by Topsoil, Cafe 78 will offer Midtown locals and visitors to MOCAD top-notch cocktails made by bartenders trained at The Sugar House, as well as Anthology Coffee and Zingerman's pastries. In the evenings the cafe switch to a simple dinner service. In the spring, Kwiatkowski hopes to introduce brunch and a Bloody Mary bar.

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Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails

Location: 15 E. Kirby St, Detroit MI 48202

Owner: Sandy Levine

Projected Opening: Early Spring 2015

The Oakland owner Sandy Levine announced back in November that he would open a restaurant at the Park Shelton in the location formerly occupied by Rodin. Since then, we've learned that Terry B's chef Douglass Hewitt Jr. has been selected as executive chef for the restaurant. Chartreuse will offer American cuisine, a small list of expertly made cocktails, and wines.

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Falafill

Location: 4206 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201

Owners: Siblings Kassem and Maya Faradoun

Projected Opening: January 2015

Chicago-based chain Falafill will debut its first franchise in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood in January within a 1,200-square-foot space formerly home to GourMet Fresh Xpress. The menu follows a typical fast food sandwich format. Customers select from a variety of fillings including classic chickpea fritters, curry falafel, steak, turkey or chicken, or spicy sujuk sausage. They then can choose whether to eat their meal in a pita, bowl, or a wrap form. The restaurant also offers a host of sides including soup, pita chips, different types of fries, and more.

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Sweet Lorraine's Fabulous Mac n' Cheese

Location: 4870 Cass Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Owners: Gary Sussman and Lorraine Platman

Projected Opening: Late February 2015

This local chain of fast casual macaroni stands is in the midst of a big expansion. The Midtown location is the company's fifth and will be located inside the former Marwil Bookstore near Wayne State. The owners with the help of architect Howard Ellman and designer Patrick Thompson have already begun removing vinyl flooring to reach the terrazzo tile below as well as removing the drop ceilings. The company is also looking to expand into other areas including Campus Martius.

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Eastern Market

La Rondinella

Location: 2453 Russell St., Detroit, MI 48207

Owner: Dave Mancini

Projected Opening: January/February 2015

For over a year now Dave Mancini, owner of Supino Pizza, has been hard at work on a his sister restaurant, La Rondinella. The location will operate next door to the pizzeria in the former Taste of Ethiopia restaurant. The Italian menu is expected to include fresh pastas, handmade gnocchi, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef, and Supino's pizza.

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West Village

Sister Pie

Location: 2082 Parker Street, Detroit, MI 48214

Owner/Baker: Lisa Ludwinski

Projected Opening: April/May 2015

The building has been gutted and the floor plans submitted for Detroit's newest bakery Sister Pie. The 2014 Hatch Detroit winner's 900-square-foot space will feature a pie bar which sounds pretty delectable to us. In the meantime, the company accepts orders online or you can pick up a pie at Park Street Market.

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