Detroit Restaurants With the Most Stunning Designs

In honor of this week's relaunch of Eater sister site Curbed, we're taking a moment to celebrate some of Detroit's most beautifully designed restaurants. From impressive architectural feats to gorgeous renovations, here are nine of the most stunning dining spots in the city.

Antietam

Antietam owner Gregory Holm's renovation of two art deco storefront near Eastern Market features restored terrazzo floors, tin ceilings, and a gorgeous wood bar sourced from Pennsylvania. Knitted chain-slipped over lamps in the dining give the restaurant a dim, sultry ambiance.

Michelle and Chris Gerard

Gold Cash Gold

From the name to the interior design to the food, Gold Cash Gold embraces a sense of place. The GCG building was commissioned in 1889 and began operating as a pawn shop in the early 1960s. Wood floors featuring a large golden eagle were reclaimed from an Detroit elementary school gymnasium. Decorative wood patterned ceilings, local art, and stained glass provide accents throughout the space.

Republic

Republic was voted Eater Detroit's Stone Cold Stunner in 2015 and with good reason. Mindfield's renovations of the 117-year-old G.A.R. Castle returned one of downtown's stunning pieces of architecture into a worthy dining destination. Designer Peter Gurski's flair for set design shines through in jewel-toned seating and antique mirror wall at Republic, while artist Greg Siff's expressive painting brings the restaurant firmly into the present.

Selden Standard

While many new Detroit restaurants emphasize the antique aspects of their locations, Selden Standard ushered in a sleek modern design with a neutral color palette, open kitchen, wood ceilings, and subway tile backsplashes.

Standby

Patrons enter Cary Building bar and restaurant Standby through a pair of salvaged bi-fold doors in the art-filled Belt Alley. A low ceiling hovers over the long bar. It doesn't hurt that one of Standby's partners is an art dealer. The restaurant boasts eye-catching circular wall paintings and a massive 6-by-20 foot black and white installation by LA-based artist Cleon Peterson.

Top of the Pontch

Top of the Pontch's glam design might look more akin to a high-rolling Vegas restaurant but it feels appropriate for a spot on the top floor of the Crowne Plaza. High-back white upholstered booths and chairs are reflected off the mirror ceiling. Blue vases throughout seem to draw on the blue water of the Detroit River below.

Townhouse Detroit

Townhouse Detroit's massive footprint spans 8,000-square-feet, boldly overflowing onto the sidewalk with a striking glassed-in patio. The outdoor element has a retractable roof and windows for a year-round outdoor dining experience. Inside, diners belly-up at leather chair-wrapped horseshoe bar with views of the open kitchen.

Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails

Like the liquor its named after, Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktail's bright green interior draws strongly on botanical elements. The entryway features a floral painting by popular local muralist Louis "Ouizi" Chen. Towards the back of the restaurant a curtain of dried flowers by Pot & Box hangs from the ceiling, while a "living wall" filled with succulents grows near the bar.

Cliff Bell's

One of Detroit's classic clubs, Cliff Bell's was resurrected in 2005. From the iconic curved sign at the entrance to the art deco images paintings on the walls the bar and the new incarnation plays up its 1930s roots.