Inside Le Petit Zinc’s Charming Homage to Parisian Dining

Le Petit Zinc reopened its doors last week to the excitement of its longtime fans who’ve been craving the restaurant’s distinctly French style of dining. Now located on the ground floor of the Strathmore Apartment building in Midtown, the restaurant is still working in close quarters.

Owner Karima Sorel tells Eater she looked to the streets of Paris, where she now resides part-time, for inspiration on how to better utilize the limited kitchen and storage space at the Midtown restaurant. “The Europeans are doing very well with limited space,” she says. “I’ve literally like snapping photos, taking notes, and trying my best to get ideas, to get references, [in order] to recreate what I see there here.”

Open shelving and storage cabinets now line the dark blue subway tile along the walls of the open kitchen. The new restaurant seats around 30 patrons at black iron tables topped with brown squares of butcher paper. The space also brings some added softness to the room with the addition of dark blue floor-to-ceiling curtains paired with green walls and gold accents. Sorel hand painted details throughout the space including a large mural located near the cash register. Another new addition: Le Petit Zinc now features a pastry case stocked with desserts from French pastry chef Matt Knio of Cannelle Patisserie.

Aside from the addition of two new dishes, regulars will find the same hits from the original Le Petit Zinc menu such as sweet and savory crepes, ratatouille sandwiches, and lattes served in gloriously large bowls. “If it’s not broke, there’s no need to fix it,” Sorel says. Take a peek around the restaurants new home in the gallery below.

Michelle and Chris Gerard

Michelle and Chris Gerard

(Top left) Nutella crepe with a latte served in a bowl. (Top right) Ratatouille sandwich with goat cheese and chicken. (Bottom) Salade nicoise with tuna, string beans, tomatoes, anchovies, potatoes, olives, hard boiled eggs, and mixed greens.

Le Petit Zinc is located at 70 West Alexandrine St. in Detroit; open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

• French Cafe and Creperie Le Petit Zinc Returns in New Midtown Space [ED]
• All Le Petit Zinc Coverage [ED]
• All Openings Coverage [ED]
• All Eater Inside Coverage [ED]