Rose’s Fine Food Owner Moves On From West Village Restaurant Space

Hotly anticipated Detroit Polish restaurant and bakery Poppies is no longer opening at its anticipated West Village address. Owner Molly Mitchell confirms to Eater today that she’s moved on from the corner of Van Dyke and Agnes and is now on the hunt for a new location.

The follow up to charming East Jefferson diner Rose’s Fine Food, Mitchell’s sophomore project Poppies would offer lunch and dinner with items like sandwiches, pierogi, and a full complement of breads and pastries from baker Eggy Ding. The restaurant was on track to open this summer. However, Mitchell says that the West Village property ultimately didn’t work out, but could not offer further details.

“I’m definitely motivated to find a new spot,” she says, adding that she’s working with a real estate agent to identify a future home for Poppies and looking more specifically at properties designed for restaurants.

In the meantime, Mitchell is making big moves at Rose’s. This month, she bought the building that houses the breakfast restaurant is now investing in much-needed repairs to the property. The list includes updating the parking lot, fixing the roof, and upgrading the HVAC so that the restaurant has air conditioning. “There’s a lot of work to bring the building up to speed,” she says. “I’m just trying to find ways to make it more comfortable there for guests.”

While the delay to Poppies is disappointing, there is perhaps one silver lining: Mitchell is in the process of transferring the Poppies liquor license to Rose’s so that customers can enjoy brunch cocktails with their buckwheat pancakes. Rose’s will start by offering a small selection of pourable cocktails as well as natural wine, beer, and cider. Lucy Peters, Mitchell’s cousin and former co-owner at Rose’s, is developing the cocktail recipes. With a little luck, the transfer will come through in the next week or so. “If it goes well I’d like to extend our hours a bit and offer barbecue and beers at night,” Mitchell says.

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