2014 was the year of the restaurant in Detroit proper, with new spots popping up in neighborhoods throughout the city. From brunch to late night burgers to fine dining, Detroiters got to taste a little bit of everything this year, admittedly with varying results. Here are the year's new offerings—the good, bad, and the ugly alike.
Which of these newcomers was your favorite, and which didn't live up to the hype? Let us know in the comments.
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Dave Kwiatkowski and Marc Djozlija opened this Downtown hotspot this summer, and they haven’t slowed down since. They keep the drink and food menus changing with the seasons, and guests cannot get enough, and the 2nd floor restaurant should see an even hotter 2015 with the new John Varvatos store opening on the ground floor.
Cousins Lucy Carnaghi and Molly Mitchell have turned an unlikely building on Jefferson into the city’s best-loved diner, serving up innovative takes on diner classics made with local ingredients all day long. Oh, and they pay their staff a living wage, which means that everyone is taking home enough to actually pay the bills.
Arguably the most exciting restaurant opening story of the year, this Eastern Market gem opened to rave reviews, and then garnered more attention than they bargained for when the staff walked out one week later. Recently reopened with a talented staff from New York, they’re wooing diners with food and drink that meets the high standards of the décor.
Corktown is staying on the culinary cutting edge with their most recent restaurant, featuring a gorgeous interior and the seriously farm-to-table cuisine of chef Josh Stockton. The vibe is friendly and casual, the menu changes often, and many call it the most unique decor in the city.
This breakfast, lunch, and brunch spot has been suffering through the M1-Rail construction on Woodward since opening several months ago in the old Atlas Global Bistro location. Despite having the same owner, it’s failed to gain the popularity of the Hudson Café, with inconsistent service and food being the main complaints on Yelp, but the space has received positive reviews as bright and clean, so hopefully they’ll hit their stride in 2015.
A diner-style restaurant that has earned rave reviews for all of their food, and their inventive sandwiches in particular. Think made in-house, fresh, and served with a smile and it makes sense why people keep this place busy all day long.
Detroit’s first Ramen restaurant is in good hands with Jacques Driscoll and Les Molnar of Green Dot Stables at the helm, serving steaming bowls of broth containing everything from seaweed and octopus to tripe at a great price point.
Regarded by many as one of the area’s most promising young chefs, Andy Hollyday had a lot to live up to the hype with his new Midtown restaurant, but diners have not stopped oohing and ahhing over the food (served small-plates style) since their fall opening, and the momentum just continues to build.
The venerable late-night institution closed in May, but surprise reopened in August under new owner Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery. They cleaned it up and added some fancier burgers and shakes, but have worked to keep the old spirit intact.
With 130 craft beers on tap, live entertainment, and something called “crack fries” this brand new Midtown spot is perfectly located next to Wayne State University.
It took what seemed like forever to really open, but Corktown’s newest sandwich spot has already earned many loyal fans, who come for inventive food and even charcuterie in a well-designed space.
Food, drinks, bowling and games is the draw, promising a full evening of entertainment all in one venue. Early Yelp reviews have noted that it’s been hard to play a game due to private parties, and that they’re still working out a lot of the kinks, so maybe wait until after the holidays.
Chef Justin Vaiciunas now runs two restaurants at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and his newest promises expansive city views, modern upscale décor, and a chef’s tasting menu that changes frequently to showcase the chef’s talents, but Yelpers note that there is a price-tag to match.
This Southern-Mexican restaurant in The Fisher Building's was started by Robert and Melissa Jasper who closed their two east coast restaurants and moved to Detroit to set up shop after seeing artist friends doing the same. Six months in the owners admitted that it's been tough being one of the newcomers to New Center, but Zenith is starting to collect a steady following.
Dave Kwiatkowski and Marc Djozlija opened this Downtown hotspot this summer, and they haven’t slowed down since. They keep the drink and food menus changing with the seasons, and guests cannot get enough, and the 2nd floor restaurant should see an even hotter 2015 with the new John Varvatos store opening on the ground floor.
Cousins Lucy Carnaghi and Molly Mitchell have turned an unlikely building on Jefferson into the city’s best-loved diner, serving up innovative takes on diner classics made with local ingredients all day long. Oh, and they pay their staff a living wage, which means that everyone is taking home enough to actually pay the bills.
Arguably the most exciting restaurant opening story of the year, this Eastern Market gem opened to rave reviews, and then garnered more attention than they bargained for when the staff walked out one week later. Recently reopened with a talented staff from New York, they’re wooing diners with food and drink that meets the high standards of the décor.
Corktown is staying on the culinary cutting edge with their most recent restaurant, featuring a gorgeous interior and the seriously farm-to-table cuisine of chef Josh Stockton. The vibe is friendly and casual, the menu changes often, and many call it the most unique decor in the city.
This breakfast, lunch, and brunch spot has been suffering through the M1-Rail construction on Woodward since opening several months ago in the old Atlas Global Bistro location. Despite having the same owner, it’s failed to gain the popularity of the Hudson Café, with inconsistent service and food being the main complaints on Yelp, but the space has received positive reviews as bright and clean, so hopefully they’ll hit their stride in 2015.
A diner-style restaurant that has earned rave reviews for all of their food, and their inventive sandwiches in particular. Think made in-house, fresh, and served with a smile and it makes sense why people keep this place busy all day long.
Detroit’s first Ramen restaurant is in good hands with Jacques Driscoll and Les Molnar of Green Dot Stables at the helm, serving steaming bowls of broth containing everything from seaweed and octopus to tripe at a great price point.
Regarded by many as one of the area’s most promising young chefs, Andy Hollyday had a lot to live up to the hype with his new Midtown restaurant, but diners have not stopped oohing and ahhing over the food (served small-plates style) since their fall opening, and the momentum just continues to build.
The venerable late-night institution closed in May, but surprise reopened in August under new owner Nikita Santches of Rock City Eatery. They cleaned it up and added some fancier burgers and shakes, but have worked to keep the old spirit intact.
With 130 craft beers on tap, live entertainment, and something called “crack fries” this brand new Midtown spot is perfectly located next to Wayne State University.
It took what seemed like forever to really open, but Corktown’s newest sandwich spot has already earned many loyal fans, who come for inventive food and even charcuterie in a well-designed space.
Food, drinks, bowling and games is the draw, promising a full evening of entertainment all in one venue. Early Yelp reviews have noted that it’s been hard to play a game due to private parties, and that they’re still working out a lot of the kinks, so maybe wait until after the holidays.
Chef Justin Vaiciunas now runs two restaurants at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and his newest promises expansive city views, modern upscale décor, and a chef’s tasting menu that changes frequently to showcase the chef’s talents, but Yelpers note that there is a price-tag to match.
This Southern-Mexican restaurant in The Fisher Building's was started by Robert and Melissa Jasper who closed their two east coast restaurants and moved to Detroit to set up shop after seeing artist friends doing the same. Six months in the owners admitted that it's been tough being one of the newcomers to New Center, but Zenith is starting to collect a steady following.
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