Metro Detroit’s Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings, Fall 2024 #DetroitFood
East African street food in Eastern Market, the return of the Lady in Core City, Liberian food and Filipino pastries in New Center, and more new places to know now
Fall is here, and with the shorter, cooler days ahead, it’s also a time to take a look at the new restaurants coming soon. This spring, a string of wildly anticipated establishments made a splash in the area, while the summer months saw a number of high profile closures. The city’s Core City neighborhood is gearing up to welcome Vesper Books and Wine and the latest iteration of Lady of the House. In Eastern Market, Baobab Fare’s food truck concept Waka is on its way to launching a brick and mortar in the space formerly occupied by Russell Street Deli. Meanwhile in Oakland County, a quaint oyster house is on its way and in New Center, a Liberian eatery is in the works, as is the city’s first Filipino bakery is inching near an opening.
Note that an opening date is a moving target for any restaurant so don’t be surprised if that day changes. For now, here are a few of the most exciting restaurants expected to open their doors in the next few months.
JP Makes and Bakes
Project Opening: Fall 2024
Key players: Jonathan Peregrino
Detroiters are patiently waiting for the opening of the city’s only Filipino bakery in the coming weeks, as founder Jonathan Peregrino continues the hard work of building out the bake shop’s permanent home in New Center. The space features an open concept and seating for about 10 people. In addition to offering Peregrino popular cookies, brownies, chocolates, and bread rolls flavored with traditional ingredients like ube, the place will offer a full coffee and espresso bar, as well as a rotating selection of savory meals — ideal for those who may work in the area and are in need of a quick bite or caffeine break. 6529 Woodward Avenue, Suite B.
Franklin Oyster Bar & Eatery
Project Opening: Late 2024
Key Players: Ronin Capital Partners, Jay Farner
The former Franklin Grill, which shuttered at the start of 2024 after a 16-year run, is being reimagined by Detroit businessman and managing partner of Ronin Capital Partners, Jay Farner. Coming as soon as late 2024, the space will soon be known as Franklin Oyster Bar & Eatery. Details about the food and drink offerings weren’t immediately available following the announcement of the switch, however, executive chef Nick Geftos, who also heads the kitchen at BESA Detroit downtown (also owned by Ronin Capital Partners) has been tapped the helm the kitchen. In addition, Farner has also purchased the adjoining property, which will be joined to the new restaurant by a shared back patio and will become an as-of-yet unnamed casual cafe. The cafe will be led by pastry chef Christine Anschuetz. 32760 Franklin Road, Franklin.
Waka by Baobab Fare
Project Opening: Early 2025
Key players: Nadia Nijimbere and Hamissi Mamba
What started off as a food truck that first launched during Noel Night in 2022 is now well on its way to becoming a brick and mortar location in Eastern Market in the space formerly occupied by Russell Street Deli. Here, customers will get to enjoy dishes inspired by street food in Burundi such as chapati, a traditional, flaky flatbread filled with stewed meats and vegetables. In addition, diners will find other East African-style delicacies like brochettes — skewered meat kabobs grilled over charcoal. Note that Baobab Fare is also looking to expand its footprint with a second location at 16900 E. Warren Avenue on the city’s east side. This outpost is expected to open in late 2025.
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Waka by Baobab Fare
Little Liberia
Project Opening: 2025
Key players: Ameneh Marhaba
Little Liberia, the forthcoming restaurant and self-described first Liberian food offering in Michigan, is gearing up for its New Center debut. Founded in 2016, first under the name Kitchen Ramarj by Ameneh Marhaba, Little Liberia won $100,000 in the 2022 Comerica Hatch Detroit contest and in the time since then, Marhaba has been hosting pop-ups and ticketed dining events — seeking customer feedback along the way to inform the menu. When the space opens, diners can expect traditional halal dishes such as plantain chips, Liberian country dry rice, cassava leaves, groundnut stew, and palm butter. To drink, Little Liberia is planning to carry a variety of cocktails and mocktails. Little Liberia will become the third Afro-centric restaurant to open in recent years on the 6500 block of Woodward Avenue alone. The Afro Caribbean spot Yum Village opened its doors in 2019, followed by the Burundi-owned Baobab Fare in 2021. Work continues to build out the space and a 2025 opening is in the works. 6513 Woodward Avenue.
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Little Liberia
Lady of the House
Project Opening: Late 2024
Key players: Kate Williams
Chef Kate Williams permanently closed her restaurant Lady of the House in 2021 after four years in the Corktown neighborhood, but something told us that that would not be the last time we’d hear from the beloved chef. The critically acclaimed restaurant and Williams were named a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant in 2018 and Best Chef: Great Lakes a year later by the James Beard Foundation. Williams tells Eater that the Lady will rise again soon, this time in Core City (near Barda, Cafe Prince, Detroit Institute of Bagels, et al). Details about what to expect food-wise have not been shared, however, Williams has been teasing fans with social media posts of favorites like her tomato tartare and shrimp butter, suggesting she may revive aspects of the original menu upon reopening. 4884 Grand River, Suite 1C.
Marrow Detroit Provisions
Project Opening: 2025
Key players: Ping Ho, Sarah Welch, Jonathan Opdyke
Marrow, the award-winning restaurant and butcher shop in Detroit’s West Village, is continuing its expansion efforts, and has announced plans to convert 14,000-square-foot former home of Capital Poultry in Eastern Market into Marrow Detroit Provisions. Purchased in 2021, the space will feature a USDA-inspected meat processing facility, restaurant, butcher shop, and bar, along with a spacious outdoor seating area. Ground broke on Tuesday, March 5 during a news conference, with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Eastern Market CEO Dan Carmody, and other dignitaries. The ambitious renovation comes as Marrow is also planning to open a smaller, neighborhood butcher shop at 283 Hamilton Row in Birmingham. 2442 Riopelle Street.
Nepantla
Project Opening: Unknown; food truck is reliably available
Key players: Rocky Coronado
Vegan Mexican, meets zero-ABV mocktails, juices, and coffee at Nepantla, the forthcoming cafe inside the long-vacant Charlie Clark’s Bar on West Vernor Highway. Nepantla — which comes from the Indigenous Nahuatl language referring to the concept of existing between two cultures — is the years-long project led by Rocky Coronado. While Coronado continues to sort out the finer details of building out the space, they continue to operate reliably throughout the week. Be sure to check Nepantla’s social media for updates on where Nepantla will pop up next. 5410 W Vernor Highway.
The Dancing Pine Korean Steakhouse
Project Opening: Unknown
Key players: Seven York Inc., Min Kyu Kim
Michigan will soon welcome its first Asian-themed mixed use development, Sakura Novi, featuring a collections of restaurants featuring flavors inspired by the cuisines of Korea, Japan, Hawaii, Mongolia, China, and elsewhere. Anchoring the development — which will include housing, a public plaza, and Japanese-style garden — is the Dancing Pine Korean Steakhouse, a high-end eatery and market. Town Center Drive and 11 Mile Road, Novi.
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