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Spring is on the horizon, and with that, new beginnings for the city’s dining scene. Several highly-anticipated projects are expected to launch in 2024, in particular, during the weeks ahead of the NFL Draft, April 25 through 27 at Campus Martius. To that end, Gilly’s Clubhouse is gearing up to join a wave of recent downtown openings in the coming weeks along with Puma Detroit in Detroit’s Core City neighborhood. Elsewhere, Vecino Detroit is promising to bring the city’s first masa program in a restaurant setting sometime this spring. Meanwhile, construction woes continue to hang over several long-time ventures in the works, including Southwest’s vegan Mexican/sober space Nepantla and Vesper Books and Wine. In Eastern Market, Marrow also has plans to transform a long-abandoned building into a USDA-inspected meat processing plant, butcher shop, restaurant, and bar.
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.
Leña
Project Opening: Early spring 2024
Key players: Shelby, chef Mike Conrad and chef de cuisine Matt Tulpa
The team that brought us Shelby, the sexy downtown speakeasy set inside bank vault, is gearing up to open a new establishment, a Spanish restaurant called Leña. Details about the menu are scarce, but according to teasers already posted on social media and Shelby’s newsletter, chef Mike Conrad and chef de cuisine Matt Tulpa will lean in on open fire cooking, pulling inspiration from the Catalan and Basque regions for its pintxos, tapas, and shared plates. 2720 Brush St.
Adelina Detroit
Project Opening: March 21, 2024
Key players: chef Fabio Viviani; chef Gabriel Botezan; chef Marco Dalla Fontana; Randy Dickow, managing partner and food and beverage director; Cicero Hospitality Group; Martin Pakideh, president, Cicero Hospitality Group
Taking up the space that previously housed Calexico downtown will be an Italian and Mediterranean-style eatery, being launched by Chicago-based chef and restaurant group, Fabio Viviani. According to the Detroit News, Adelina Detroit draws inspiration from Italian and Mediterranean culinary traditions. Details about the menu and opening date have not been revealed, but from the looks of its social media page, diners can expect dishes like grilled octopus, dry-aged steaks, pasta, and more. The News goes on to say that celebrity chef Fabio Viviani was born in Florence, Italy and has competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef: All Stars,” as well as published numerous cookbooks. 1040 Woodward Ave.
Dutch Girl Donuts
Project Opening: April 2024
Key players: Paddy Lynch
One of Detroit’s most beloved doughnut shops closed Dutch Girl Donuts in 2021 following the deaths of both founders Gene and Lauren Timmer. In June, the family revealed that Dutch Girl would return, but that it would be sold in its entirety (including the property and recipes) to an at-the-time undisclosed buyer. The buyer, Paddy Lynch, a lifelong fan of the shop and owner of the city’s historic bathhouse, the Schvitz. According to a media representative, Dutch Girl is expected to launch sometime in April, while the Detroit News says that, according to Lynch, he’s waiting on some new equipment. Lynch is also planning to work with several members of the bakery’s core team prior to its closure, including Jon Timmer, Gene and Lauren’s son. 19000 Woodward Ave.
Puma Detroit
Project Opening: April 2024
Key players: Javier Bardauil
Chef Javier Bardauil of Barda, a 2022 James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant, is taking a more casual approach with his latest project, Puma Detroit, which he tells Eater will feature choripán, the quintessential Argentinian sandwich filled with grilled chorizo — along with a variety of beers and other items that he says will be more affordable than the lauded Barda. The restaurant will be situated in Core City, across the street from Barda. Bardauil tells Eater Detroit he hopes to open by the end of April to capture some of the buzz from the NFL Draft. 4725 16th Street.
Gilly’s Clubhouse, Saksey’s, the Rooftop at Gilly’s
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Project Opening: Friday, April 5, 2024; spring 2024
Key players: Josh Lang, 7OH2 Hospitality
Gilly’s Clubhouse, a new sports bar with ties to the real estate mogul and Rocket Companies owner Dan Gilbert, is gearing up to open just in time for the NFL Draft within the 14,000-square-foot Kay Baum Building downtown. The sports bar features a 120-square-foot TV wall and takes up the ground level and a mezzanine with rooftop access that faces Woodward, as well as a small cafe area. The menu will game day comforts like burgers, wings, and fries, as well as a selection of vegan dishes, smoothies, bone broth, and other lighter fare. Following the opening of Gilly’s Clubhouse, a lower-level cocktail bar called Saksey’s and rooftop lounge to be known as the Rooftop at Gilly’s are also expected to open sometime this spring. 1550 Woodward Ave.
Vecino Detroit
Project Opening: Spring 2024
Key players: Adriana Jimenez, Colin Tury, Michael Haener
One of the most anticipated openings of the year, Vecino Detroit is gearing up to launch the city’s first masa program when it launches sometime this spring in Midtown. Helming the kitchen will be executive chef Ricardo Mojica and head chef Stephanie Duran, who spent time working under the tutelage of lauded chefs in Mexico City and Chicago. The restaurant will lean in on inspiration from Mexico City’s cosmopolitan dining scene and traditions of Oaxaca. Vecino is working with Masienda to source its masa harina — which is made with non-GMO corn — and the equipment needed to produce handmade tortillas, sopes, huaraches and other masa-centric delicacies. Diners can also expect sharable plates, raw dishes like ceviche and crudo, as well as entrees like pollo al carbon and whole snapper. 4100 Third St.
Lady of the House
Project Opening: Early 2024
Key players: Kate Williams
Chef Kate Williams permanently closed her restaurant Lady of the House after four years in the Corktown neighborhood back in 2021, 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.
The Dancing Pine Korean Steakhouse
Project Opening: Late 2024
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.
Marrow Detroit Provisions
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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 St.
Nepantla
Project Opening: 2024
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 temporarily closed their food truck between March 5 through 18. Be sure to check Nepantla’s social media for more updates. 5410 W Vernor Highway, Detroit.
Six Spoke Brewing Co.
Project Opening: Unknown
Key players: Jordan Mifsud
This forthcoming Corktown brewery was expected to open sometime in 2023, but construction delays, plus, the November death of brewmaster Brad Etheridge have forced the spot to hold off on its launch. The planned brewery sits on the same block where Two James Distillery and Cork & Gabel are located — the latter of which is owned by Mifsud’s father Joe Mifsud. Michigan Avenue and 17th Street.
Vesper Books and Wine
Project Opening: 2024
Key players: Symantha Duggan and Rob Wilson
A new bookshop that doubles as a wine bar is supposed to open this spring inside a former bank building in Core City. Dubbed Vesper, the project is the brainchild of Symantha Duggan and Rob Wilson, who will provide a selection of cookbooks, tinned seafood, a variety of amaros, and zero-proof beverages, in addition to a limited supply of cookware. As the founders continue build-out efforts, they are also hosting occasional pop-up events to showcase their forthcoming offerings. Be sure to follow Vesper’s social media for updates. 5001 Grand River Avenue.
Paradise Deli and Marketplace
Projected Opening: 2024
Key Players: Nezaa Bandele, Allied Media Projects
Mama Nezaa has been feeding activists her Caribbean-inspired cuisine through her Paradise Foods catering and pop-up venture for decades. Now, she’s working to open a restaurant called Paradise Deli and Marketplace, featuring groceries, plant-forward grab-and-go options, a cafe, nutrition classes, and a ghost kitchen. The new space will hire nearby residents and be located on the ground level of the Love Building, currently being redeveloped as the new headquarters of the nonprofit Allied Media Projects. Construction delays have pushed back the opening date, however, be on the lookout on social media for updates. 4641 Grand River Ave., Detroit.