By: Bill Buccalo
Over the last several years, the number of new restaurant start-ups in the city has been impressive. We have seen top chefs such as Kate Williams of Lady of the House and Anthony Lombardo of SheWolf Pastificio & Bar move from the suburbs and around the country to lead new ventures in Detroit. The result has been an impressive list of places to try out, all with creative menus to please your palate and crazy nice environments please your senses.
Our list below includes 10 newer restaurants in the “Fine Casual” category, all having opened between 2015 to 2018. For the full list, see The List.
While all are great, three recent experiences stick out.
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- Lady of the House in Corktown opened last fall to great fan fair and earned a well deserved #2 spot on the 2018 Detroit Restaurants of the Year.
- SheWolf Pastificio & Bar in Midtown opened his June serving up “Modern Roman Cuisine” (aka Italian) with fresh homemade pasta and a great wine list.
- And lastly, Takoi! This Thai restaurant, also in Corktown, is like nothing I have ever seen or tasted. I’ve described it as “funk-a-delic to the max” because it is! Every dish was fantastic, the vibe was cool, and I am looking for an excuse to get back for seconds.
Two more on this list standout not only for the wonderful dining experiences they offer, but because of their settings. The Republic Tavern sits in the old triangular G.A.R. Building, which was built in 1899. The Apparatus Room occupies the fire engine bays of the former 1929 constructed Detroit Fire Department Headquarters Building. Both of these buildings are worth the price of admission in and of themselves. For more images of Detroit, see Galleries.
Enjoy your time Grazing Detroit!
List of 10 Newer "Fine Casual" Restaurants
| Name | Rating | Focus | Vibe | Year | Location | Q-Line | PPLMove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chartreuse | 4 - Def Going Back | Creative Menu & Cocktails | Earthy | 2015 | Art Center | Ferry St | No Go |
| Central Kitchen + Bar | 4 - Def Going Back | Creative Menu & Wine | Trendy | 2015 | Downtown | Campus Martius | Financial District |
| Republic Tavern (G.A.R.) | 3 - Sure (At least Once) | Creative Menu & Cocktails | 2015 | Theatre District | Grand Circus Park | Grand Circus Park | |
| Grey Ghost Detroit | 4 - Def Going Back | Creative Menu | Neighborhood Nice | 2016 | District | Sproat or MKL | No Go |
| Peterboro | 4 - Def Going Back | Contemporary American Chinese | Modern Hip | 2016 | District | Sproat or MKL | No Go |
| Takoi | 4 - Def Going Back | Thai plates - super tasty! | Funk-a-delic to the max | 2016 | Corktown | No Go | No Go |
| The Apparatus Room | 4 - Def Going Back | Creative Menu & Wine | Old Firehouse | 2017 | Downtown | Congress Street | Financial District |
| Lady of the House | 4 - Def Going Back | Creative Menu & Wine | Local foods, Top Chef | 2017 | Corktown | No Go | No Go |
| Lumen Detroit | 4 - Def Going Back | Small menu, nice setting at Beacon Park | Contemporary Euro | 2018 | Theatre District | Grand Circus Park | Grand Circus Park |
| SheWolf Pastificio & Bar | 4 - Def Going Back | Italian Creative Fresh Pasta, Milled Flour, homemade Pasta | Trendy Urban Modern | 2018 | Midtown | Canfield or MLK | No Go |
