Cafe Sous Terre
With elegant green tile work, midcentury modern décor, and beautiful art, this coffee shop/bar could be recognized for interior design alone (the polar opposite of what’s referenced in that Portl andia sketch about the agency that supplies only “bad art” to coffeeshops).
Located in the Cass Corridor underneath an old Forest Avenue apartment, Cafe Sous Terre offers superb espresso drinks with a rotation of unique house-made syrup flavors like “vanilla and French oak” and “floral.”
Its food selections have an authentic Parisian flair: delicate pastries; an ultrabuttery croque monsieur made with ham, Emmental and Gruyère cheeses, and Béchamel sauce; and fluffy quiches that will brighten your morning. Open till 11 p.m. daily, the shop also serves superb cocktails, beer, and wine.
445 W. Forest Ave., Detroit; 313-228-2880; cafesousterre.com
Flyleaf
Flyleaf is a bookstore — but it’s also a bar and bistro. The menu, curated by Chef de Cuisine André Fuentes, features seasonal small plates — cheese and charcuterie boards, lobster rolls, caviar, deviled eggs, and more.
“We wanted it to be a destination, or an experience,” owner Lindsay Scallen told Hour Detroit late last year, “a home away from home, but also like a cool, cozy library.”
Inside, paneled rooms, original art, fireplaces, and, of course, lots of books give the space a clubby vibe. The classics-filled Reading Room on the second floor can be rented for book clubs or other small events. The building includes 3,500 square feet of customer space, including two sales floors and a third-floor open-air patio where you can relax with a glass of wine or bite to eat when weather allows.
92 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms; 313-771-5544; flyleafgp.com
Luisa’s Artisanal Street Food
Whether you’re enjoying your lunch hour or a weekend outing, Luisa’s will get you right with its from-scratch fare and friendly service.
A stone’s throw from Ferndale’s Rust Belt Market, the small restaurant offers a primarily Italian menu with a unique mishmash of influences from South America and the Middle East — all with the grab-and-go convenience of being “street food.” Its sandwiches are stuffed in piadina, a rustic Italian flatbread that originates from the Romagna region. Its homemade soups are an essential side and can be ordered with corn dumplings; we recommend the smoky mole chili, made with roasted Chile peppers, green bell peppers, black beans, braised steak, and mozzarella.
Plus, the slushies — with rotating flavors like strawberry basil, mango, lavender lemonade, and Cherry Kool Aid — are to die for.
22851 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-677-3331; luisastreetfood.com
Noori Pocha
This retro Korean gastropub in Clawson will transport you to ’80s Seoul with its unmatchable aesthetic. There’s a lot to look at: neon lights and paper lamps, which cast a colorful reflection over vintage Korean barbecue tables; old Korean posters, advertisements, and street signs; a levitating toad; and a projector that plays strictly POV footage of a cameraperson walking around Seoul.
The meal begins with complimentary tteok-bokki, a rice cake cooked in a red, spicy broth. From there, you can choose from a fine selection of import beers and bang-for-your-buck entrées like the sharable buldak — spicy chicken with cheese served with jumeokbap rice balls, which feeds two. It can be quite a challenge to get a table there, but it’s absolutely worth it.
1 S. Main St., Clawson; 248-850-7512; nooripocha.com
Oak Parker
Regularly packed even on a weeknight, this lively neighborhood bar features thoughtful cocktails with a forward-looking food menu to match. Simplicity and a great bun (potato, brioche, or onion roll) make its smashburgers the perfect answer to a cold pint. You can also kick it up a notch with Hungarian sausage, schnitzels, or pastrami — the last stuffed in deli-style sandwiches and deep-fried chimichangas, or mixed in pastrami hash for weekend brunch.
Other highlights include the comforting and hearty navy bean soup. Did we mention Oak Parker’s fabulous peanut butter cookies? Plus, enjoy dancing and DJs in the Vinyl Room, its basement venue.
13621 W. 11 Mile Road; oakparkerbar.com
The Rind
Since its humble beginnings as a pop-up and small retail counter in Ferndale, Mongers’ Provisions has grown slowly and steadily over the seven years it’s been operating. Now the team behind the business has gone through another evolution with The Rind, a wine bar and restaurant attached to the business’s Berkley location.
The Rind serves signature cocktails from its full bar and offers wines by the glass and a selection of more than 150 bottles to choose from. In addition to snacks that pair well with wine, like marcona almonds, tinned razor clams, and (naturally) cheese and charcuterie, there’s heartier fare like a flat iron steak and littleneck clams, as featured on a recent menu.
Even as Mongers’ Provisions continues to grow and expand, one thing has remained constant: high-quality products selected with care and passion for food lovers to enjoy.
3125 12 Mile Road, Berkley; 248-468-4487; rindbar.com
Whatcha Wanna Eat Food Hall
Featuring 10 restaurants serving everything from burgers and wings to tacos and hibachi bowls, Whatcha Wanna Eat is said to be the first Black-owned food hall in the city. A project two years in the making, it opened in September 2023 with little news coverage but got a big boost on social media and by word of mouth that attracted crowds eager to check out the dining destination on the city’s northwest side.
The owners say Whatcha Wanna Eat is more than just a food hall and are on a mission to help Black- and minority-owned businesses, especially those run by first-time restaurateurs, by creating a collaborative space where local residents and visitors can come together.
“In my opinion, Whatcha Wanna Eat Food Hall should be national news,” popular TikTok food reviewer Keith Lee posted on the platform during its opening weekend.
While the food hall is still in its early stages, the early buzz indicates Whatcha Wanna Eat is on its way.
10635 W. McNichols Road, Detroit; whatchawannaeatfoodhall.com
This story originally appeared in the August 2024 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Aug. 6. Plus, click here to read our 2024 Best New Restaurants list.
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