The countdown is on for Aaron Belen and AFB Hospitality Group’s The Morrie Birmingham. Located at 260 N. Old Woodward, Belen said they plan to open by the end of July and the menu is about 75 percent finalized. “We’re in the final stages of construction and we’re looking to start training in the middle of July,” he said. Much like The Morrie’s Royal Oak location, guests can expect something in between a coney island and a high-end restaurant, with pizza, salads, and burgers gracing the menu. The hospitality group is still working on the details of setting up late-night entertainment for the after-dinner crowd. Belen is excited to bring The Morrie to town and for guests to see what they can o

When one door closes, well, a food truck opens. The original plan for Tavern on Broadway – 1315 Broadway, Detroit, right next to Punch Bowl Social – was to open this fall, but after deciding to take the building down to its studs and bricks and demolish an existing elevator shaft, the upcoming restaurant’s opening has been moved back to early 2020. “In turn, one of my investment partners one night called and said, ‘What about a food truck while we’re waiting?’” said Executive Chef Chris Gadulka, former chef at Toast Birmingham who partnered with Saber Ammori, one of the owners of Toast, for this venture. “We have a brand we feel we could take mobile and have some fun with it.” Said food truc

After years of people asking, the folks at Birmingham’s Commonwealth Café – 300 Hamilton Row – have added a dinner menu and will be open until 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Owner James Hayosh had nothing but good things to say the day after their first dinner service began in early June. “There were a lot of familiar faces, and everyone loved the food,” he said. “It just felt really good, it felt natural.” The much-anticipated dinner menu includes grilled salmon with bamboo rice, macaroni and cheese with bacon lardons, and breakfast items like steak and eggs (topped with chimichurri) and a quinoa breakfast bowl. “One thing we definitely realized is people like eating breakfast any time o

The four women of Nest Egg LLC have huge plans for Corktown. First for the quartet – Ping Ho, owner of the Royce and Marrow; Sarah Welch, Marrow executive chef and partner; and Folk and Farmer’s Hand co-owners Kiki Louya and Rohani Foulkes – is a beverage program with alcohol being launched at Folk, created by Ho. Next is the closing of Farmer’s Hand (which will return) so it can become Mink – 1701 Trumbull Avenue, Detroit – where Welch will serve as director of operations (and still cook at Marrow) and the kitchen will be run by Cameron Rolka, Marrow sous chef. “We’re kind of treating it like Detroit’s waiting room,” Welch said about Mink, which hopefully will open in September. “We’re aimi

With plans for Royal Oak and Birmingham locations to open by fall, New Order Coffee Roasters – who also have a location in Midtown Detroit – is in for some big changes. Along with these two new spots, their Ferndale space is being converted to a coffee shop set to open in early 2020, while their offices will move to Troy. CEO Elizabeth Rose said the Royal Oak location –30955 Woodward Avenue – is part of the Woodward Corners by Beaumont project and will serve their custom blends and original lattes in addition to a food menu, which Rose wasn’t able to give specifics about. She did confirm there will be homemade ice cream, cold brew shakes, and matcha ice teas though. Inside the entrance of Pa

Replacing Will Leather Goods – 4120 Second Avenue, in Detroit’s Midtown – will be the latest from restaurateur Jeremy Sasson, who owns Heirloom Hospitality, known for Prime + Proper and Townhouse restaurants in both downtown Birmingham and Detroit. The 9,000-square-foot space will include a restaurant with a big pizza focus and a market where Executive Chef Myles McVay of Otus Supply will lead the kitchen. Sasson said they will explore naturally fermented breads and natural yeasts – including in their Neapolitan pizzas – not just through bread making but also in the curing process of the food. Produce, pasta making, and rotisserie will also be large focuses on the menu. “The food is intended

At City Barbeque there is one thing you won’t find – a microwave. “We don’t have microwaves in the entire building,” said Shelby Morgan, regional marketing manager. “Everything is made fresh.” The Troy location, 700 W. Big Beaver Road, is the chain’s second Michigan location and opened in May. Morgan said that City Barbeque is “real deal, authentic barbeque,” where they smoke their own meats – smokers can be found going around the clock – and serve in-house made sides and desserts, all in a setting to let guests feel like they are in their own backyards for a cookout. Their barbecue mixes a variety of types, ranging from Texas-style brisket to St. Louis-style ribs. And, if you hear a cowbell

Gather and Cøllect owners — and husband and wife — Lea and Kyle Hunt hope to bring back some summer childhood nostalgia with their newest venture, Huddle. Located in the former home of Chickpea in the D – at 2 John R Street in Detroit – Huddle will be a walk-up window stand serving soft serve custard. Aiming to open in July and stay open year-round, Kyle said they will have two machines, one with vanilla and chocolate, the other with vanilla and a rotating flavor (both of which can be twisted) and simple toppings, like chocolate and rainbow sprinkles, cake and waffle cones. Don’t worry – there will also be bowls.