When restauranteur Pasquale Lamarra opened Pastaio in Port St. Lucie, Florida, he had no idea that move would also lead him to opening another restaurant in Royal Oak, Michigan. His Pastaio location in Florida was the former home of Michigan-based Hopcat, which had gone out of business. The landlord of the Florida property liked Pastaio so much that he convinced Lamarra to open a Pastaio in another shuttered Hopcat property that he owned in Royal Oak. The rest is history. Pas

The Nautical Bowls chain boasts 77 locations and was founded in Minnesota, also known as the land of 10,000 lakes, a nod to its nautical name. Bloomfield Hills native Dan Fisch fell in love with the acai bowls offered at Nautical Bowls while living in Minnesota. “I traveled a lot with my job and tried everyone’s acai bowls, but always came back to Nautical Bowls.” Now Dan and his wife Katie have brought the first Michigan Nautical Bowl concept to Royal Oak. So, what is an aca

Troy newcomer Le Choux is named after its sweet and delicate French cream puff pastries but cream puffs are just one of the delicacies offered at the independently owned French/Korean bakery. The bakery, which has seating for about 20 customers, is owned by Kevin and Christine Kim. Kevin points out that, unlike many chain bakeries, their products are made fresh each day and the dough is never frozen. Besides cream puffs, customers will find a large assortment of stuffed macar

Interior renovations are underway in downtown Ferndale where Hometown Restaurant Group is planning the launch of Tigerlily, an Asian-inspired restaurant and sushi bar in the former Antihero location. The new Tigerlily concept will focus on sushi and Asian cuisine inside a fully-redesigned, 4,000-square-foot dining area that includes a full sushi bar, a private-showcase dining table and room, and a separate, 900-square-foot tiki bar dubbed Mai Tiki. Design work is being done b

Cash Only Supper Club, a new fine-dining and live entertainment concept from Heirloom Hospitality Group, has debuted in downtown Detroit. Nestled below Prime & Proper, Cash Only Supper Club sets itself apart with an ultra-luxurious, Hollywood-glam-inspired vibe, complete with intimate seating and nightly musical performances. Guests are escorted to their table by tuxedo-clad team members for a seven-plus course menu which changes monthly. A strict fancy cocktail to black-tie

The iconic Traffic Jam and Snug, established in 1965, caught fire early in the morning hours of May 27. The fire devastated the establishment but fortunately, nobody was injured. The eatery is known throughout Midtown Detroit for their in-house bakery, microbrewery, dairy, eclectic menu and curiously intimate multi-level dining rooms. On December 18, 1992, after a decade-long legal battle, Traffic Jam became the first brew-pub in the state of Michigan, paving the way for othe

On Saturday, July 18th, Oak & Reel invites you to their Milwaukee Junction eatery for a fun evening of delicious food, exemplary wine, witty banter, and friendly competition. Oak & Reel sommeliers, Melissa Wilson and Bruce Felts, will compete against SheWolf sommelier Dan Reinisch for entertainment and bragging rights. The winner will take home the coveted “Golden Bottle,” made special for Oak & Reel’s Somm Slams. Two-starred Michelin chef and Oak & Reel owner Jared Gadbaw ha

Exciting news for brunchers – Sylvan Table has added brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays. The restaurant, which opened in the summer of 2021, sits on five acres with three acres dedicated to farming 100 different crop varieties that are incorporated into their seasonal food and drink menus. The menu features rustic, artisan and vegetable forward food along with high quality meats, freshly made pastas and sustainable seafoods. The modern cozy dining experience is achieved

A new Mexican bar and restaurant dedicated to mezcal has opened in Ferndale. The aptly named Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen is owned and operated by brother and sister team Jose Granados and Sandra Haro. Neither Granados nor Haro hail from restaurant/bar backgrounds, yet Haro says their inspiration to open Mezcal Mexican Bar & Kitchen came from their many trips to Mexico. “We strive to have our customers experience the modern art, flavors and culture of a country that plays suc

On March 3, a hood fire started in the kitchen of Birmingham’s beloved Greek Islands Coney Restaurant. Owner John Kostogiannis said he got the call as he was vacationing in the Bahamas. “Fortunately, the Birmingham Fire Marshal happened to be down the street when the fire happened. It took just five minutes for the fire truck to arrive and another five minutes to put out the fire,” he said. Thankfully, nobody was injured and the blaze was contained quickly. Also fortuitously,